Coronavirus in Oklahoma: 'We will overcome' in OKC Asian District

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In a small shopping center in the middle of Oklahoma City on a recent Thursday afternoon, Vietnamese immigrants rooted for the country where they found refuge from war and poverty decades ago.

Among them was Long Nguyen, the 72-year-old owner of Pho Ca Dao Vietnamese Noodle House, which is tucked into the Jade Asian Plaza near NW 23 and Classen Boulevard.

Nguyen came to the United States about 45 years ago. In an restaurant empty because of the coronavirus, he prepared curbside pickup orders and pointed at the desolate parking lot.

“No customers,” Nguyen said. “No business owner’s cars. I’ve seen terrible things. War. April 19. 9/11. SARS. In America, I’ve never seen anything like this. You’re fighting with an invisible enemy. We will overcome. I don’t scare.”

Nguyen smiled and offered a virus-inspired elbow bump.

A few doors down at Hank’s Barber Shop, the chairs were empty.

Even before the government considered him nonessential, Ky Nguyen, the owner of the shop, turned off the lights and put a notice of closing until further notice.

His 28-year-old son, Thy Nguyen, a chemical engineer in the Tulsa area, said by phone his dad is doing OK.

“Money is not his priority,” Thy Nguyen said. “He’d rather stay at home. He’s 60-something. He closed the shop before the governor gave the orders. He bought stuff before the order ... he’s good with his stock. He is able to handle it.”

As the coronavirus has spread, reports of violence against Asian Americans have popped up around the country, advocates have set up websites to track anecdotes of anti-Asian American sentiment and Americans have taken to social media to debate whether calling it the “Chinese virus” is racist.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued guidelines to reduce stigma.

“It is important to remember that people — including those of Asian descent — who do not live in or have not recently been in an area of ongoing spread of the virus that causes COVID-19, or have not been in contact with a person who is a confirmed or suspected case of COVID-19 are not at greater risk of spreading COVID-19 than other Americans,” the CDC said.

In Tulsa, Thy Nguyen is more concerned about how his elderly father is holding up in Oklahoma City. Nguyen’s brother lives with his dad, but Nguyen regularly checks on him by phone.

“Sometimes I ask my dad if he needs anything,” Nguyen said. “I’ll order it and have it delivered.”

Across from Hank’s Barber Shop and behind the counter at Quoc Bao Bakery, Bao Hunyh said he’s 54 years old and came to America in 1979.

“I’ve never seen nothing like it in the United States,” he said. “People are losing jobs. We don’t know how long it’s going to go on. We pray it gets better.”