The Diplomatic Insight April 2020

China’s model of proactive approach to control
pandemic COVID-19
Dodo Khan Qambrani
Pandemic COVID-19 was initially
named Novel Corona virus.
Corona Virus existed previously
while the virus spread from Wuhan
City of China was a new of its type;
hence, the word Novel was added
until the World Health Organization
(WHO) named it COVID-19. At the
time of its outbreak in China, the
Chinese government requested
WHO to declare International
Medical Emergency but the request
was turned down and acceded
afterwards was perhaps little late.
Cogent reasons for outbreak of
Corona Virus are still unfolded yet
several rumors have been floated
from day one to date influencing
other’s opinion. Interestingly, all
the stories spin around two sources
of the virus which are wild animals
and laboratory. The initial story
I heard was that a food festival
organized in Wuhan City near a
huge market of wildlife animals
was attended by around 30-40
thousand people of all ages wherein
consumption of bat soup and blood
of snake caused the transmission of
virus to human then being contagion
it spread further. Another story was
that the virus travelled from bat
to Pangolin and further to human.
Rumors and Outbreak of COVID-19
came up with controversy between
US and China. US Government
initially instructed its people to
evacuate Wuhan city, afterwards,
took all stranded Americans to their
country through special aircraft.
China was discontented with that
move considering it a cause of
spreading panic in the country. A
war of words started and resulted in
allegations to each other. US called
COVID-19 as Chinese corona virus
and Chinese officials responded
by alleging US that previously,
some cases of flu diagnosed in US
were basically COVID-19 and their
military spread it in Wuhan during
their visit.
Rumors of being Laboratory made
corona virus carry some stories
like on social media, content was
being circulating that US made
and spread the virus in China to
damage Chinese economy and then
to boost US economy by coming up
with vaccine for the world market
to control the virus. Story number
two was that Coronavirus was
brought in the laboratory of Wuhan
from Europe that came out of the
laboratory and spread in the city.
Whatever the source of its origin is,
does not have as much importance
for a public at this juncture of
worldwide overwhelming panic,
disruption, scarcity of essential
daily consumables and medical
resources, losses to macro and
micro economies, and losses of lives
but the important is how to come
out of this devastating situation.
Scientists/researchers have been
putting forth their efforts to come
up with an authentic vaccine as cure
of COVID-19 patients yet a long
way to go.Until then it will be too
late to control the gigantic damage
as the virus is not wasting time in
multiplying.
China being the first effectee of the
COVID-19 as well as overcoming
country in the world has provided
roadmap for the world to effectively
combat the virus. Hence, allow me
to share my experience in China
during the Pandemic COVID-19. It
was the time when travel of Chinese
people was at its peak at national
and International level due to
their biggest annual event “Spring
Festival” and a novel Coronavirus
was diagnosed in inhabitants of
Wuhan city of China. Till the time,
it was defined that a considerable
number of patients visiting doctors
with the symptoms of fever, flu,
body ache and breathing issues
are basically Coronavirus patients
until then hundreds of thousands of
people had already travelled within
the Wuhan city and from Wuhan
to other cities of China as well
as to different countries. No one
knew what was going on behind
the scene;hence, a massive social
networking and interaction on the
eve of Spring Festival was indirectly
catering to be Coron’s festival.
Suddenly, figure of infected people
jumped to thousands in Wuhan
city, there was panic in public,
thousands of people immediately
left Wuhan carrying Coronavirus to
other cities. This was the time when
Chinese government and public
switched over to work together
like a magician. In order to combat
Coronavirus, Chinese government
announced to construct a new
18•THE DIPLOMATIC INSIGHT