Restaurants and shops, shut down to contain the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), are now reopening as the situation improves.

But the problem is that fear is still making people reluctant to dine out. So to encourage them, senior government officials in many provinces have begun to take the lead. They are eating out to indicate that it's safe. In some places, the administration itself is urging officials to do so.

Some think this leading by example will encourage people who have so far stayed at home, either due to city lockdowns or fear of being infected, to spend money in restaurants and shops. This will help rev up economic growth. But some doubt the effectiveness of this, saying it's not time to relax vigilance against the virus yet, though the final victory is in sight.

A reasonable request

He Yong (Jinan Daily): As the situation improves, more and more stores, shopping malls and restaurants have resumed operation but panicky consumers are still reluctant to visit them. Thus businesses find it difficult to restore their operation to the pre-coronavirus level.

Government officials taking the lead in going out to eat and spend will not increase these establishments' revenue with their limited spending but it will give confidence to the public, so that they feel safe to go out and spend in shops and restaurants. The goal is to reboot the economy by encouraging consumption.

However, measures against the coronavirus should not be relaxed while people are encouraged to consume.

Huang Qichao (www.ce.cn): The public's reluctance to go out for shopping and eating will hamper businesses' recovery from the months-long shutdown. When the all-clear is yet to be sounded, it's right for people to remain alert, but over-caution is unnecessary since the disease has basically been reined in. As long as people keep wearing masks when they are out and follow other rules, going outside and having fun is not as dangerous as some think.

By visiting stores and restaurants, government officials can not only encourage people to follow suit but also discover the problems and difficulties the businesses are facing, something they may not find out if they do not actually visit these places.

To ask government officials to spend minimum 200 yuan ($28.3) a week on meals in restaurants is not an unacceptable suggestion, and after all, it is just a suggestion, not an administrative order. This is expected to stimulate a strong response from the public and help with economic recovery to some extent.

Luo Ruiming (www.jxnews.com.cn): The catering industry is one of the pillars of China's economic growth and a big employer, but the COVID-19 outbreak has sent the sector reeling. To help it out of its difficulties, government officials at various levels have a role to play.

There are new policies to shore up businesses but no one knows whether they will work well or not. Dinner in restaurants will help government officials get first-hand information on how they are operating and whether anti-epidemic measures are being strictly implemented in these places. In this way, the policies can be implemented faster and better.

Some people did have the habit of dining out but the month-long lockdown changed this habit. It's time to pick it up. Government officials' example is undoubtedly the best encouragement at this moment, emboldening ordinary consumers to go out and enjoy a normal life.

Ding Jiafa (www.scol.com.cn): Though we are still not in a position to proclaim final victory over COVID-19, life has to go on. People have to learn to live and work in such an environment.

Consumption plays a big role in economic growth, particularly in sectors like catering, retail and tourism. When businesses resume production, their performance will be affected without demand and consumption.

How to restore businesses to normal levels? If the government just orally encourages people to go out to eat and shop, they may not be persuaded to do so. However, when senior officials begin to do so, the public will come to realize that actually it's not so dangerous.

They will also get to know what the restaurants are doing to mitigate risk, such as taking visitors' temperature before they enter, washing hands and maintaining the prescribed distance between tables.

When more and more people get used to this way of life, businesses and all kinds of social activities will gradually return to normal. In this way, the pent-up desire to consume will get released, boosting economic growth. This is undoubtedly a way to balance COVID-19 prevention and economic development.

Not the right time

Qiao Yiwen (www.rednet.cn): Government officials are seemingly going to restaurants to have dinner to encourage ordinary people to do so and boost consumption. However, this smacks of formalism and it's too early to say whether it is effective.

Urban residents have stayed at home for one or two months, and are eager to go out to have dinner and go shopping, particularly when they are told that the virus has been controlled. Even if government officials do not take the lead, they will go out to spend money on what they need. Are they really swayed by officials eating in restaurants or purchasing things in shops? Are the officials sure they can really encourage people to have dinner in restaurants?

During the outbreak, the catering sector did not give up. Food delivery services became a major profitable business. Compared with dining in restaurants, food delivery is more convenient and safer. More importantly, it's proven to have tided the catering sector over while not disrupting the efforts to contain COVID-19.

This wave of government officials having dinner in restaurants, with a minimum threshold suggested, can backfire, causing public resistance and rejection.

Although the coronavirus has been controlled and we are closer to the day when everything returns to normal, it's still not time to relax our vigilance. Risks remain, and the closer we are to the final victory, the more cautious we should be. Unless it's shopping for necessities or going to work, it's better for people to avoid gatherings and keep social distancing.

Ba Zhahei (Nanfang Daily): This is a well-meaning suggestion abut the efficacy is questionable. In the first place, it might put pressure on senior officials. Administrative regulations say officials have to pick up their own tab. Therefore, it's doubtful to what extent officials will devote themselves to this effort.

Though restaurants and shops have seen a plunge in the number of visitors, people's consumption demand remains low. It's just that they are afraid of going out, not that they don't want to have dinner in restaurants. As long as the risk of infection remains, they will feel reluctant to go out. It's unwise to encourage people to rush to restaurants at this critical moment.

Actually, there are many methods to juice up the economy. For instance, governments can offer favorable policies to businesses to cut their operation costs. Both businesses and the government should try their best to create a safe environment for consumers.

Copyedited by Sudeshna Sarkar