Today’s National Public Health Week focus is on Violence Prevention, specifically finding ways to reduce personal and community violence to improve health. However, in the wake of our current public health crisis with COVID-19, increased stress can lead to increased aggression, feeding a cycle of violence especially in communities already under strain.
As APHA member Elena Ong writes, "Since the first case of the new coronavirus was reported in Wuhan, China, in December, there’s been a surge in reports of microaggressions, discrimination and violent attacks against people who look Chinese or Asian."
Much of the stress people are feeling as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic is linked to fear fed by misinformation. Help counteract the "infodemic" of bad and troubling information by sharing WHO's mythbusters (https://tinyurl.com/r4wnxbd). And as Ong reminds us, "let’s fight fear-mongering with principled and visionary leadership."
#InThisTogetherOhio