Maybe it’s Coronavirus… maybe it’s just racist

Leave it to some people to turn a spreading, serious virus into yet another chance to be racist. Recent widespread panic and over-exaggerated misinformation regarding Coronavirus has fueled xenophobia across the United States and other countries around the world. The fear of contracting the disease has mutilated into an even uglier outcome: discrimination against those of Asian descent.

Upsetting personal accounts from Asian-Americans have revealed the truly sickening repercussions of Coronavirus, like being told by strangers to “Go back to China,” and painful experiences on public transportation. Far worse remarks have been triggered by an ill-timed cough or sneeze let out by individuals who might be perceived to be Chinese.

Chinatown storefronts in New York City. Source: CNN

Restaurants and local businesses in Chinatowns and Chinese communities across the country have suffered from irrational fear tied to Coronavirus. In New York City, Chinatown restaurant owners reported losing as much as half of their business since the outbreak of the virus, regardless of the fact that none of their food comes from China. Several restaurants in Chinese communities near Los Angeles have been forced to close, while other restaurants slowly continue to operate amid fears of being forced to close up shop.

Unfortunately, this isn’t the first time we’ve seen reactions like this. The Ebola outbreak in 2014 ignited a similar onslaught of racism against people of African descent. If all of this doesn’t say enough about the ignorance of the American people, Corona beer sales have also decreased since the outbreak. We’re clearly still figuring out correlation versus causality.

The CDC says that people of Asian descent are no more likely to get coronavirus than anyone else (duh) and your chances of getting it in the U.S. are still super low. Plus, my teacher in class the other day said you have a higher chance of being struck by lightning than getting the virus (which I’m totally going to choose to believe).

Let this serve as a reminder not to be an asshole, and ideally, be understanding and sympathetic towards all of those affected by the virus. It’s crazy, it’s scary, and it’s a human issue – not an Asian issue or a beer issue. Know the facts, check your biases, act respectful, and think with compassion. Oh, and wash your damn hands.