There are limits to what any one country can do when it comes to responses to the new coronavirus. Unless the spread of infections can be contained worldwide, there will be no hope for putting an end to the pandemic, or for restoring the economy. International cooperation is more urgently needed than ever before.
More than 700,000 people have been infected with the virus globally. The U.S. caseload surged to the largest in the world, passing China with far over 100,000 cases. Infections have also been spreading in emerging and developing countries, including South Africa, Brazil and Thailand.
It is important to avoid a situation in which outbreaks of the virus swing back and forth between developed and developing countries. Areas in developing countries hit by poverty or conflict suffer poor hygienic environments. In places that lack water supply infrastructure, residents cannot even wash their hands well, which is a basic way of avoiding infections.
The United Nations has called on countries to offer resources worth 220 billion yen, for such purposes as providing medical supplies and developing facilities for hand washing. Developed countries have to focus on supporting developing countries while at the same time bringing under control the spread of infections in their own countries. It is essential to establish a framework to share information on the virus and treatment methods.
Humans have fought against infectious diseases such as the plague and smallpox in the past. However, social environments have drastically changed since then. The latest crisis poses a threat that humans have never experienced before, at a time when the world has become more globalized, developed transportation networks and entered into a digital age in which people are connected through social networking services.
The virus can drastically spread at great speed, reaching much wider areas as more and more people travel. Also, it has become easier for people to be exposed to false information through social media. A major question is how to respond to the virus in a way that suits the realities of today's world.
Many countries have banned arrivals from certain other countries and imposed lockdowns. Halting people's movements as an emergency measure in a bid to prevent an explosive increase in the number of infections is an inevitable step. However, in today's global economy, every country is facing an immeasurable impact that lockdowns are having on the economy and people's lives.
Anxiety and fear also trigger discriminatory feelings. If countermeasures against infections are thoroughly implemented, it could undermine the stability and vitality of society. This is surely a common dilemma that all countries face. It has become more important than ever for the governments and international organizations to promptly disclose information and implement scientific measures in a calm manner.
As a superpower, the United States has a responsibility to show leadership. If President Donald Trump describes the current fight against the outbreak as "war," it is not the time for him to concentrate on attacking China and critics of his administration.
Since 2016, when Trump was elected for U.S. president and Britain voted to leave the European Union, divisions in the world have become deeper. Political confusion in the United States and Europe, which are normally expected to support the international order, have hampered countries from working together on global issues, as has the spread of unilateralism.
How can countries contain the harmful effects of lockdowns and "open" their cities at an appropriate time? Through a long fight against the virus, the world must regain its solidarity and build the groundwork for a joint response to the crisis.
-- The original Japanese article appeared in The Yomiuri Shimbun on March 31, 2020.
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