What can the international community learn from China’s experience of fighting the virus?
The COVID-19 outbreak is raging. On March 12, WHO declared the coronavirus a global pandemic. As of March 27, over 500,000 people across the world have been infected. Many governments have backed away from sluggish prevention methods and started to contain the disease the Chinese way.
Professor Zhang Wenhong is the director of the Department of Infectious Diseases at Fudan-Huashan Hospital and leader of the Shanghai team of experts in treating COVID-19 cases. He has gained wide popularity with Chinese netizens for his frank style of speech since the outbreak. He has also been writing for Hua Shan Gan Ran, the official WeChat account of Huashan Hospital Infectious Diseases Department, updating the latest developments of the pandemic and providing suggestions on prevention and treatment.
Dr. Zhang Wenhong
The following translation is based on an abridged article co-authored by Ai Jingwen and Zhang Wenhong.
Countries race to contain the coronavirus
UK announced its shocking “herd immunity” proposal on March 15, which stirred a strong backlash. Four days later, UK ramped up the strategy against COVID-19, shutting down schools and subways for an indefinite amount of time. Sports and entertainment venues in London, including restaurants and bars, are also closed to stem the spread of the virus.
UK government announces stepped-up measures amid the pandemic
In America, multiple states have declared emergency since the first case of COVID-19 was confirmed on January 21 in the country. On February 29, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration expanded COVID-19 testing by allowing certified hospital laboratories to use their own tests before they are cleared by the agency. Harvard, along with other U.S. universities, has closed campus classrooms and moved all courses online. On March 16, San Francisco was ordered to “shelter in peace”, followed by a mandatory lockdown for all Californians on March 19. Residents are urged to only travel if absolutely essential. On March 20, the U.S. Department of State (DOS) announced that routine visa service at U.S. consulates would be suspended in most countries around the globe.
Governor of US state of California announced lockdown for all Californians
Spain and Italy have also gone all-out against the spread of COVID-19, adopting strict quarantine and lockdown policies like China’s. The borders have been shut down and mass gatherings have been banned.
Cities worldwide on lockdown
Quarantine is a time-tested, necessary measurefor pandemics
Infectious diseases have presented a potent threat to human beings for thousands of years. The Black Death, the Ganges River cholera pandemic and the 1918 flu pandemic are three of the most devastating infectious diseases recorded in human history, for instance.
Admittedly, despite the scientific and social progress that mankind has made, we are still quite vulnerable to pandemics of such scale, especially when effective treatment and vaccines are not around. This is not the first time in history that mankind has to resort to quarantine to contain pandemics. For example, sailors from infected ships could only disembark after 40 days’ quarantine in Venice during the Black Death. Strict isolation policies indeed cause disruption to business and life, but they remain the most effective way there is to combat pandemics.
This seemingly antiquated method was first adopted by China and now has been gradually accepted by countries even with advanced medical systems, after initial economy-oriented measures failed to control COVID-19.
China stands with all infected regions worldwide
Virus doesn’t discriminate. Mankind is now facing a global crisis, and what we need most is collaboration. Amid this ongoing battle against COVID-19, China is sharing its experience in containing the pandemic with the rest of the world. Academician Wang Chen, Academician Zhong Nanshan and Professor Cao Bin have published papers that shed light on the prevention of the novel coronavirus. An emergency medical team from the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yet-sen University in Guangzhou has been sent to aid Serbia. Medical workers from Shanghai Public Health Center arrived in Iran two weeks ago. More experts are on their way to Italy.
Experts in China have also talked directly to their foreign counterparts and government officials via video conferencing. On March 13, Professors Zhang Wenhong, Cao Bin and Peng Zhiyong spoke with scientists from the Medical School of Harvard University, Colombia University and University of Washington, directors from over 100 US hospitals and about a dozen of CDC workers.
Among them was former U.S. Senate Majority Leader, Bill Frist. A physician himself, Bill leads the Hospital Corporation of America (HCA), one of the largest U.S. operators of health care facilities. After the conference, he shared Professor Zhang Wenhong’s talk on his podcast, urging the U.S. to save millions of lives in America by borrowing the experience of China.
A screenshot of the Youtube video of Dr. Zhang Wenhong’s talk Special Coronavirus Episode: lessons from Shanghai on containing COVID -19 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jt3Gou-Tjqo)
“That which doesn't kill us, makes us stronger.”
We march into a new world every time we survive something major. The German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche wrote in his book Twilight of the Idols in 1888: “Was mich nicht umbringt, macht mich stärker”, which means “That which does not kill us, makes us stronger.” The Black Death that ravaged Europe in the late 1400s, for example, in some way ended the Middle Age.
Yuval Noah Harari, the author of the bestseller Sapiens: A Brief History of Mankind wrote in his article “The world after coronavirus” that it is imperative for countries to show a global solidarity and share reliable data on the virus. Amid this crisis, Chinese scientists have taken the initiative and their voices have been heard and valued by the rest of the world. It is expected that China will have a bigger role to play in the world’s fighting infectious diseases in the future.
The world will emerge stronger from the pandemic. With concerted efforts of medical experts, governments and international organizations, the storm will eventually recede. More importantly, all countries need to learn from, communicate with and cooperate with each other. As history has proved repeatedly, light and hope will always prevail over darkness.
