My Take | Hey stupid, the coronavirus does not discriminate
- Restaurants that will not serve people from the mainland are just ignorant, particularly at a time of community spread when locals are infecting locals
It’s often observed that epidemics spread fear and prejudice as well as diseases. That may be why more than 100 local restaurants are refusing to serve people from the mainland during the coronavirus outbreak, according to social service group the Society for Community Organisation.
Someone ought to disabuse such eateries of their stupidity and ignorance. The current outbreak of the novel coronavirus has long entered the phase of community spread, meaning locals are infecting locals as they have not travelled to the mainland and have no known contact with any mainland source.
For example, 11 family members were infected after having a hotpot dinner in Kwun Tong together, and two work colleagues of infected family members were later tested positive for virus, which causes the disease Covid-19.
There was another outbreak at a Tsing Yi public housing block where infection was thought to have spread among tenants because of altered bathroom pipes.
The most recent cases have been spread locally. Imported ones have been recent evacuees from the Diamond Princess cruise ship that was used to quarantine its passengers and crew in Japan.