The National Health Law Program defends the health care rights of all individuals. While we are deeply concerned by the recent outbreak of coronavirus and the lives it has taken around the world, we are equally concerned about the racist and xenophobic attitudes that the outbreak has caused towards individuals of Asian descent. We repudiate this prejudice towards Asian Americans and urge individuals and organizations to address it head on. As we mention in our equity stance, NHeLP believes that people’s characteristics and circumstances — including race and ethnicity, nationality, or language proficiency — do not predict their health outcomes.., Further, as the Centers for Disease Control states, “Do not show prejudice to people of Asian descent, because of fear of this new virus. Do not assume that someone of Asian descent is more likely to have 2019-nCoV.”
Here are some resources that might be of interest:
- Centers for Disease Control: What the Public Should Do
- USA Today: Coronavirus is scary, the flu is scarier
- Washington Post: Get a grippe, America. The flu is a much bigger threat than coronavirus, for now.
- The Verge: The new Coronavirus is not an excuse to be racist
- LA Times: Fear of Coronavirus fuels racist sentiment targeting Asians
