Buzz
Outbreaks are frightening events, and fear often leads to poor decisions. People may end up buying unnecessary masks, engaging in casual racism, or avoiding tasty Chinese cuisine. These actions create problems, especially for Chinatowns and Chinese eateries in the United States. It's unfortunate because the likelihood of catching the coronavirus at a Chinese restaurant is no higher than at any other city restaurant.
Although the CDC has advised against travel to China, this does not apply to your local Chinatown. According to Vox, 99% of current cases are in mainland China, and more than half of those are in Hubei. Dr. Jennifer Lo, medical director for the Boston Public Health Commission, told Boston’s WBUR that if you live in the U.S. and are eating out, your concern should be the flu, which has already led to 10,000 cases in the U.S., compared to the dozen linked to the new coronavirus, as reported by the CDC.
The outbreak is impacting restaurants in two significant ways. Not only are strict travel restrictions in place, but major U.S. airlines have suspended services to China, while Chinese airlines have significantly reduced or canceled flights to the U.S. This has resulted in massive financial losses for businesses that normally benefit from the $258 billion spent by Chinese tourists annually. Additionally, NYT reports that hundreds of trips have been canceled. When combined with unfounded social media rumors, racist fear, and xenophobia, this situation is causing empty restaurants nationwide. Eater highlights that the outbreak has revived “old forms of racism and xenophobia” that unfairly paint Chinese people as uncivilized or barbaric, wrongly associating the virus with consumption of animals deemed unacceptable by Western standards.
If you're concerned about the virus, wash your hands, avoid touching your face, get your damn flu shot, and stay updated through trustworthy health organizations, not through social media or exaggerated news sources. These actions are useful, but fueling racism and xenophobia, whether through 'harmless' jokes, memes, or avoiding restaurants you typically enjoy, is not. By doing so, you're hurting business owners who rely on rent money, depriving their staff of wages, and missing out on Chinese food.
