With the COVID-19 pandemic continuing to spread across the globe there is also a noticeable rise of stigma attached to those who have tested positive. It reminds the world about the same trauma which those tested positive for HIV&AIDS had found themselves. Stigmatisation of COVID-19 carries the same danger as the stigma against HIV&AIDS. Stigmatisation of COVID-19 patients would only drive many underground and that would be a very dangerous situation. Stigmatisation will defeat the very purpose of lockdown and other measures for containing COVID-19. Even till today, the government has not done enough to assuage fears about COVID-19 and also on how to deal with those who die of the deadly disease. World Health Organisation (WHO) has issued advisories on how to deal with the bodies of COVID-19. These have to be widely circulated to all state governments for full adherence. Till some years back, there used to be opposition against burial of HIV&AIDS victims in public places or cemeteries but today this has almost disappeared. That is because of intense awareness launched by civil society groups and individuals. If the stigma attached to COVID-19 is not countered the it would be an official endorsement for discrimination. This is seen in how it has led to racism against north east people in several parts of India. COVID-19 patients and their family members are also treated like pariahs in many parts of the country. In many places, even landlords are asking them to vacate their flats or homes. Such discrimination has led to intense trauma among many COVID-19 patients to feel guilty and some have even committed suicide. There is also a need to look at one of the measures against COVID-19, called social distancing (keeping at least one metre distance between individuals). Researchers have identified social distancing as one prominent result of stigma. Invariably, when governments issue official directives on social distancing, it is meant for one purpose- protection. However, it also promotes a stigmatizing label on the victims or the risk of associating with them. Though social distancing is a preventive measure, yet it does not ensure one hundred per cent guarantee. What is needed, is to intensify tracking sources in order to halt the spread and to remain at home. Although the concerns over the coronavirus are understandable, such stereotype labelling and exclusions are not. Instead of the principle of exclusion of COVID-19 patients, there should be an attempt to try and support them as a form of solidarity. The present COVID-19 scare has also exposed how it is being used to target a particular religion.This is seen in the regular media briefing by government officials in India. They have hardly failed to hide their religious bias by accusing the Tablighi Jamaat (TJ) congregation of contributing to the spike in COVID-19 cases. Though the conference took place in Delhi prior to the announcement of a nationwide lockdown, the government unfailingly accuses the Tablighi Jamaat of breaking rules on social distancing and thereby contributing to a spike in COVID-19 cases across different states.The government’s repeated focus on the Tablighi Jamaat flies in the face of the home ministry’s own guidelines, on April 8, that said: “Do not label any community or area for spread of COVID-19.” If stigmatisation is not removed, then the fight will be longer than expected with disastrous consequences.