| T254 |
138-1690 |
Sentence |
denotes |
As days and weeks passed, it revealed a government that inherently became victims of their own propaganda based on “need to avoid sharing bad news.” He concluded that authoritarian politics inhibited an effective response, and that openness and competitive politics favor a strategically fair public health strategy.83 Democratic nations in comparison to autocratic regimes recognize that public health fundamentally depends on public trust.84 The WHOʼs China Joint Mission on Coronavirus Disease report has applauded Chinaʼs eventual response capability and capacity with strict measures to interrupt or minimize transmission chains with extremely proactive surveillance, rapid diagnosis, isolation tracking, quarantine, and population acceptance of these measures, to implement the measures to contain COVID-19 within the country.85 It must not be forgotten that Chinaʼs authoritarian rule “put secrecy and order ahead of openly confronting the growing crisis and risking alarm or political embarrassment,”86 arrested and compelled Dr. Li Wenliang to sign a statement that his warning constituted “illegal behavior,” all of which delayed a concerted public health offensive that led to his death.86 This was an “issue of inaction” that would have contained COVID-19 within China and remains a potent symbol of Chinaʼs failures.86 There is no evidence that the authoritarian regime has or will change to prevent this from happening again.87 I suspect Chinaʼs sophisticated censorship and propaganda systems will outlast any public health improvements. |
