Overreaction will do more damage than the virus itself
So far the WHO has done well in protecting human health without creating economic hardship
Coronavirus is spreading at an accelerating rate, but inappropriate quarantines and travel bans could cause more havoc than the disease itself. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has a duty to protect human health, but also an obligation to protect the world’s citizens from the human rights violations or unnecessary economic hardship that panic could cause. So far, they’re doing a good job of striking this tricky balance.
The WHO has advised against the far-reaching travel bans that some conservative US legislators want to impose on China, where the outbreak started. Last week’s announcement that the US will quarantine 195 people evacuated from Wuhan makes sense as long as the people are held in a safe, comfortable environment...
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