Which is more contagious: COVID-19 or xenophobia?

How a pandemic exposed the underlying racism in our food industry

By Haleigh Terhune

While there is “no evidence that food is a likely source or route of transmission” of COVID-19, the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) explains, the food industry is facing extensive problems nonetheless, with Asian businesses being hurt with both lack of business and surfacing xenophobia.

Safety measures against the spread of the coronavirus have halted exportation and restricted access to ingredient supply chains needed for food businesses. Former US Food and Drug (FDA) Commissioner David Acheson said that the disruption of such chains may create issues for businesses losing China-based suppliers. Along with scrambling to find new sources, “Restrictions on festivities, trade fairs and other events could also carry negative business impacts,” said Will Surman, Director of Public Affairs and Communications at FoodDrinkEurope.

A Technomic survey revealed that 31% of respondents said they would reduce how often they eat at restaurants. Asian American businesses and communities have been especially hard hit with “sales drops of between 40% and 80%,” in major cities, Wellington Chen, Executive Chairman of the Chinatown Partnership, told Global News. Fluctuation in restaurant stocks exemplifies the magnitude of these issues. Restaurant Business Magazine reports that on March 12, 2020, “the S&P 500 Restaurant Index declined 9%” and “every publicly traded restaurant company was down.”

This is not a new phenomenon. “This drop in business amid health fears happened almost exactly the same way 17 years ago,” CNN reports, when a 2003 outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) led to a similar drop in business due to its origin in China and Hong Kong. Xenophobia in response to epidemics has repeated throughout history dating back to the spread of the bubonic plague, and the drop in restaurant business proves that the current situation is no exception.

This pattern, however, is being actively addressed. Social media movements have created hashtags, such as #LoveBostonChinatown and New York’s #supportchinatown, to encourage support for small businesses. Governments have issued statements of solidarity for Asian communities as well. “The fact is any racist behavior will not be tolerated and it must be called out,” Anthony Albanese, leader of Australia’s Labor Party, told parliament, with Prime Minister Scott Morrison echoing this sentiment. “[The Chinese communities of Australia] deserve our great appreciation and support.”