Chinese businesses still suffering after-effects of COVID-19 as Lunar New Year dawns

On this day last year, there had only been a handful of confirmed coronavirus cases in Victoria.

But while most of the state was bustling, Chinese businesses were already getting a taste of the year that was to come.

Chinese leaders in the community, who were in final preparations for last year’s festivities for the Lunar New Year — which this year falls tomorrow — were confronted with an unexpected crisis.

“I remember it was January 25 or something,” businessman Steven Zheng said.

Mr Zheng is vice president of the Asian Business Association of Whitehorse and, as part of the committee organising the 2020 Chinese New Year celebrations in Box…