From shopping to eating out, virus control measures — such as temperature checks — are still having an impact on everyday life in Shanghai, China's economic juggernaut.
But this week, the streets are mostly empty and stores are either closed or deserted due to fear of the deadly coronavirus, which has killed more than 2,000 people across the country.When a customer does enter a shop, the relieved store clerks rush over to see if they can help -- but only after they have taken the newcomer's temperature.
It took us six phone calls to find a restaurant that was open in Shanghai -- a normally bustling metropolis of some 25 million people. When we arrived all but one of three its entrances were locked. That forced everyone through one entrance where a security guard put a thermometer to our head and took our personal information: names, ID or passport numbers, phone numbers, and body temperature.
When we finally entered the restaurant, we realized we were the only ones there. The host eagerly seated us, as the kitchen staff curiously looked on. Immediately after giving us menu, the server arrived and provided a sampling of hand sanitizer. He offered two types in case we had a preference.When other diners arrived they were seated at opposite ends of the restaurant. The server explained their policy was only to serve three tables at a time. This restaurant had about 24 tables.
When we finished our meal and asked for the check, the server insisted on bringing us a chocolate heart cake. It looked as though it had been prepared for Valentine's Day; it was February 16. As we left, the host thanked us repeatedly for coming in and apologized for the inconvenience.At the main train station terminal, guards in white hazmat suits instruct all arrivals to walk in single file past a temperature reader secured to a tripod.
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