OPINION: Quit the xenophobic coronavirus paranoia and head to Chinatown

Mayor Bill de Blasio and Speaker Corey Johnson visited Flushing last week to encourage New Yorkers to patronize Chinese-owned businesses. Photo by Emil Cohen via City Council/Flickr.

By Daniel Calder 

Special to the Eagle

Despite zero confirmed cases of novel coronavirus in New York City, New Yorkers are hoarding medical masks, shunning Chinese restaurants and at times being straight- up racist. 

Pharmacies across New York City are reporting shortages in medical face masks, partly due to people buying and storing them for some doomsday scenario. The problem is that face masks do little to protect healthy people. 

Masks can be effective in slowing the spread of disease when they are worn by sick people in crowded places like emergency rooms and subways. They are not effective when stored in an apartment closet. Hoarding medical masks can lead to shortages, harming those who need them.

New Yorkers are also avoiding Chinese restaurants, despite there being no link between Chinese restaurants and the coronavirus. The New York Times reports that New York’s three main Chinatowns — in Flushing, Manhattan and Sunset Park — have seen business drop by 50 to 70 percent. Restaurant owners and leaders of the community believe that misinformation about the coronavirus has led to the steep decline in business.

This fear and widespread misinformation is evident in a recent viral video of a young New Yorker harassing an Asian woman collecting cans on the street. While cursing at her, the man accuses her of having the virus because she is picking “through the garbage.”

All over social media, people are falsely claiming the new coronavirus originated from bat soup and are mocking Chinese eating habits. This wave of xenophobia only leads to further panic and spread of misinformation.

New Yorkers are generally considered tolerant and tough people who unite during difficult times. The xenophobic and irrational reactions to the coronavirus epidemic should make us question this sentiment. It bears repeating that there are zero confirmed cases of novel coronavirus in New York. Imagine the city’s reaction if a real epidemic were to hit us.

For those who would like to be responsible citizens during an epidemic, here are some pointers:

Don’t buy hundreds of face masks that will do little to protect you, but could lead to a shortage and harm people who actually need them. 

Don’t spread misinformation on how the virus originated or is spread. Don’t shun or demonize people who are sick. 

Do wash your hands often, stay home if you are sick, and do get your flu shot. 

And lastly, order some Chinese food. The restaurants could use the business. 

Daniel Calder, MPH is a public health expert and outreach and community education coordinator for Hep Free NYC.