Jennifer, a Canadian and wife to a Korean man, moved to Busan, South Korea in 2013 to teach English. From her home, where she’s been holing up, she gave us information on the COVID-19 clusters presently in Busan, 1468km away from Wuhan, and told us why she thinks the Korean government has done well fighting the virus. 

“We receive text alerts daily and the Busan government has every patient from here listed on their official website. You can click on each case and see where they have been over the past few days.”

Q: Hi Jennifer, thanks for connecting with us all the way from Busan, South Korea! When did you first hear about the 2019-nCoV novel coronavirus and what did you think of it then?

A: I started to hear about the 2019-nCoV novel coronavirus a week before the Lunar New Year. I remember not thinking much of it, but I had this feeling in my gut that it had the potential to be serious.

How concerned are you now? How many COVID-19 cases and related deaths are there in Busan at the point of this interview and do you personally know anyone who’s been infected with COVID-19?

As the cases continue to multiply, I am worried mainly because it is not just me I have to worry about. I have a husband and a four-year-old son who I want to be healthy. Also, our jobs are being impacted by the virus. There are currently 78 cases. As of right now, I do not know anyone infected with the virus.

How did most of the cases in Busan get infected anyway? Are there any notable clusters?

From what I understand, most of the cases involve the Oncheon Church. Reportedly, one of the members’ father is from Wuhan and, as of right now, that is where experts think the virus originated from in Busan. 

How has life changed for you since the coronavirus entered South Korea? What are you no longer allowed to do and what extra are you expected to do to keep yourself and your community safe? 

Since the virus entered Korea, nothing significant has changed. The biggest thing thus far is that I’ve had to wear a mask while teaching. I also make sure to wash my hands and use hand sanitiser more regularly. Since the virus has been detected in Busan, work has been temporarily suspended. My son’s kindergarten is also temporarily suspended. My family and I are following what the government has suggested such as spending as much time as possible indoors and avoiding crowds.

What else do you do regularly to keep healthy and safe?

Since the virus arrived in Busan, I try not to touch things when I’m outside or I will use gloves to prevent my hands from touching things. When I am at work, I disinfect my hands after each class. As an extra precaution, I shower immediately after coming home and throw my clothes in the wash. My family and I are also trying to eat foods to help boost the immune system.

Why do you choose to stay on in Busan regardless?

I am currently teaching in Busan and currently bound to a year-long contract. Thankfully, there aren’t too many cases in Busan and it seems to be under control thus far. The school has not found it necessary to cancel the contracts of the foreign teachers at work yet.

What is the status of food, water and medical supplies like masks in stores right now? Where are those supplies coming in from? 

Masks are hard to come by and people have been hoarding them and selling for ten times the price. The government is trying to combat this by limiting the amount of masks one can buy as well has heavily fining anyone caught hoarding and reselling. I have also read that some brands of ramyeon have sold out. 

Have you done anything to prepare for the possibility that the novel coronavirus epidemic in South Korea might get worse? Have you stocked up or made special plans you can execute at a moment’s notice? 

We have bottled water and some instant food stocked up. I am also signed up to receive e-mails from the Canadian government should things ever get worse.

Is there anything you know about the situation within South Korea that has not been mentioned, or has been misrepresented, in global news?

I pay most attention to Canadian news. I don’t think that they have misrepresented anything.

What do you think of South Korea’s response to the COVID-19 outbreak? What did they do well and what could have been done better?

I think the Korean government has done a good job. They are very transparent and I believe they are doing their best to fight this thing. We receive text alerts daily and the Busan government has every patient from here listed on their official website. You can click on each case and see where they have been over the past few days. We also get daily updates from the Korean and Busan government as to the numbers of cases and deaths. I know that President Moon has received a lot of criticism for not banning all Chinese people from entering Korea. Many Koreans want an all-out ban on the Chinese entering Korea.

What will you do if you or those who live with you develop symptoms of the virus?

Citizens are encouraged to call a special hotline if one should develop a fever and/or a second symptom, such as a sore throat or cough. Our plan is to continue to remain indoors as much as possible. We will call the hotline, and get to the hospital as soon as possible if symptoms were to develop.

Which 3 items or people are most useful for you right now? 

I rely on my husband the most as he is Korean and understands what’s going on better than I do. After him, the Busan Instagram page is very informative and up to date. The government texts that are sent out are helpful as well.

Is there anything you regret not doing earlier?

I wish that I had stocked up on more masks.

Lastly, what have you learned from this novel coronavirus outbreak that you didn’t know before?

I think I understand better how fragile and interconnected things are. I think it’s one of those things where you understand it, but it’s not until you experience it that you truly understand what it means.

Jennifer hopes to be able to move to Jeju with her family this spring, and to blog more at jeffosaurus.wordpress.com and share more photos on Instagram @maple_jeon. “I also would like to start vlogging a bit after we move so friends and family back home can get a better understanding of what Korea is like.” You can also ask her questions about South Korea and Busan using the comment box below. 

More interviews with others whose lives have been disrupted by COVID-19 coming up next week. Follow the latest in our COVID-19 Diaries series here.

If you’re in a country that has 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 Jennifer. Interviewer: Sy
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