Story By: John Feng, Sub-Editor:  Joseph Golder, Agency: Asia Wire Report

AsiaWire

This is the moment a Chinese woman buying cold medicine violently attacks a pharmacy worker who tries to take down her personal details for contact tracing purposes.

The incident happened at a Dacanlin pharmacy branch in the city of Dongguan, in South China’s Guangdong Province, on 10th April.

CCTV footage shows lab-coat wearing trainee pharmacist Ms Fan trying to calm the customer, Ms Zhao, as she shouts loudly by the shop counter.

According to reports, Ms Zhao had tried to purchase antiviral medication for a cough and fever, but she was not allowed to buy the goods without providing her ID number and permanent residential address.

The policy, which is said to have been put in place since 9th February, allows health officials to perform contact tracing on individuals who may later develop COVID-19 symptoms.

The security footage shows Ms Zhao reacting poorly to Ms Fan as she explains the situation, slapping and kicking the pharmacy worker for a full minute before the defenceless woman flees onto the street outside.

In the clip, Ms Zhao shouts: “I’ll beat you to death if you don’t sell me this medicine! Do you want me to die!”

She then repeats the phrase as she hits Ms Fan with her belongings, while the terrified young woman shouts back: “I’m sorry! I’m sorry!”

The attack continues on the street corner outside the pharmacy as a traffic cop emerges and Ms Fan tries to hide behind him.

Ms Zhao was later arrested by arriving police, reports said.

Ms Fan, who has been hospitalised with a concussion and soft tissue injuries, recalled: “The customer came in to purchase a box of antiviral medication.

“According to regulations, she needed to provide her ID card and detailed place of residence.

“But she refused to give her residential address, so I couldn’t sell the medication to her.

“She then hit me with the box of medicine and whipped me with string.”

Dongguan police said Ms Fan was jailed for 10 days and fined 500 RMB (56 GBP).

Ms Fan said she would be filing a civil suit against the violent customer.

The ViralTab page is created by and dedicated to professional, independent freelance journalists. It is a place for us to showcase our work. When our news is sold to our media partners, we will include the link here.