WESTBOROUGH, Mass. (WPRI) ─ Several Chinese and Chinese-American restaurants in Massachusetts are struggling as a result of concerns over the potentially deadly coronavirus, Eyewitness News has learned.
Massachusetts Restaurant Association (MRA) Chief Executive Officer Bob Luz said some Chinese restaurants are reporting a “sudden and swift decline in business due to inaccurate correlations drawn between patronizing these establishments and the coronavirus.”
Luz said it is unfair for these restaurants to be targeted based on growing anxieties.
“It is imperative to understand that while anxieties may be high, we should not target any one group, or operate in a climate of fear that is not based on facts,” Luz said in a statement. “I ask the good people of Massachusetts to continue to patronize these restaurants across the state and show your support.”
Luz also said all restaurants, “regardless of the ethnic origin of its owners or cuisine,” must abide by the same health standards required under state law.
To date, the coronavirus has infected more than 40,000 globally and is responsible for 910 deaths, mostly in mainland China.
