Published 10:41 IST, March 27th 2020
Vietnam: Hanoi chef sells coronavirus-themed burgers to cheer people amid pandemic crisis
A Hanoi chef came up with the idea of selling green, coronavirus-themed burgers amid COVID-19 lockdown to wipe away the fear of the deadly disease in people.
In the light of the novel coronavirus infection which has created a sense of fear in the minds of the people, a Hanoi chef In Vietnam has something different in store for the people regarding the disease to boost their morale by selling green, coronavirus-themed burgers and guess what, it's actually proving to be therapeutic for the people by removing the fear of the infection in them.
Chef Hoang Tung and his team now spend their days molding dozens of green-tea stained burger buns complete with little “crowns” made of dough to resemble microscopic images of the virus. Tung, while opening up about his takeaway shop said that they believe that if something is scary then the best medicine to wipe away all your fears is to eat it out so that virus isn't scary anymore after one eats it in the form of a burger.
The shop sells about 50 burgers a day, despite the growing numbers of businesses in Vietnam that have been forced to close because of the virus. In mid-February, Vietnam said all known 16 COVID-19 cases at the time had recovered, but that changed after an influx of overseas visitors and returning Vietnamese citizens brought an uptick in cases.
There are now 148 recorded cases of the virus in Vietnam, but no reported deaths, according to the health ministry. Authorities in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City have ordered that all non-essential businesses should close although some food outlets, including Tung’s takeaway shop, are still open. Taking his grandson out for a Coronaburger, Dang Dinh Quy, 66, viewed the luminous green burger as a morale-boosting treat. One of the customers while praising the burgers said that though the coronavirus is very dangerous, it can be defeated easily if one eats a burger in its shape.
Pandemic in Vietnam
Since the start of the novel coronavirus outbreak, Vietnam has closely monitored the situation and installed a series of proactive, comprehensive measures to combat the spread of the virus within the country and prepare its public health facilities. Past experience with other epidemics places Vietnam in a strong position to protect its population as well as visitors passing through. Travellers in Vietnam may have questions about the spread of the virus, as well as which destinations are still safe and open to visitors.
Updated 10:41 IST, March 27th 2020