On Sunday, snapshots of a chat in a WeChat group went viral. It showed the property management company of a community in Zhengzhou, capital of Henan province, launching an online poll to decide if two medical staff, who had rented houses on the premises, should be denied entry to their homes.

Worse, a majority of group members voted in favor of their isolation, empowering the company to deny the two residents entry. The general consensus was that the medical staff could be carriers of various viruses.

The incident is beyond one's imagination. After all, we are all equally at risk from the novel coronavirus and it is medical staff who are protecting us by putting their own lives at risk. Society as a whole has even sent its best wishes and support to these saviours. How could the company then treat the medical staff in that way? Is it fair on the doctors and nurses who are risking their lives for us?

The incident has, first of all, exposed the company's ignorance. Doctors and nurses are expected to wash and sterilize themselves before entering and exiting the hospital, so there is little possibility of them carrying the viruses back home. Those who fear that the medical staff could be carrying the virus could well fear that the Earth will one day crash into the sun.

Second, the company has denied the medical staff their legally protected rights. How could they organize a poll to deny somebody their legal rights? What is the difference between such a vote and lynching? The community belongs to a local education department and one wonders what kind of education its staff will provide to the next generation.

Latest reports show that local authorities have stepped in to protect the rights of the medical staff. However, it is not known if this was an isolated case. It is hoped that authorities across the nation ensure similar incidents do not take place. Even a single such incident can leave deep scars on those who protect us.

- ZHANG ZHOUXIANG, CHINA DAILY