Tough choices needed to bring coronavirus outbreak under control

The prevention and control measures taken by China in response to the outbreak of viral pneumonia caused by the new coronavirus have been rapid, efficient, open, and transparent. Because of this, they've been widely supported by the international community.

However, a small number of voices have questioned whether quarantining cities such as Wuhan is an overreaction or unduly infringes on people's individual rights.

It's now clear that the coronavirus can easily spread from person to person, and the Spring Festival travel accelerated the spread of the virus. Medical experts have consistently said that reducing people's movement is important for infection control, as it effectively curbs the occurrence of new cases.

Over the past few days, from the temporary closure of Wuhan's public transportation system, to the cancellation of large-scale gatherings, to the extension of the Spring Festival holiday, governments at all levels in China have made some difficult but necessary decisions to protect not only the lives of people in China, but also the health of the global public.

Jeremy Farrar, head of the Wellcome Trust and a former professor of medicine at Oxford University, said that in the absence of effective treatments and vaccines, we can only rely on social interventions such as travel restrictions, isolation, frequent hand washing, and wearing masks, and that the sooner the intervention is initiated, the better.

Norbert-Claude Gorin, a well-known French medical expert and member of the French Academy of Medical Sciences, said that the measures taken by China are in line with international recommendations, and he fully agrees with them.

And Eric Rubin, head of the department of infectious diseases at Harvard Medical School, said in an exclusive interview with CGTN that the government's response to the new coronavirus pneumonia has shown to be reliable.

Government agencies have made it clear that the care received by patients suspected or confirmed to have been infected by the virus will not be dictated by their ability to pay. As of Tuesday evening, nearly 6,000 medical personnel had arrived in Hubei Province to support the local fight against the outbreak.

Companies across the country are working overtime to make masks, protective clothing, goggles, and other medical supplies. Transportation corridors will be maintained so that materials and manpower can continue to flow, and so that adequate supplies of goods at stable prices are available in the markets in the affected areas. Obviously, Wuhan has not become an isolated island because of the temporary quarantine.

People across China are fighting an intense battle with this emerging outbreak. This is a new disease that threatens all of mankind, and the coordinated efforts of the international community are needed to ensure it is defeated.