Government issues advisory to stop social stigma around COVID-19

The attacks on health care and sanitation workers and police personnel at the frontline of the fight against the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) has led the government to release a set of guidelines for the general public. They are called “Addressing Social Stigma Associated with Covid-19”.

The note also talks about the growing trend of people associating certain communities and areas with the disease, based on false reports. This is a reference perhaps to the general targeting of the Muslim community in some parts of India after many cases in Delhi were linked to a gathering of the Tablighi Jamaat in Nizamuddin in March.

The main aim of the advisory is to prevent discrimination of health care and sanitary workers and remove the wrong notions about the disease. It also aims to show that it is not the patients’ fault they got infected.

These are the dos and don’ts given under the advisory:

• The advisory asks the public to appreciate the efforts of people providing essential services, share information authenticated by either the government, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, or the World Health Organisation. It also says to share only positive stories.
• Avoid spreading the names and identity of those affected or under quarantine, and not target healthcare and sanitary workers or police.

“Sanitary workers and police are also doing selfless service and playing critical roles in addressing the challenge of COVID-19. They all deserve our support, praise and appreciation”, says the advisory.

Watch in Sign Language