China’s Bird Flu finally goes under the spotlight, after news regarding dumping dead pigs and birds in rivers in Shanghai area. The recent news is that there are 7 deaths already in the country. The flu continues to spread as weather starts warming up and increase of travelers due to May 1st holiday season. From the news letters I’ve read in Chinese, it looks like the government is still trying to cover things up by telling the public that this is not a big deal and that people should not be panic over it. Given the high rate of death from SARS lung disease a few years ago, the public no longer trusts the government regarding issues like this. Thus, it would be wise in my opinion for the government to directly educate the citizens and raise sufficient awareness of the flu.
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I agree that the government should not cover things up and should inform its citizens about the potential epidemic of the Bird Flu. Ignoring the obvious moral reasons, I find that it is more beneficial for the government to alert the public than to hide the knowledge from the public. Since China is a very large and diverse nation, I believe that the government should make sure its people is aware of potential health epidemics in order to build up a trusting relationship with its citizens. Building up this trust will prevent the possibility of an uprising or political defiance, and allow China to continue smoothly.