UC Berkeley had to apologise for saying anti-Chinese xenophobia is a 'normal reaction' to the coronavirus

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A staff member checks the temperature of a subway passenger in Beijing, China on January 28, 2020.Reuters/Carlos Garcia Rawlins

UC Berkley is attracting backlash for calling anti-Chinese xenophobia a “normal reaction” to the Wuhan coronavirus.

The university’s health services posted an infographic conveying “common reactions” to the rapidly spreading Wuhan coronavirus in a notice put out to students.

As of Friday, the novel coronavirus, 2019-nCoV, has killed at least 213 people and spread to nearly 10,000 people worldwide.

Among the list of reactions, the infographic includes anxiety, worry, panic, social withdrawal, and hyper-vigilance to your health and body. However, the last item on the list particularly drew ire from both university students and alum alike.

“Xenophobia: fears about interacting with those who might be from Asia and guilty about these feelings,” the post read.