Though the centre of the coronavirus outbreak is thousands of miles away, Chinatowns across the UK have been weathering their own storm and reporting a substantial downturn in trade.
The increasingly anxious Chinese diaspora initially linked the disappearing footfall to a rise in xenophobia, but it has now been dubbed a new phenomenon – “coronapsychosis” – as the majority of those avoiding Chinatowns in the UK are Chinese.
In the weeks immediately after the start of the outbreak, the area in Manchester, which is twinned with Wuhan – the city in Hubei province at the centre of the outbreak – had a 50% drop in footfall with regulars opting to stay indoors.
“There was a huge impact just after the outbreak. Local Mancunians were still coming but it was the Chinese community that were staying away,” said Lisa Yam, the president of the Federation of Chinese Associations of Manchester (FCAM).
“There were a number of reasons for this with people thinking they were at risk but also they may have relatives back in China affected by the virus and they simply didn’t want to go out,” added Yam.
In the midst of the downturn a number of emergency meetings took place between business leaders, restaurant owners and the local authority to try to address any fears. Politicians including Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester, and the outgoing Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, were also drafted in to lend their support, having their photos taken in Chinatown and eating at restaurants.
During his visit, Corbyn tweeted a photograph of himself in front of the gates of Chinatown.
It's disgraceful that the Chinese community have faced increased racism and over 50% business losses since the coronavirus outbreak. I've come to Chinatown here in Manchester, a city that has been twinned with Wuhan for 33 years. We stand in solidarity with the Chinese community. pic.twitter.com/hJpRSQ9B3l
— Jeremy Corbyn (@jeremycorbyn) February 13, 2020
Yam says the strategy worked and the past couple of weeks have been better. “The restaurants are no longer empty and people are starting to return. We just want to reassure them that it is completely safe. The restaurant owners are relieved because if it had continued they could have faced closure.”
At Chuan’s restaurant on Canal Street, Godfrey Wong – who serves up traditional Szechuan hotpots with oysters, scallops and lotus root skewers in hot broths to a mainly Chinese clientele – agreed that the flow of customers was slowly picking up.
Photograph: Jon Super
“It was very quiet in those first two weeks,” said the 54-year-old restaurant owner. “Our takeaway business was still doing well with people wanting deliveries but customer numbers dropped by half. They are starting to come back now and we are grateful. It was just a case of people getting the wrong information and thinking they were at risk.”
Birmingham’s Chinese businesses had a similar experience. But local community leader and restaurateur James Wong sought to reassure the public, saying the city’s Chinatown was as safe as any other area of the city.
Wong, who owns two restaurants in the area, said: “Everyone in our sector has seen a downturn but for some it has been more profound than others. It is the Chinese students who are not coming out – they have been told by their parents to stay indoors – and we are now doing everything we can to stem the spread of false rumours relating to the coronavirus.
“Chinatown is the heartbeat of Southside and the area’s independent businesses rely on visiting trade. We understand that the news can be very worrying but people need to know that they are not in any imminent danger. It is important that we keep a sense of proportion in terms of the impact here in Birmingham and the UK, that we follow guidance from official authorities and that we don’t allow the spread of misinformation.”
The World Health Organization is recommending that people take simple precautions to reduce exposure to and transmission of the Wuhan coronavirus, for which there is no specific cure or vaccine.
The UN agency advises people to:
- Frequently wash their hands with an alcohol-based hand rub or warm water and soap
- Cover their mouth and nose with a flexed elbow or tissue when sneezing or coughing
- Avoid close contact with anyone who has a fever or cough
- Seek early medical help if they have a fever, cough and difficulty breathing, and share their travel history with healthcare providers
- Avoid direct, unprotected contact with live animals and surfaces in contact with animals when visiting live markets in affected areas
- Avoid eating raw or undercooked animal products and exercise care when handling raw meat, milk or animal organs to avoid cross-contamination with uncooked foods.
Despite a surge in sales of face masks in the aftermath of the coronavirus outbreak, experts are divided over whether they can prevent transmission and infection. There is some evidence to suggest that masks can help prevent hand-to-mouth transmissions, given the large number of times people touch their faces. The consensus appears to be that wearing a mask can limit – but not eliminate – the risks, provided it is used correctly.
Meanwhile, the Birmingham councillor Alex Yip said there had been a spike in the number of hate crimes towards British-born Chinese students.
“I’ve had 15 direct emails or telephone calls. We find that the Chinese community are very quiet and get their heads down and don’t cause a fuss but I’ve had calls and emails from people, not just my ward, but from across Birmingham, who have seen a change.
“There’s a range – from people being quite disrespectful like pulling up shirts and scarves when they see someone who is Chinese, to moving seats on the bus or train. Then I heard of a case where a Chinese student was walking ahead and a number of people who were behind were shouting abuse.”
The police and local authority have put a contingency plan in place with Yip urging those affected to report incidents. “It is ludicrous. These Chinese people are not infected and pose absolutely no risk whatsoever – they should not have to deal with this.”
