COVID-19
Article for
COVID – Stop the Stigma!’
-Ayushmaan
Datta
EID :
A2000419008
Corona virus stigma must stop now! We are all in this together!
The degree of social stigma associated with COVID 19
is high because it is new. Till 3 months ago, no one had even heard of COVID
19. The outbreak of corona virus has provoked social stigma and discriminatory
behavior towards anyone who is perceived to have been in contact with the
virus.
The WHO introduced guidelines to stop this practice
and thereby reduce the stigma and negative impacts such as fear or anger
directed towards those regions or people. The guidelines underscored the fact
that all humans are at risk of the virus – when an outbreak happens everyone is
at risk regardless of who they are or where they are from.
Stigma creates barriers. There are widespread instances of stigma and discrimination against
medical personnel – doctors and
health care workers. Those working in aviation, especially
on flights that were sent to bring Indians back from COVID-19 affected foreign
land also faced the same fate. This stigma is unfolding; not amongst strangers,
but among people they know, within housing societies and
communities. The stigma associated with COVID-19 is real and here to stay.
Instead of sympathizing with the patients and their family, we have created an
environment of fear and panic which is not justified.
Stigma has a direct impact on seeking tests and care
early. It also impacts attitudes towards helping others especially those in our
immediate environment. As stigma grows, those affected become fearful
to seek out
testing, or care, and fear
from revealing their symptoms. They are terrified of others within their
communities finding out about even the possibility of disease. This leads to
increased suffering and transmission. The stigma is causing many patients who
have Covid 19 or flu-like symptoms to not come to the healthcare facilities.
The patients don’t come forward which leads to higher mortality due to delay in
treatment. People who test positive become scared of seeking help or even in
discussing their symptoms thus putting themselves at risk and also increasing the
rate of disease transmission. We need to arm ourselves with facts about the
disease and how should we care for it medically, physically and emotionally.
India now has to wage a war against
COVID-19 related stigma. Understanding the roots of disease-related stigma is
critical here. Throughout history the fear of
the unknown and unfamiliar has been used to justify the exclusion of those
with medical conditions which has no cure. Disease-related stigma appears when
an uncontrollable or uncertain condition exists – such as an infectious,
unexplained and potentially incurable disease. Coronavirus checks out all the
boxes. People stigmatize because they feel that stigmatizing and excluding
someone will somehow reduce risk. It perpetuates an attitude which somehow
creates a false sense of distance or empowerment in the face of uncertainty. We need to
move away from the language of fear and paranoia to one of empathy. We need to
highlight stories of resilience and of recovery. It is unethical on the part of
the media to demonize certain communities and ethnicities. In the long
term, stigma also has a dramatic effect on the issue of such as employment,
housing and medical care.
There is an urgent
need to discourage stigmatizing language used during a pandemic as it can be
debilitating. We need to debunk myths & break down stereotypes. The success
stories need to be highlighted to lessen the paranoia and feeling of impending
doom. If we do not manage it in time, the stigma, not the virus alone, could be
our greatest foe. It is imperative to make
the public realise that many people will recover from this virus and seeking
care at the soonest is critical. It is high time we address our prejudices!
