The world is already battling the coronavirus crisis and amidst this pandemic, there is a new problem many are battling around the world: people carrying out spitting and coughing assaults on others.
Spitting and coughing assaults are common these days and several reports have come in from countries across the world. From Australia to the US, more and more spit attack cases are being reported. Victims of such assaults are mostly the frontline workers trying their best to contain the virus. From police personnel, security staff, to medical staff, etc have been victimized by the disturbing new trend.
Shocking incidents from around the world
In India, a 40-year-old man was arrested for spitting on a Manipuri woman and calling her 'coronavirus' in North Delhi's Vijay Vihar at a time when she was walking alone on the road.
Another widely reported incident was of a girl who spat on police personnel in Bengal after he asked her to go back home, which made her angry and she launched a spit attack on the policeman. She was reportedly going to a shop to buy essentials and the lockdown had just begun.
In Britain, a boy aged 14, has become the youngest suspect to be charged with deliberately spitting or coughing at someone. The teenager spat on a woman who was over 66 years old. While doing so he was shouting "coronavirus".
Police have described several similar incidents and have termed it deplorable. Another person, also from England, had allegedly spat on three police officers. The coronavirus pandemic brought about many questions and unknowns. There are many people who are not following social distancing norms. Can they be forced to comply, by law? And if so, what implications could that have on our rights because there are videos in which people are seen saying that 'theirs is a free country and it is their wish whether to wear a mask and maintain distance or not'.
A woman in California had claimed that she was purposely coughed on after asking a teenager to maintain social distancing. Similar attacks have been reported in Australia, some of which are racial in nature.
