Post From The President: Information Sharing is Vital

According to reports, Chinese authorities sought to suppress information about the coronavirus that has emerged from Wuhan, going so far as to force one doctor to sign a confession of “illegal behavior” after his warnings to colleagues.

Health officials apparently felt pressure to avoid a panic in the run-up to the Lunar New Year. Officials not only suppressed information, they exacerbated the problem by falsely ascribing cases to treatable pneumonia.

Whether it was naivete, politics or fear, an immediate security and health-prioritizing response was prevented. Open discussion among medical professionals and early actions could have reduced the impact on Chinese citizens, possibly halting a global epidemic. There are now more than 24,000 confirmed cases worldwide, with nearly 500 deaths.

Responsibly addressing a significant event like this requires quick reaction, transparency, and deep examination to reduce immediate and long-term impacts.

1. Stop the influx
2. Minimize the spread
3. Assess the damage
4. Fix what you can
5. Prevent recurrence

These methods apply to both health and cybersecurity issues.

See: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/01/world/asia/china-coronavirus.html

Originally published on LinkedIn.