It’s highly probable that the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has had a racist knock-on effect against Asians and other visible migrants and minorities. While this may be the case, the question is, why is it underreported or hardly ever mentioned by the media?
A story in Helsingin Sanomat, dated February 7, interviews a Chinese national: “People use the virus as an excuse for their racist behavior,” said Qi Hongjia, who has lived in Finland for over ten years.
Yle News published on the same day as the Helsingin Sanomat article how the coronavirus targets Asians.
An Asian who spoke on the condition of anonymity said that she receives more looks than usual.
“Using a face mask in a completely normal way is now seen as really bad and suspicious,” the Asian said.
We at Migrant Tales have tried to get in touch with Asians and other migrants and minorities to write about their experiences during these difficult times.
If you have a story to share, please get in touch with us because exposing racism is one effective way of beating the social ill.
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 040 8400773