保持冷靜 砥礪前行
——海外來鴻

中國為抗擊新型冠狀病毒肺炎疫情所作出的貢獻，國際社會有目共睹！世界衛生組織、金磚國家等國際組織和許多國家對此高度贊賞并以多種形式表達對中國抗疫的支持！

本刊主編張福仁教授近日收到一封來自美國梅奧診所Michael J. White, M.D醫生的來信，信中表達了對中國同行的問候、鼓勵和支持，并對我國政府和人民對抗疫的努力和貢獻給予了高度評價，信中寫到：“沒有一種感染是中國病、西班牙病，或美國病。病毒是我們共同的敵人，我們的另一個敵人是恐懼和非理性的反應。讓我們一如既往地相互支持、攻堅克難，為奪取全世界抗疫的勝利而奮斗！”“我謹代表國際同行向我的中國同事所做出的抗疫'貢獻表示感謝！”。

張福仁主編收到郵件后即刻譯成中文(附原文)，以饗讀者。

郵件譯文

發件人： 邁克爾.J 華特 醫生

地址：W1390 County Road AE Mindoro

郵編： 54644-9421

郵箱：michael.white@gemair.com

日期：2020年2月10日

收件人：張福仁 醫生

山東省皮膚病性病防治研究所，山東省醫學科學院醫院

濟南市經十路27397號，郵編250022

親愛的張大夫：

我寫此信表達對正在遭受COVID-2019病毒肆虐的全中國同行的同情和支持，同時提供美國醫生對此次疫情的觀點，這些觀點來自報紙、互聯網、醫學和科學期刊。

COVID-19病毒震驚了世界。在最近的兩個月里，無論是醫生、政府官員還是市民都沒有料到或準備好這個病毒會在全世界爆發。在短短的時間內，疫情從最初的幾個人發展到40,000多，除了少數病例，多數在中國。今天，全世界都知道了這個病毒，很多國家都在采取措施控制其流行。限制中國公民把病毒帶入美國和其他國家的各種條例充斥新聞版面，許多人在討論疫情在全球大流行的可能以及對中國經濟、貿易甚至全球經濟的影響。

請允許我分享另一種觀點、我個人的觀點，旨在使世界看到勇敢的中國人民此時此刻所承擔的重任！

這不是一種中國病毒，這僅僅是“人畜共患病毒”--從動物傳播到人的另一個例證。埃博拉(Ebola)病毒是人畜共患，拉薩熱(Lassa fever)、馬爾堡(Marburg)、寨卡(Zika)都是人畜共患病毒，還有許許多多。這次從動物到人的傳播恰巧發生在一個可通過航空到達世界各地的城市，發生在世界各地會議頻繁、旅行繁忙的時間，發生在中國的春節期間。使眾多公共衛生醫生不能忘卻的歷史教訓是發生在1918-1920年的“西班牙流感”大流行。那次流行看上去始于歐洲，但在3年的時間里播散到了世界的每一個角落。那時沒有空中旅行，疾病的傳播緩慢，但仍然造成了數千萬人的死亡。

COVID-19已經在中國流行數周了，對“COVID-19將造成比流感大流行更嚴重后果”的擔心籠罩在人們心頭，這種擔心與許多報刊文章、政府和政客的聲明以及公共衛生顧問的陳述相呼應。關切疫情是必然的，但我們不應該生活在恐慌中。

請允許我再談談這里關于控制疫情的新聞，它描述了許多政府決定停止中國人入境、關閉中國和其它國家的邊界。我們應該承認這樣做的好處。雖然中國以外的病例也在增加，但增速比中國低的多。遺憾的是，各種聲明中經常忽略的信息是中國對確診病例的治療、早期診斷、防止傳播以及科學研究所做出的杰出貢獻。

中國的建筑工人在短期內建成了兩座應急醫院，政府緊急關閉了一座有1100萬人口的城市，數萬醫護人員和其他人員奔赴湖北“抗疫”。除了抗疫，生活還要繼續，數百萬人要吃飯，發電廠和自來水廠要運轉，報紙、廣播和電視等媒體至關重要，要使公眾知情。孩子還要生，兒童要上學(通過互聯網)，城市衛生需要維持，物資需要供應。

二戰期間，英國女王曾號召英格蘭人“保持冷靜、繼續前行”。

從遙遠的異國，我仿佛看到了團結起來的中國人民正在以冷靜的心態、無謂的勇氣在維護社會正常運轉的同時調動一切可能的資源控制疾病的流行，中國社會砥礪前行。

我有幸作為客座講者兩次赴華參加醫學學術會議，我清晰的記得我訪問的城市和人民，我祝福這些城市的人民、我的朋友和同事！

對我而言，對這次疫情僅是紙上談兵的個人的關切。

是中國人民戰斗在疫情的第一線，是中國的民眾面臨著死亡的威脅，是中國的醫護人員收集標本使COVID-19得以確認，從而使我們能夠更好的控制疫情并開始治療研究，是中國的經濟正在遭受該病毒疫情導致的損失！

有些人責怪中國官員沒有向社會“足夠快”(quickly enough)的提供足夠的信息。我認為迄今全世界所取得控制疫情的所有進展幾乎全部得益于中國的醫生和科學家，是他們收集樣本、提供樣本和資料，即使疫情活生生的發生在他們面前，他們也照做不誤。國際醫學界、特別是中國疾病預防控制中心及其在全中國的合作伙伴迅速取得的科學成就值得贊賞。

我謹代表國際社會向我的中國同行所做出的“抗疫”工作表示感謝！你們不會逃避疫情，你們不會關上向社會敞開的大門，因為疫情就在眼前。因為你們的努力，全世界都感恩你們。我們許多人都認識到了這一點，盡管這些認識并沒有經常在新聞報道中提及。我們必須認識到，沒有一種感染是中國病、西班牙病，或美國病。病毒是我們的共同敵人，恐懼和非理性反應是我們的另一個敵人。讓我們一如既往地相互支持、攻堅克難、為奪取全世界抗疫的勝利而奮斗！

再次感謝你并致以良好的祝愿！

邁克爾. J 華特 醫生

郵件原文

Michael J. White, MD

W1390 County Road AE

Mindoro WI 54644-9421

michael.white@gemair.com

10 February 2020

Furen Zhang, M.D., Ph.D.

