Wu Guangqiang jw368@163.com THE COVID-19 pandemic is still raging across the world, having infected over 197 million people and killed more than 4.21 million. Despite the global efforts to contain the plague through popular vaccination and quarantining programs, the pandemic is far from over. Moreover, the scourge seems to have got out of hand due to the rampant Delta variant and other virus mutations. Infection cases are rising sharply in many countries that were previously less affected and rebounding significantly in the countries that had previously experienced a slowdown of infections after extensive vaccination, including the U.K. and the U.S. The world could have dealt with the vicious virus more effectively and efficiently, had the international community acted in unity. Sadly, since the outbreak of the pandemic, the world has been unable to work together as a strong team, chiefly because America has been politicizing the virus. Its subversive role makes any endeavor for international cooperation futile. Instead of focusing on containing and eradicating the novel coronavirus, American politicians and media have splurged precious time politicizing the virus and capitalizing on it for their own benefit. The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic was a surprise attack of a natural infectious disease on humankind. Defeating it calls for international cooperation, and China has done everything it can and should to help to win the battle against the virus. China has made public all virus-related information to the WHO and the outside world, allowed WHO experts to visit every place or individual it wanted, provided the world with huge quantities of anti-virus equipment and supplies, and above all, presented the world with the best experience with its excellent victory in containing the virus. But America has staged a tragic farce since the start of the pandemic. It virtually did nothing other than suspending flights between China and America a month or so after the outbreak in Wuhan. In the following months, we witnessed a divided, disorganized and anti-intellectual country, alive with contempt for the virus. Partly out of his ignorance and arrogance and partly due to partisan politics, then U.S. President Donald Trump uttered such nonsense about the virus and pandemic as “The virus is a sort of common flu, and it will disappear like a miracle.” “Virus can be killed by drinking disinfectant.” Such an insane leader encouraged his followers to disobey anti-virus rules, which inevitably led to its disaster. America soon became the worst-hit country in the world and has since kept the title with over 35 million infections and 618,000 deaths. If Trump’s successor Joe Biden managed to mend the fence, America would be able to control the pandemic and help to eventually beat the virus. Yet, he is still obsessed with the political games about the virus. Despicable politicians in Washington want to scapegoat China to shake off their own crime of the disregard for human life. They have been spreading the rumor of the virus leaking from a Chinese laboratory. Biden ordered his intelligence agencies to find out in three months whether the virus is leaked from a laboratory or was naturally transmitted in the environment. The move is obviously politically motivated, as the WHO has already concluded that it is highly unlikely that the virus came from a Wuhan virus lab after its experts made inspections to the lab. Under pressure from Washington, the WHO has proposed to conduct a “second stage” inspection to Wuhan, making itself a political pawn of America. China has naturally rejected such a proposal. On the other hand, braving the political clamor, many scientists and experts throughout the world have been fighting against wicked politicians and a handful of work-ethic-deficient experts to safeguard the purity of science and profession. A number of scientists recently published a study in Lancet reiterating that there is no scientific evidence to support the theory of the virus leaking from a Chinese lab. Dr. Anthony Fauci, America’s chief expert on infectious diseases, was accused by Senator Rand Paul of funding the Wuhan lab in virus research. Fauci fearlessly fought back, calling Paul a liar. But science is bullied by politics in America, which has cost the country dearly, and it will pay a heavier price if it remains unrepentant. The rebounding infection cases in America is a stern warning to Washington! (The author is an English tutor and freelance writer.) | 