Close to the epicenter of COVID-19, nightclubs are returning to business as usual – almost. Establishments in several parts of China are once again opening their doors to the public, but turnout shows that some partygoers remain on guard.
Resident Advisor reports that cities like Chengdu, Shenzhen and Shanghai have lifted restrictions forbidding music venues from operating. Shanghai destinations like 44KW and Elevator were among the first to reopen. Chengdu clubs like Cue, AXIS and TAG have been allowed to resume business, but others in the area have not. The co-founders of OIL Club in Shenzhen said that crowds remain thin in light of coronavirus concerns – a sentiment echoed by others in Chinese nightlife.
“Around 10 to 15 percent of our customers are still hesitant to come out,” said TAG booker Aymen Hajlaoui. “I can’t say for sure that we can recoup our losses, but if it continues like this, the outlook doesn’t look bad.”
The novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19 is thought to have originated in Wuhan. The city is located in Hubei, a province that ended its lockdown on April 8th after new confirmed cases had entirely stopped since March 19th. China has reported 83,000 cases related to the virus, but researchers remain skeptical of the figure.
The Chinese government has suspended the entry of most foreigners to guard against a resurgence of outbreaks.
Image credit: Nauris Pūķis via Unsplash.
