MANILA — Almost half of the respondents in a new Asia-Pacific survey perceive certain groups of people are responsible for spreading COVID-19. Some of them point to Chinese people and migrants, while others say its rule breakers and the government's insufficient response, according to the survey.
An initiative of the Asia-Pacific Risk Communication and Community Engagement Working Group, comprised of various United Nations and humanitarian agencies, the survey involved 4,993 respondents in Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, and Pakistan. It found that one in three respondents across the four countries believe certain groups of people are responsible for spreading the disease.
The highest response was in Malaysia, where 69% responded positively to the survey question: “Do you think a specific group if responsible for spreading COVID-19?” Among the most frequently cited groups are Chinese people, returning migrants, foreign tourists, migrant workers, and “illegal foreigners.”
About the author
Jenny Lei Ravelo@JennyLeiRavelo
Jenny Lei Ravelo is a Devex Senior Reporter based in Manila. She covers global health, with a particular focus on the World Health Organization, and other development and humanitarian aid trends in Asia Pacific. Prior to Devex, she wrote for ABS-CBN, one of the largest broadcasting networks in the Philippines, and was a copy editor for various international scientific journals. She received her journalism degree from the University of Santo Tomas.
