1. Introduction

INTRODUCTION

This e-book is a compilation of articles by Executive Committee members, members and staff of the International Movement for a JUST World (JUST) on the Covid-19 pandemic over the months as the disease was spreading globally. They capture the sequence of major events colouring the spread and, too, the impact it had on societies and governments. To date, the impression left is that changes, popularly referred to as the “new normal”, are almost inevitable.

Starting in Wuhan, China, the novel Coronavirus quickly engulfed, firstly, her neighbours and then the world, despite China’s best efforts. A lockdown was imposed on Hubei province almost as soon as the dangers to her and the world manifested. Hundreds of millions were kept indoors with only minimal movement allowed to facilitate life. Reportedly the numbers affected were some 700 million thus bringing the economy to a standstill. But, of course, accusations of human rights abuse were liberally mouthed because it was China. Each household sent out one person over a few days to replenish supplies. After some two months the lockdown was lifted and the economy resumed, soon ticking over nicely. The lockdown caused an economic slowdown. Growth shrunk. But a 1,000 bed hospital to treat Covid 19 patients was built in just 9 days. Fortunately, the control was effective. And today the economy is back to full swing with growth recorded in the last quarter and a new strategy declared to sustain growth. China will now nurture the growth of its massive domestic market.

Meanwhile, in Sweden, when the Coronavirus arrived, keeping the economy running was the priority. There were no lockdowns. While Swedes were careful to social distance Sweden, unfortunately, clocked up the highest death rate in the Scandanavian region. Unlike Sweden, the neighbouring countries resorted to lockdowns. Unfortunately for Sweden the economy slowed down, nevertheless. But now, herd immunity has been achieved.

The United States (US) is the world’s most advanced economy, but here is where the disease is most rampant. At the time of writing, mid-September 2020, the US has the highest infection and death rates in the world. Almost 7 million Americans are infected and more than 200,000 are dead. And, the President, Donald Trump has been liberally pronounced by too many as not having taken the necessary steps to minimise the rate of infection in the US. Although, he recently took cover behind the pretext of refusing to cause a panic, which position he insists is unchanged. He is concerned for the economy which seems to outstrip his caution for the spread of the disease. And, of course, many are accusing him of patently placing his re-election campaign before all else. He has to make good his 2016 campaign promise of “Making America Great Again!” His thinking, presumably is, lockdowns are bad for the economy. Indeed, they are, but what about the deaths? It is this context, surely, that has made the pandemic a geopolitical issue. Prior to the admission that he was avoiding a panic he put in motion accusations of China having caused the pandemic, in the first place, calling the virus the “Wuhan virus” and insisting that it was accidentally released from China’s level l4 Wuhan laboratory. This drove a trend reaching proportions large enough to cause racist attacks on the Chinese and those mistaken for Chinese, especially in the West as mentioned By Dr Chandra Muzaffar in his article, “Curbing the Coronavirus -- while targeting China”. Trump has called the novel coronovirus the Wuhan virus to