From mask subsidies to movie ticket refunds, Chinese tech platforms respond to Wuhan coronavirus outbreak
- A coronavirus outbreak has killed 17 people and infected hundreds more in China, with mounting fears of the virus spreading over the Lunar New Year holiday
- Tech platforms in the country have announced measures ranging from subsidies for face masks to refunds of travel and movie bookings in response
China’s tech platforms have announced a slew of measures to help combat a coronavirus outbreak that has killed 17 people and infected hundreds more throughout China ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday.
Wuhan officials announced a complete travel ban for the city’s residents early on Thursday morning, with urban buses, subways, ferries and long-distance passenger transport suspended in the city, one of the four major railway hubs in China. Flights and trains departing Wuhan are also temporarily suspended, with no details yet on when they will resume. The news prompted many in the city to rush to escape before the ban set in at 10am.
In response to the spread of the virus and resulting panic, the country’s tech firms have announced measures ranging from offering free cancellations and refunds for bookings to vowing to keep the prices of face masks online stable.
E-commerce sites freeze prices for masks, disinfectant and offer subsidies
Chinese e-tailers including Taobao, Suning and JD.com made pledges late on Tuesday to prevent price spikes for medical items such as face masks and disinfectant and offer non-stop delivery services during Lunar New Year, as rumours spread that supplies of in-demand items such as surgical masks were running low at most drug stores in some of the country’s biggest cities.