Harmful Xenophobia Stereotypes Spreading Along With the Coronavirus

As 10-year-old Connor and a friend played one recent day at recess in Georgetown, Ontario, they were approached by a group of boys wanting to play a game — testing the boys for coronavirus.

Connor, who is half-Chinese, and his friend, also Chinese, played along at first, but Connor’s mother Nadia Alam tells TIME that they quickly became uncomfortable and that the other boys wouldn’t stop, she says.

“In this instance, I honestly don’t think the kids who targeted my son acted out of malice,” Alam said in an emailed statement to TIME. “They were acting out the fear and ignorance around them. My son was upset and angry, but he is okay. He is resilient and the kids are remorseful.”

With the advent of social media, the spread of misinformation, racial stereotyping and fear mongering can be exacerbated during times of public emergency. Social media has also resulted in “echo chambers” of people sharing inaccurate and racist information with people who may already have existing prejudice towards various groups.

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