By J. Rose, L. Daniel and L. Merhoff
How has the Chinese government responded?
The coronavirus is currently the highest priority in their government responses. The chinese government has made sure that all social media and articles bashing China and the Coronavirus are shut down.
How has the US government responded?
On Jan. 31, 2020, the US government began restricting travel to and from China. President Trump has been hesitant to communicate on the coronavirus with Chinese officials. In fear of how US citizens were going to react to the virus, President Trump offered false reassurance. Recently the US has been more active in response to the virus due to an increase in cases and the continued spread of the disease. The CDC has been very active and provides accurate, up-to-date information to the public.
Is the media depicting the coronavirus accurately?
Many media outlets are reporting responsibly on COVID-19. Some sources, however, have put out misleading information, and this problem has been made worse by the spread of rumors on social media.
- Misinformation about COVID-19 has caused harmful stigmatization and discrimination, especially toward people of East Asian descent.
- Reports of the disease being caused by people eating bats have been proven false.
- Predictions of a potential for 65 million deaths are exaggerated. Researchers do not agree on the potential toll.
What is the CDC doing to help?
The goals of the CDC are trying to contain virus by detecting and minimizing introductions of this virus in the United States. They also are trying to reduce the spread and the impact of this virus by preparing communities. What they have actually accomplished are, travel bans, clinical guidance, using laboratories to test, and assessing the health of people arriving in the US.
