Telegram - Serving Metropolitan Detroit Since 1944

LANSING - Sen. Stephanie Chang (D-Detroit) has issued the following statement in response to recent remarks made by Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey (R-Clarklake) in which he referred to the coronavirus as the "Chinese flu":

"Referring to COVID-19 as 'Chinese flu' or 'China virus' is xenophobic and completely inappropriate. There have been more than 2,500 reports of anti-Asian hate incidents since last March when the coronavirus pandemic was first reported in Michigan, and this language perpetuates it. In fact, the World Health Organization stopped calling viruses by ethnicities or coun...