China builds a hospital in 10 days

It took Chinese engineers and construction workers 10 days to completely build a 1,000-bed hospital to treat victims of a new coronavirus epidemic. It opened Monday in the city of Wuhan. The respiratory disease has killed at least 362 people and afflicted more than 17,000 people in China and over 20 other nations. As the new virus has spread there are reports of rising anti-Chinese sentiments in other countries with people trying to avoid any contact with anyone from China.

Class discussion: Do you think such a large facility could be built as quickly in the United States? Why or why not? What do you think of China’s efforts to control the spread of this new disease? Do you think quarantines and travel restrictions can keep this virus from spreading around the world? What is the difference between an epidemic and a pandemic? Is the fear of Chinese and other Asians an irrational reaction? What is more likely to kill more Americans this year the new coronavirus or the annual flu outbreak?