There’s a hashtag going viral in France at the moment. The phrase is simply, #JeNeSuisPasUnVirus.
It means: I am not a virus.
Stories have emerged from France of anti-Asian racism in response to the news of coronavirus.
The infection began in Wuhan, China, and the first case appears to have been detected more than one month ago. On January 23, the city of Wuhan, home to more than 11 million people, was forced into lockdown. At the time of publication, 132 people have died from the virus in China, with a further 5,900 people infected. In Australia, seven people are confirmed to have been infected, one in Queensland, two in Victoria, and four in New South Wales.
The infection has now spread to at least 21 countries, including France.
NSW Health provides comment on coronavirus. Post continues below.
A French woman named Cathy Tran told the BBC that while walking to work this week she overheard two men say to each other, “Watch out, a Chinese girl is coming our way.”
On her way home, someone yelled that she ought to put on a mask.
Tran’s experience made me think of three stories I’ve heard this week.
Top Comments
No one should ever be racially abused. But telling people who have been to china To stay away from schools for two weeks-no matter their ethnicity, is a good precaution.
Treatment of Chinese worse than muslims after September 11? I don’t think so.
It should be mandatory that anyone from affected areas spend time away from the public. That is not racism that is to try to stop the spread of this deadly virus.
This is not the point of the article. For example that parent did not call the school and ask that those students who had visited China be removed - they asked for all asian student. That IS racist. You are proving the point.