Marta from Spain first travelled to China as a student and ended up living there for the next 13 years after finding employment, marrying a local and having a child. She presently lives in Suzhou, in the Jiangsu province of China, 609km away from Wuhan, and recently told us all about the restrictions she’s been living with since the novel coronavirus outbreak began.
“Residents have their temperature taken anytime they go in or out. The latest measure is that security staff check your car trunk when you drive in and out… in case you are hiding someone there!”Q: Hi Marta, thanks for connecting with us all the way from Suzhou, China! When did you first hear about the 2019-nCoV coronavirus and what did you think of it then?
A: I don’t remember when exactly I heard of the new coronavirus for the first time but I guess it was at the end of December, when it was officially confirmed. I wasn’t very concerned and didn’t think much about it at that moment.
How concerned are you now? How many people do you personally know who’ve been afflicted with the coronavirus?
I am not very concerned. I think here in Suzhou the chances of being infected are quite low and, besides, in my family we are all in good health. Having said that, we are following the official recommendations and we only leave our apartment when we need to buy supplies. I don’t personally know anyone who has been afflicted with the coronavirus but there was one case in another building of my residential complex.
How many cases are there in Suzhou at the moment of this interview? How concerned is Suzhou at this point?
At this moment there are 77 confirmed cases in Suzhou, 13 of which have already been cured and discharged from hospital. There hasn’t been any confirmed coronavirus death in Suzhou. However, the city is trying its best to avoid more infections and people are staying home as recommended. Recreational venues like tourist attractions, museums, karaokes and some malls were closed at the beginning of the outbreak and haven’t opened yet. Other measures have also been implemented as the situation evolved. For example, now it is not allowed to enter public transportation or supermarkets without a mask. Most residential complexes don’t allow entrance to anyone who doesn’t live there, including delivery staff, and residents have their temperature taken anytime they go in or out. The latest measure is that security staff check your car trunk when you drive in and out… in case you are hiding someone there!
Why do you choose to remain in Suzhou regardless?
Because my life is here and also because, as I said above, I’m not very worried about the situation. Besides, I think I’m more likely to get infected on a plane!
Is there anything you know about the situation within China or in Suzhou that has not been mentioned, or has been misrepresented, by news agencies outside of China?
I feel international news are focusing on the negatives (which, obviously, are a lot) and are not even mentioning when there’s good news. I regularly read Spanish and British newspapers and in every article the infection and death figures are repeated several times, but the recovered figure is nowhere to be seen (it currently stands at over 3x the death figure). Based on what my friends abroad have asked me during the outbreak, international news are transmitting the message that the virus is lethal and everybody is dying and that store shelves are empty.
What is the status of food, water and medical supplies like masks in stores in Suzhou right now? And how long do you think you can last with the stock you have at home at the moment?
Masks and alcohol are often sold out in the pharmacy, but other times they are available and we were able to buy them. Other than that, I’ve been to the supermarket 3 times and it was always well stocked. I haven’t had any problem getting fresh produce. My pantry and freezer are still full of goodies that were sent by the companies my husband and I work at for Chinese New Year. Water is also not a problem, drinking water gallons are delivered as normal.
Do you still go out? If so, what precautions do you take when, and before and after, going out?
I go out when necessary, for example to buy food. I put on a mask and I pack a small bottle of hand sanitiser. When I’m outside, I try my best not to touch my face in case I touched something contaminated, or I apply hand sanitiser. When I return home, I throw away the mask, hang my coat on the balcony, wash my hands, and disinfect the door knobs that I touched before washing my hands. Then I wash my hands again.
When did you return to work? And what’s the plan in Suzhou for people who need a form of income to survive yet cannot go back to work?
I’ve been working for a week already. I always work from home but now everybody in my company is working from home too. I have no idea what the people that cannot go back to work will do but I do hope the government can provide them with some kind of subsidy. I did read that small businesses will not need to pay the rent for one month. I have a cleaning lady who comes once a week and even though she can’t come these days, I will pay her anyway because it’s not her fault and I don’t want her to have financial difficulties because of this.
What will you do if you develop the symptoms of the virus? What do the officials in Suzhou recommend you do?
The last time I had a fever was 15 years ago so I would be surprised if I got sick now! If I did, I would go directly to the hospital. Pharmacies are not currently allowed to sell fever and cough medicine because anyone with those symptoms has to go to the hospital immediately to be tested for the virus.
What will you do if the coronavirus situation in Suzhou takes a turn for the worse?
If the situation worsens noticeably, I might go back to my home country with my son for some time. But I hope it doesn’t get to that!
Which 3 items or people are most useful for you right now?
I’ll just mention one: the Internet! It has allowed me to keep in touch with my family and friends, to follow the news and also to search for games and activities to entertain my child these days.
Lastly, what have you learned from this coronavirus outbreak that you didn’t know before?
I’ve been surprised to read about the racist attacks Chinese and Asian people in general have been suffering in Western countries since the outbreak started. What a sad thing to learn… that people only need an excuse to become bigots.
Marta is presently focused on raising her child. You can read more about her adventures in China at martalivesinchina.wordpress.com or ask her for status updates on the coronavirus situation in Suzhou using the comment box below.
Next week onwards, we’ll have some interviews about the coronavirus situation in Singapore and other countries affected by the virus. Follow the latest in our 2019-nCoV Diaries series here.
If you’re in China right now or have been affected by the novel coronavirus and would like to share information about the situation where you’re at, do get in touch with us here.
Photographs courtesy and copyright of Marta. Interviewer: Sy
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