Sinophobic Stigma Going Viral: Addressing the Social Impact of COVID-19 in a Globalized World

This article critically examines the recent literature on stigma that addresses the overspread association among the COVID-19 pandemic and racial and ethnic groups (i.e., mainland Chinese and East Asian populations) assumed to be the source of the virus. The analysis begins by reviewing the way in which infectious diseases have historically been associated with developing countries and their citizens, which, in turn, are supposed to become prime vectors of contagion. The latter extends to the current labeling of COVID-19 as the Chinese virus, that-along with a number of other terms-has fueled race-based stigma against Asian groups in the United States and overseas. This review further discusses the limitations of current COVID-19 antistigma initiatives that mostly focus on individual-based education campaigns as opposed to multisectorial programs informed by human rights and intersectional perspectives. Finally, the article ends with a call to the international public health community toward addressing the most recent outbreak of stigma, one that has revealed the enormous impact of words in amplifying racial bias against particular minority populations in the developed world.

Automated summary

This article critically examines recent literature on stigma associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, specifically focusing on the overassociation of mainland Chinese and East Asian populations with the virus. It calls for action from the international public health community to address the recent outbreak of racial stigma, urging multisectoral programs based on human rights and intersectional perspectives.