An ethic of care for people with disabilities during the covid-19 pandemic in China: Towards greater social justice

Abstract

The global COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in mass infections of the populations worldwide. During the pandemic, the prevailing value of social justice in the social public service system has been under threat by the conduct of herd immunity and resurgence of social Darwinism. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the most adverse impacts have been on the lives of people with disabilities, threatened by possible infection, and experiencing the suspension of rehabilitation, education, and unemployment. China has made great efforts to support its 85 million people with disabilities and drafted a few emergency response plans to deal with their concerns, after chaos in the initial stage of the outbreak. The paper argues that a social system concerning ethic of care should be improved for people with disabilities and thus move to a more just society.