While China, to be specific Wuhan province, was busy looking for a solution to this disease, the USA through its president labeled COVID-19, a Chinese virus. Thus, began the brickbats between China and the USA, with China counter labeling the disease, a USA Virus.
In an article titled “COVID-19: Application of Common Sense,” my friend and secondary school mate, Mr. Tai Emeka Obasi wrote inter-alia “till today, most people still don’t know exactly how China came about this virus.
But any keen observer would conclude that China did sinister things judging from how this was effectively contained in Wuhan (never infecting other cities in a vast country of 9.597million square kilometers) but found its way into every other part of the world, including my dear country Nigeria that is over 11,000 kilometers away”.
At the onset of this disease in Wuhan China, which started at the beginning of December 2019, the WHO named the disease Covid-19, which references the type of virus and the year it emerged. The WHO later declared that the disease is a pandemic. The majority of the illnesses were initially in China, almost stopped.
While China, to be specific Wuhan province, was busy looking for a solution to this disease, the USA through its president labeled COVID-19, a Chinese virus. Thus, began the brickbats between China and the USA, with China counter labeling the disease, a USA Virus.
While all this was going on, between these two superpowers, attention was momentarily shifted from confronting the disease decisively. The spread of the disease got worse and suddenly the so-called superpowers came to the realization that this pandemic was more serious than the usual NATO vs Russia/China rivalry.
Even if it is accepted that it is a Chinese virus, President Trump forgets that this COVID-19 is not like a ballistic missile whose trajectory can be deflected by the firing of a patriot missile. By the time China and the US were done with their tirades, large outbreaks of the disease had occurred in multiple places, including and not limited to Spain, Iran, Italy, the UK, and France. Some African countries had also been affected.
I wish to return home to my country Nigeria. Here, people’s perspectives ranged from the absurd, comical and the damn sublime. These views have no class consciousness, the so-called educated elites, the not-so-educated and petty market people are drowned in their belief that this COVID-19 is:
- A disease of the rich.
- Can only thrive in cold weather conditions.
- That blacks are immune to the disease.
There is also another perspective that has gained currency globally and ascribed to the late Libyan dictator, Muammar Gadhafi, that most deadly viruses that have afflicted mankind were a product of the conspiracy of the western superpowers.
He further claimed that they –superpowers, knew the cure but pretended otherwise, while secretly making financial gains in the unfolding scenario.
Therefore, be it known that every happening (especially the bizarre ones) in humanity will definitely throw up varying perspectives. But from the way this virus is ravaging the world, the only perspective appropriate at this time will be one that will surely and quickly lead to a solution to this problem.
♦ Dr Ugochukwu Ulasi, a physician is The West African News Medical Analyst. At this period of COVID-19 uncertainty, you may contact him directly @ 08077516282 or email ugoulasi@gmail.com.
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