While the discussion on the effects of Covid19 is taking place, stigmatization remains the least debated issue. Stigmatization began along with the outbreak and spread of this virus in China. People started to call it a “Chinese” disease and everything related to China became the subject of scorn. This not only led to increased prejudice against Chinese people but also built the discrimination against people of Asia. People in America and Europe are making racist jokes on Chinese and Asians. Now the larger discrimination and stigmatization have trickled down to our society too.

The world is under the grip of the COVID-19 pandemic—affecting each and every aspect of our life. Lockdown and social distancing have become new normal. Needless to say, no one has been immune to the economic and social fallout of this crisis. Yet, the countries are combating it by taking various measures, because of which people from across the world have started seeing light at the end of the tunnel. Hardest hit the Chinese city of Wuhan has gotten back to normal, for example, and many others are expected to follow suit. Amid the global crisis, however, there is also a rising unity among people to help out those who are suffering or who need help. We have been seeing the good number of good Samaritans coming forward to contribute toward the alleviation of pain and chaos emanating from the pandemic, signaling that the humanity in us is still alive. But sadly, and very, unfortunately, acts of stigmatizing people who are tested positive or who are even just suspected of infection have also started to come out.

AMSTERDAM, July 28: The World Health Organization says female sex workers are 13.5 percent more likely to be infected with HIV than other women of reproductive age.Sex workers took center stage at the International Aids Conference in Amsterdam Thursday, using music and dance to press home a serious message: "We are people too, and we have rights."