I began reading Dr. Laura Kahn’s article on the COVID-19 virus and America’s response to it in the April 22 issue of the Alumni Weekly in the hope that a Princetonian associated with the medical profession might provide a rational and objective analysis.  Unfortunately, outside of her medical opinions, Dr. Kahn toed the party line.  The only mention of the Chinese Communist “elephant in the room” came briefly in a criticism of President Trump for “scapegoating” by terming COVID-19 a Chinese virus.  Of course it is a Chinese virus! That is where it originated, almost certainly in the Wuhan virus research facility.  The Chinese government was also responsible, with the complicity of the WHO, for spreading disinformation about the severity of the outbreak for at least six weeks during December and January.  This contributed greatly to the slow response of the rest of the world.  

President Trump saved thousands of American lives by banning flights from China in late January while at the same time, China likely caused hundreds of thousands of deaths globally by allowing international flights in and out of Wuhan, most notably to Italy, while locking down Wuhan to the rest of China.  The Chinese government must be held accountable. Perhaps the tentacles of Communist China reach further into the American economy and into its universities than most people realize.

George Coyne ’61
Newtown Square, Pa.