A repeat of the deadly epidemic in Europe during the 14th century? The year of 2020 has been off to a rocky start. From the Australian forest fires to the volcanic eruption in the Philippines, a new crisis has emerged: COVID-19. The novel coronavirus has tipped into becoming a pandemic.
A month ago, as I stayed in my hotel room in Boston, I couldn’t help but initially undermine the virus that originated in Wuhan, China. However, my perspective was changed when one night I was with my family out dining, and I became aware of an issue that the coronavirus has the potential to cause. I entered the restaurant, and immediately a waitress who was resting against a chair quietly closed the door, made eye contact, and left. I became paranoid, and that the sudden movement suggested she saw something, and she wanted to get away. I realized what she saw was us. Our faces. Eating at the restaurant, I felt unnatural and restrained. I knew that most people were unaware of the emerging virus, but I couldn’t stop imagining the toll the virus could take on lives from all across the world.
Schools from all over Asia have begun online learning or other methods of distance learning. College applicants are wondering if the virus has an effect on the admissions process. Students and faculty alike are working hard to overcome this obstacle. For those who could afford it, the virus just meant a “stay-cation.” However, thousands have lost their jobs, their families, and their homes. People are quarantined in areas, unable to return home to visit their families. Others are suffering the financial difficulties within their families.
On top of internal issues for families, what are some other countries responses to China’s ongoing epidemic? On a broader spectrum, exports and imports have slowly diminished and airlines have likewise halted boarding. However, what about face-to-face interactions? Was my restaurant experience a one-time effect or will it continue? All these concerns are what surfaces in my mind as someone indirectly affected by the virus. Having lived in both the US and China, how will this affect my interactions with people from the respective countries? But these questions are not for China alone. The virus has struck in Japan, and many Japanese schools have closed. The fear is that the virus will repeat historical viewpoints of the Eastern world.
From the early 19th century, the western and eastern hemisphere have undergone different perspectives of global events. From western imperialism to the world wars, there is an overarching perspective of western dominance. All these events shape ideas of racial superiority. This controversial topic has lasted since the beginning of events like slavery and even up to now. How is this connected to the coronavirus? From a simple restaurant experience, I felt oddly secluded from the rest of society because of my cultural background and its link to the epidemic. Will this become another global phenomenon that can alter perspectives on culture and people, especially those from the Asian region of the world?