Commentary: Worries over rising COVID-19 cases are fuelling racially charged comments
SINGAPORE: Throughout the battle with COVID-19, customs leaders, intellectuals and authorities officials have warned of the other invisible plague which must be contained for us to effectively come out of this pandemic healthier and with higher social solidarity.
That other invisible virus is bigotry.
Xenophobic comments about recently have been rife on local social media platforms following reports of community cases in Singapore involving Indian nationals.
While unsavoury comments did non form the bulk of comments – which were mainly about getting the authorities to do more to arrest the incidence of infections – the narrow-minded and mean posts were too many to simply ignore.
The pattern is clear: With a spike in COVID-19 cases, negative sentiments of the xenophobic and racist multifariousness increase.
Such sentiments were earlier directed at Chinese nationals in Jan 2022 after the virus spread from Wuhan, China.
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Like sentiments were directed at Muslims in the region, after an outbreak occurred in Malaysia post-obit large-calibration religious gatherings in that location around that catamenia.
South Asian migrant workers living in dorms were also targeted. A forum alphabetic character implicated poor hygiene culture amongst such workers, completely ignoring the fact that the living atmospheric condition in migrant worker dormitories did not let for much infection command.
DISCONCERTING State of affairs IN India
Such xenophobic sentiments have most recently been levelled at Indian immigrants.
Understandably, the record numbers of COVID-19 cases in Bharat and the many deaths at that place, coupled with mutant virus strains, are disconcerting.
Many are upset regime in India did not curtail various mass religious and political activities in recent months, likely accounting for the fasten.
At the heart of information technology is this: After a sustained menstruation of low-to-no community cases, Singaporeans fear that progress in controlling the spread of the virus will exist undone by new infection cases, perhaps from India, coming to Singapore.
They fear it could pb to another wave and trigger a replay of last year'south painful lockdown or worse, increasing the number of COVID-19 related deaths.
This fear has been accentuated in mere days. While Singapore, along with Hong Kong and United kingdom, has recently banned visitors from India to control the take chances of the spread, some have asked whether authorities should have shut the borders to travellers from India before.
They have expressed worry over whether other considerations were prioritised over public safety.
Yet, Singapore's strategy for dealing with the COVID-nineteen pandemic has been calibrated to ensure some resumption of travel flows to enable economical activity, mitigated by strict quarantines on arrival. Those returning from loftier-risk places are subjected to longer quarantine and more testing.
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We know this strategy is non fool-proof.
In that location is a very small hazard the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests – constructive at 99.five per cent – practice not reveal those with infections and imported cases could spill into the local customs, specially if people have allow their guard down after months of conscientiously adhering to strict safe-distancing protocols.
In this, citizens voicing their concerns to the government is accepted as part and parcel of a healthy democracy. People can vocalization their stance on how situations should be managed based on the values they hold dear – in this example a high prioritisation of wellness over the economy.
But such discourse becomes a problem when concerns expressed are laced with xenophobia or racism.
The understandable fright of the potential spread of the virus and the need for the authorities to finer command it, should non lead to the condemnation and blaming of the entire Indian immigrant customs.
THE OTHER VIRUS REARS ITS HEAD
Singapore residents surely know this. More than than sixty per cent of those polled in an Institute of Policy Studies study were concerned over increased suspicion between people of different social backgrounds as a result of COVID-19. This figure is based on 22 waves of online polls.
The good news is in that location is some self-awareness. About one in four respondents reported becoming more negative nigh immigrants, including those from Bharat, considering of the pandemic.
The persistence of narrow-minded behaviour before and during this pandemic suggests such attitudes are deep rooted. Inoculation attempts to reduce xenophobia through public education accept not been effective with some segments of the population.
This scapegoating must end. Information technology is counterproductive to efforts to build social cohesion in a society which cannot do without a healthy balance of immigrant workers to sustain economic and caregiving activities.
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Immigrants with admission to social media feel marginalised when they meet these hateful comments.
Many of them contribute substantially to the progress and development of the state, including past managing essential services. Anti-immigrant rhetoric can reduce their motivation to give their all-time efforts to a society which does non regard them positively.
While xenophobic comments online may not necessarily translate to narrow-minded offline engagement, individuals fuelled by such comments online may act in a socially irresponsible manner.
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This tin can include a refusal to sit or stand next to someone who looks similar an immigrant, hurling hurtful comments at immigrants, or even acts of physical violence. The consequences of such acts tin be disastrous.
Moreover, scapegoating could weaken Singapore's ability to deal with the pandemic.
When immigrants believe they are targeted equally potential vectors of infection, they may be more wary of seeking medical attention promptly at the sign of early symptoms. They fear that a COVID-19 diagnosis will exacerbate the wider customs's sentiments towards them.
COMBATING HATE
Singapore must take ownership to tackle anti-immigrant sentiments in our customs exacerbated by the pandemic.
While such sentiments may be limited to only a small portion of individuals who descend to such acts of denigration, the rest of united states of america should not be complicit.
Nosotros should have the courage to speak out on social media confronting posts that vilify immigrants in our midst.
When possible, we should counter wrong perceptions, subsequently educating ourselves about the facts from authoritative sources. People should be reminded they might want to distinguish any unhappiness with the COVID-xix situation from immigrant policies and these from the immigrant.
We should likewise highlight the many contributions immigrants make to our order.
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Even if our comments are outnumbered by the number of negative sentiments, the presence of some supportive posts tin go a long way in signalling to the discriminated that they have allies and are not alone.
We have worked too hard and far likewise long to build this city, teeming with diversity, to allow COVID-19 to threaten our multicultural style of life. Nosotros might not see eye-to-eye on policies but let us persist to have a dialogue on these issues, without the detest.
Together, nosotros will rid ourselves of COVID-19 and the "other" virus.
Mathew Mathews is Head, Social Lab, and Chief Research Boyfriend at the Institute of Policy Studies, National University of Singapore. Shamil Zainuddin is a Enquiry Associate at the Constitute of Policy Studies.
Mind to Mathew Mathews and other observers discuss what immature people in Singapore desire out of conversations regarding race on CNA's Heart of the Matter podcast:
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Source: https://cnalifestyle.channelnewsasia.com/commentary/commentary-worries-over-rising-covid-19-cases-are-fuelling-racially-charged-comments-295691
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