Toronto burger joint comes to the rescue for local shop unfairly targeted over coronavirus
A number of local businesses are finding that the public's fear of the novel coronavirus that originated in Wuhan, China in December is causing them to lose a substantial number of customers.
After a Markham eaterycited dwindling attendance, prank calls and hateful messagesfor having Wuhan in its name, more small business owners are coming out to say that they're facing similar discrimination as people become increasingly more alarmed aboutthe global coronavirus emergency, which has reachednear-pandemic proportions.
The level of open discrimination against Chinese businesses in Toronto is un-effing-believable. Many thanks to other businesses for stepping up to help. Patronize them all.https://t.co/lwh9msO3ZX
— Jim Woodgett (@jwoodgett)January 31, 2020
Yueh Tung, a family-owned Hakka-Indian establishment located near Yonge-Dundas Square,said in an Instagram storythat business has "dwindled considerably in the last week because of fear mongering" surrounding the novel virus.
An Upper Beaches flower shop namedFlower Centrehas also experienced a similar blow to business.One customer even interrogated staffabout where in China they're from and proceeded to make xenophobic remarks about coronavirus and the Chinese people.
Luckily, the community is stepping up to support those experiencingsuch unfortunate acts of racism.Fearless Meat, a burger joint down the street from Flower Centre, ran a promotion over the weekend giving away free product to any customers who had patronized Sue's store.
"Anyone with a purchase receipt from Andy Sue dated this Friday, Saturday, or Sunday can exchange it for a free 6 oz. Certified Angus Beach Burger at Fearless Meat,"a now-viral social media postby owner David Brown reads. "Please show your support for Andy and his flower shop."
As a result, Flower Centre had its busiest weekend yet,according to Global News.
Standing with our Chinese community against stigmatization & discrimination, and reminding residents that, as our health care professionals have informed us, the risk of Coronavirus to our community remains low. We must not allow fear to triumph over our values as a city.pic.twitter.com/S1xbdsfvl0
— John Tory (@JohnTory)January 29, 2020
Toronto Mayor John Tory is among those calling the public to be aware of and stand up againstthe discrimination that is being attached to the Chinese communitybecause of the illness.
There have beenswirling rumours的病毒在侠盗猎车手地区有很高的下巴ese-Canadian populations, like Markham'sMarkville shopping centreandT&T Supermarket, both of which have had to publiclydispel misinformation about employees possibly being infected.
apparently the markville infection is untrue! nevertheless please stay safe and take precautions#coronavirus#markham
— (@xuantelle)January 28, 2020
fr shame on whoever started that rumourhttps://t.co/QYMyIgkT72pic.twitter.com/YXxuCkMSnC
The 2019-nCoV outbreak has spread tomore than 17,000 cases—four in Canada——至少在24个国家进行es at the time of publication. The virus has an approximate 2 per cent fatality rate, with at least 362 dead, all but one in China.
Like with most communicable diseases, the elderly and those already at risk due to pre-existing health conditions are the most vulnerable, while generally healthy people in countries with good medical care (and few or no cases of the virus) need not be overly concerned.
Fareen Karim
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