As death rates from coronavirus rise, so do those frequent concomitants of calamity: protectionism and zero-sum struggles for advantage. Scrambling to obtain vital medical equipment from ventilators to face masks, several countries or regions have alleged shipments destined for them were mysteriously diverted elsewhere — mostly to the US. The White House has denied “piracy”, insisting instead it is trying to clamp down on it. Some US state governors have accused foreign governments of similar skulduggery. Evidence is often murky. Ensuring life-saving equipment gets to where it is needed, however, could hardly be more important.
新冠病毒致死人数不断上升，灾难通常的伴生品亦然，那就是保护主义，以及抢占先机的“零和”斗争。在各国争相采购呼吸机、口罩等重要医疗物资之际，一些国家和地区指责，原本要运往本国或本地区的货物被莫名其妙地转运至其他地方——多数为美国。白宫否认有“海盗行为”，并坚称其就在设法打击这种行为。美国一些州长指责外国政府有类似的手法。但证据往往含混不清。然而，确保救命物资能顺利运到需要的地方比什么都重要。