Director, Shandong Provincial Institute of Dermatology and Venereology

Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences

27397 Jingshi Lu 250022

Jinan, China

Dear Dr. Zhang,

I am writing to express my sympathies and support for all of you who are coping with the impact of COVID-2019, throughout China. I also want to provide the perspective of American physician, as I read the articles in the newspapers, from the internet, and study the medical and science journal articles, which are quickly becoming available.

COVID-19 is an unpleasant surprise for the world. No doctors, no government officials, and no citizens were expecting or prepared for the virus to burst upon the world, in the last two months. In the short time span since the first few patients became ill, the number of infections has grown to over 40,000 persons, all but a few in China. Now, the entire world is aware of the virus and efforts to contain the disease are under way in many countries of the world.

The news is full of regulations in place to prevent Chinese citizens from bringing the virus to our country and other countries around the world. Many people are discussing the potential for a global pandemic, and the effect of the virus on the Chinese economy, upon trade and even the global economy.

Please allow me to share another perspective, a personal one and a perspective intended to acknowledge the burden now carried by the brave people of China.

This isn’t a Chinese virus. It’s just another example of a “zooinosis” -or an infection that can be transmitted from animals to people. Ebola virus is a zooinosis, as is Lassa Fever, Marburg virus, and Zika virus. There are many others. This particular jump from animals to people happened in a city with much air traffic to every part of the world, during a period when a great many people were holding meetings and traveling to every corner of the world, the Chinese New Year. The lesson from history that concerns so many public health doctors is the 1918-1920 “Spanish flu” influenza epidemic. That illness seemed to start in Europe, but was seen in every corner of the world, over about a 3 year period. It happened slowly, because there was no air travel, but it killed tens of millions of persons around the world.

COVID-19 has spread within China, in a matter of weeks. There is great fear that COVID-19 will create a pandemic worse than the great influenza pandemic. That fear is echoed in many news articles, in statements from many government and political leaders, and in public health advisory statements. Concern is appropriate, but we should not be ruled by fear.

The news here focuses on efforts to contain the epidemic. It paints a picture of many governments deciding to prevent the Chinese people from entering other countries, of trying to close the borders between China and the rest of the world. We should acknowledge the apparent benefit of doing this. Cases outside of China are increasing, but much slower than in China. What those statements often miss are the extraordinary coordinated efforts within China to treat those already infected, to identify patients with early infection, to limit further transmission of the virus, and study the virus as quickly as possible.

Chinese workers built two emergency hospitals, in a matter of weeks. A “lock down” of a major city of over 11 million citizens was put in place. Hundreds or thousands of doctors and nurses, and other personnel, have mobilized to travel to Hubei province and assist those persons coping with a massive epidemic. Despite all of the efforts, life carries on. There are still millions of people who need to be fed. Power stations and water supplies need to be maintained. Newspapers, radio and television news are important, to keep the citizens informed. Babies are being born. Children still need to attend school, often by internet. Sanitation needs to be maintained. Supplies need to be transported.

There was a British message from the Queen to the people of England, during World War II: “Keep Calm and Carry On.”

From a distance, it appears to me that the citizens of China are collectively working to maintain calm, to control fear, to do what needs to be done to maintain a functioning society, while simultaneously mobilizing every possible resource to control this disease. Chinese society is carrying on.

I have been privileged to visit China as a guest speaker for two medical meetings. I can picture in my mind the places and people I have visited. I feel a great concern for the people of these cities, and for all of my friends and colleagues.

For me, this epidemic is personal.

The Chinese people are on the front lines of the struggle with this disease. It is Chinese citizens who have been dying. It is Chinese doctors and nurses who have collected the samples that allowed identification of the virus, and have given us the tools to better control the epidemic and to start to study treatments. It is the Chinese economy which is suffering the immediate effects of this virus.

Some persons have faulted Chinese officials for not providing enough information “quickly enough”. I submit that all of the progress that has been made around the world is possible only because of the efforts of Chinese doctors and scientists, who collected and distributed the samples and the data, even as the epidemic was happening in front of their eyes. The world medical community, but especially the Chinese Center for Disease Control and its community partners throughout China, should all be commended for how rapidly this progress has been made.

I want to thank my colleagues in China for the work they are doing on the behalf of the rest of the world. You cannot escape the epidemic. You cannot close the doors to your society. The “dragon is within the gates” already.

I want to acknowledge how much is owed to you by the rest of the world, because of your efforts. Many of us realize this, even if it is not frequently stated in the news articles. We must realize that no infection is a Chinese disease, or a Spanish disease, or an African disease. The virus is the primary enemy. The second enemy is fear and irrational response. Let us continue to support one another as we all struggle to solve this problem and defeat the potential threat to the entire world.

Again, I thank you.

Warm Regards,

Michael J. White, M.D.