Covid-19: Stop the stigma and stereotyping of coronavirus sufferers

South Korean protesters carrying signs that say ‘No Entry’ in Korean, call for a ban on Chinese nationals entering their country during this Jan 29 rally in Seoul. Discrimination and stigma against Chinese people has been on the rise ever since the Covid-19 outbreak began in Wuhan, China. — AP

The word “stigmatise” meant “to brand or tattoo” in the 1500s.

The current Oxford English dictionary defines it as “to treat somebody in a way that makes them feel that they are very bad or unimportant”.