More than seven months after the birth of the COVID-19 epidemic, Asian corporations are slowly born to recover and adapt to the new normal. But if coronavirus is a universal problem, the responses have been mixed.
Some countries adhere to proven and proven methods: social estrangement regulations, tactile search, facial mask stimulus, etc. Others, however, offer absolutely other protocols, some more than others.
From a “no kissing” guideline in Tokyo bars, to Bangkok requiring strippers to wear face masks, below are some of the most unusual COVID-19 prevention rules in Asia.
There are no popcorn in Chinese cinemas.
After the final for about six months, cinemas in many parts of China resumed reception of spectators on Tuesday. But for those who can’t go to the theater without a pot of popcorn, the wait will be much longer.
According to the Chinese Film Administration, cinemas in low-risk spaces can reopen, but with some very important cave warnings: only 30% of seats can be occupied at any given time, everyone wears a face mask, and those who pass in teams can’t sit down. adjacent seats or being within one meter of anyone else. And something else: food and drink are forbidden. That means you don’t have to drink soft drinks, and in fact there’s no popcorn.
At the time of publication, China had reported only 84,000 cases of coronavirus and more than 4600 deaths.
No or wedding drinks in Hong Kong
Hong Kong, one of the first jurisdictions to effectively manage the coronavirus, reporting consecutive days of 0 new instances from April. But the city saw a third wave of instances emerge in July, leading it to identify stricter rules. The government recently announced new measures to distance social media from viruses and save them, adding mandatory mask attire, Hong Kong Disneyland has closed and demonstrations have been limited to 4 people.
Meeting boundaries also make weddings larger, which can now only be followed by up to 20 people. And unlike your wedding, visitors will not be treated on an open bar afterwards. Under the new rules, no food or drinks are allowed, which means no dinner, no champagne toast or cake.
Hong Kong has recorded a total of more than 2,100 coronavirus cases and 14 deaths.
There are no kisses in the bars of Tokyo.
Since Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe lifted the country’s closure on May 25, companies of all kinds have slowly reopened. This includes bars and restaurants in Tokyo’s nightlife center in Shinjuku, which has been operating since early June, once the site of a group of coronaviruses.
To help protect nightlife workers, Litera Japan, a threat control organization, has created a crusade called “Cheer For The Nightlife District,” with an advocacy organization to create rules that customers should follow. Among the maximum practical instructions is one: don’t kiss, at least not the other people you haven’t kissed before. The rule requires others to kiss only their spouse, run for kissing other guests, hosts or hostesses, and “avoid deep kisses.” The directive, debatablely, also says that those who simply cannot resist deserve to ask their spouse to drink first to drink water, with the intention of reducing the threat of coronavirus hidden in their mouths, and gargling after the kiss.
Iwamuro Shinya, a public fitness physician who helped draft the guidelines, stated that other people cannot avoid leaving Japan’s more or less mandatory culture of team consolidation beverages after work. But he said the no-kissing directive, as well as others like disinfecting karaoke microphones, helps restrict the spread of the virus.
Don’t scream on roller coasters in Japan
Another rare rule in Japan is the “do not shout on the roller coaster” directive established through various theme park associations. While some may have wondered if such a rule were even imaginable, Fuji-Q Highland theme park sought to dispel any doubt by posting a video showing corporate executives riding a roller coaster while maintaining a perfectly emotionless face. They even challenged visitors to #KeepASeriousFace and “cry in their hearts.”
Japan has reported just under 26,000 cases of coronavirus and only about 1,000 deaths.
Not on Singapore’s public transport
On 19 May, even before its national blockade was lifted, the Singapore government announced that the choir’s passengers spoke on public transport to avoid spilling drops of saliva in an enclosed space. This includes not talking to others in the same exercise or bus and avoiding phone calls. Singapore lifted its national closure on 1 June and some institutions have slowly reopened, however, the no-speaking rule is still in force.
More than 48,700 coronaviruses and 27 deaths have been reported in Singapore.
In Thailand, strippers put on masks
On July 1, Bangkok’s notable hot districts reopened after more than 3 months of closing with new rules, adding one that absolutely adjusts the dynamics of topless hostess bars for which the spaces are known: dancers will have to wear bikinis and face masks.
Perhaps even more debatable for some potential consumers, at the entrance, all consumers will have to take the temperature and provide their call and phone number. Within the clubs, other people should sit at least one meter away and two meters from the stage. Bars must also be closed at midnight.
Although Thailand has extended its state of emergency until July 31, the country’s war with coronavirus has been successful so far. There has been no local transmission in the last 35 days and maximum daily instances were imported.
Thailand reported 3261 cases of coronavirus and deaths.
In the Philippines, only couples can enjoy joint motorcycle rides
In the Philippines, many of those who can’t buy a car opt for motorcycles, and many others hitchhike with a circle of family or friends. This ceased after the government banned “recoil,” or having more than one user on a motorcycle, as a component of its social estrangement measures. Many of those who rely on shared motorcycles have had trouble getting to paints and running errands. So, in early July, the government said other people might start sharing trips again, but only if they’re in a relationship.
Interior Secretary Eduardo Año defined a couple as those “living in the same household, whether they are married or they are common-law husband and wife or boyfriend and girlfriend.”
Couples must also prove that they live together by presenting IDs showing they have the same address.
The Philippines has reported approximately 71,000 cases of coronavirus and more than 1,800 deaths.
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This article was originally published in VICE ASIA.