Isolation and empty streets: Staying cooped up under coronavirus threat
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If I鈥檓 telling the truth, the idea of locking myself up at home and not seeing anyone for days on end isn鈥檛 something that frightens me. In fact, it sounds great. But I didn鈥檛 expect it to be under these circumstances, and I hope it鈥檚 all over sooner rather than later.
We鈥檝e all known about the coronavirus in Wuhan, Hubei Province, for a few weeks now, but somehow no one was very alarmed until last week. Now it鈥檚 fair to say that most people across China are under some form of self-imposed house arrest and the streets of Shanghai, usually packed with tourists this time of year, are empty echoes of a seemingly distant past.
Every day I receive a text message 鈥 in Chinese 鈥 from my telecom service provider. A few days ago, the message reminded me to reduce visits to friends and family (it鈥檚 common to visit loved ones and wish them luck for the new year), wear a mask outside, wash my hands regularly, ventilate my home well and seek medical assistance if I come down with a fever.
Over the past few days that text message has started coming from the Shanghai health commission.
Now I鈥檓 also told to remove all clothing when returning home from the outside and to air out that clothing in the sun and wind.
In the morning, I should fold my bedding up after airing it to sterilize. My house should be disinfected regularly.
So today I took it upon myself 鈥 despite superstitions around not washing away the new year鈥檚 good luck by cleaning your home too soon after entering a new lunar cycle 鈥 to tidy up my apartment and disinfect as many surfaces as possible.
Hating the sound of the vacuum cleaner, my two cats quickly took up their second-favorite positions looking down on the now empty streets below.
They鈥檙e used to staying cooped up at home every day, so for them this is nothing new.
They鈥檙e also covered in their winter fur, so the cold breeze briskly passing through my usually warm apartment doesn鈥檛 phase them either.
Venturing outside
Despite the government鈥檚 firm suggestions to stay indoors and reduce contact with other people as much as humanly possible, there are some occasions when leaving home is unavoidable.
The first is primal: We need to eat.
While many are turning to ordering their fresh fruit and vegetables online and having them delivered, I prefer to see what I鈥檓 buying with my own eyes first.
I was a bit surprised to find supplies somewhat lacking when I visited two supermarkets and a local fruit-and-vegetable market.
One supermarket featured bare shelves where just last week all the shiny colors of the rainbow could be seen.
Fresh meat in all three places was seriously lacking 鈥 only one supermarket had any meat at all, and even then most shelves were bare.
It鈥檚 essential to keep up one鈥檚 face-mask stocks, and whenever outside to wear either an N95 mask 鈥 which I find way too restrictive and uncomfortable 鈥 or a surgical mask in order to significantly reduce the chances of becoming infected.
But masks are in short supply despite the city鈥檚 17 mask factories pumping out millions on a daily basis.
Shanghai has a population of 24 million but people are scared.
What happens tomorrow?
The situation in China remains precarious.
Everyone is hoping the government can stem the spread of this virus through tough measures such as locking down cities and restricting movement. Some of those measures include the unprecedented move of extending the lunar new year holiday, closing all popular public spaces like museums, cinemas and tourist hot spots, and insisting people work from home.
But even under the current best-case scenario, this situation could go on for months.
Some airlines have already started canceling all flights in and out of Chinese mainland, not just Hubei. Also, foreign governments are chartering special flights to evacuate their citizens from Wuhan, the epicenter of the viral outbreak.
I don鈥檛 even want to think about the worst-case scenario yet, but I do have hope.
If any government can successfully implement what one expert called 鈥渄raconian鈥 measures to stop the virus from spreading, it鈥檚 the strong central government of China.
I鈥檒l take each day as it comes, and hope my cats don鈥檛 get used to me being around home every day.
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