Seite - 396 - in VULNERABLE - The Law, Policy and Ethics of COVID-19

VULNERABLE396 There is debate among scientists4, and I leave it to my colleagues to discuss this, including Steven J. Hoffman and Patrick Fafard in Chapter F-4 of this volume. This chapter addresses the way in which government responses can inform and shape the fear that people will have regarding a novel disease, and how this may fuel racist and harmful behaviour. Anti-Asian Racism in Canada During the Pandemic Racism, xenophobia and violence against Asian Canadians, includ- ing Chinese, Korean, Filipino, and Vietnamese people, among others, has intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic. While racism against Asians in Canada is not new,5 anxiety associated with COVID-19 has increased the virulence of anti-Asian sentiment. Fear has manifested in the decline of visitors to Chinatowns and Asian restaurants,6 the vandalization of Asian businesses,7 the perpetuation of myths that Chinese people eat bats,8 the use of the term “Chinese virus,”9 and the 4. Marta Paterlini, “‘Closing Borders Is Ridiculous’: The Epidemiologist Behind Sweden’s Controversial Coronavirus Strategy” (21 April 2020), online: Nature <www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-01098-x>. 5. For example Joanna Chiu, “House-Hunting as an Asian Immigrant in Vancouver Means Navigating Racism”, The Star (3 November 2019), online: <www.thestar. com/vancouver/2019/11/03/corrupt-immigrants-serve-as-real-estate-scapegoats- in-vancouvers-tight-market.html>; Kimberley Molina, “Vandals Target Chinese- Language Street Signs”, CBC News (17 September 2019), online: <www.cbc.ca/ news/canada/ottawa/street-sign-vandalized-ottawa-chinatown-1.5287001>; Melody Ma, “I’ve Lived the Racism Seen in that Viral Vancouver Parking Lot Video – Many Asians Have”, Welland  Tribune (29 August 2019), online: <www. wellandtribune.ca/opinion-story/9572052-i-ve-lived-the-racism-seen-in-that- viral-vancouver-parking-lot-video-many-asians-have/>. 6. Colette Derworiz, “‘Support Them or Lose Them’: Chinatowns Across Canada Grapple with Coronavirus Fears”, Global  News (27 February 2020), online: <globalnews.ca/news/6602754/coronavirus-chinatown-canada-business/>; Megan Shaw, “Watson and Public Health Team Visit Chinatown to Allay COVID- 19 Fears”, CTV News (6 March 2020), online: <ottawa.ctvnews.ca/watson-and- public-health-team-visit-chinatown-to-allay-covid-19-fears-1.4842445?cache=ye s%3FclipId%3D89619%3FautoPlay%3Dtrue%3FautoPlay%3Dtrue>. 7. Diona Macalinga, “Rise in Asian Hate Crimes as COVID-19 Pandemic Grows”, The Link (7 April 2020), online: <thelinknewspaper.ca/article/rise-in-asian-hate- crimes-as-covid-19-pandemic-grows_>. 8. Eleanor Cummins, “The New Coronavirus is not an Excuse to be Racist”, The  Verge (4 February 2020), online: <www.theverge.com/2020/2/4/21121358/ coronavirus-racism-social-media-east-asian-chinese-xenophobia>. 9. Eren Orbey, “Trump’s ‘Chinese Virus’ and What’s at Stake in the Coronavirus’s Name”, The New Yorker (25 March 2020), online: <www.newyorker.com/culture/ cultural-comment/whats-at-stake-in-a-viruss-name>.