"He was told by a patient that the virus came from his kind - Chinese"
Scarborough News reports that a Malaysian Chinese doctor who is serving at the frontline during the Coronavirus pandemic has been the target of racist abuse.
Respiratory medicine registrar Yee Yong See spoke out about how he and other Asian doctors are suffering from racism related to the disease whilst they are trying to treat it at Scarborough Hospital.
“I just wish the public to react more humanely and not to do anything disheartening to the huge bunch of us from the Far East who are servicing the NHS as health care assistants, cleaners, nurses and doctors,” he said.
See, 31, spoke about a Malaysian Chinese colleague who even received racist abuse from a patient.
“Another colleague who is Malaysian Chinese as well told me that, while he was doing a patient review over the weekend at Scarborough Hospital, he was told by a patient that the virus came from his kind – Chinese,” See said.
See, who has been working in the NHS as a doctor since 2015, said he was harassed by a gang of youths who used “vulgar language” whilst he was at Sainsbury’s buying milk for his newborn.
He recalled another incident that occurred just days after in Boots.
“There was a middle-aged lady looking for analgesics on one of the aisles. I walked past her, politely uttering ‘sorry, excuse me’,” he explained. “Her response was outrageous. She critcised me for doing that. I shook my head and ignored her. She decided to go on and on.”
Fortunately, another member of public intervened to diffuse the situation.
“Just when I was about to engage with her with an argument, a gentleman stepped in and asked her to not be racist.”
See urges the public to treat Asian people with decency.
“We are not asking for extra pay or additional respect but any disheartening attitudes definitely are not helpful. In contrary, a simple ‘thank you and take care’ would make our day,” he said.
In related news, Wu-Tang Clan rapper RZA has slammed “racial bigotry” towards Asians triggered by the Coronavirus.
Meanwhile, an Asian doctor has been fired after criticizing his hospital’s lack of Coronavirus protection for its staff and patients.