What It’s Like Being Locked Down In Wuhan During The 2019-2020 Novel Coronavirus Outbreak (Part 2)

Last week, we asked a 30-year-old resident of Wuhan what his experience with being locked down at home has been like. This week, we find out what it’s like being a resident of the epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak amid increasing global panic, racism and uncertainty.

Q: Thanks again for chatting with us, Icypriest. Quite a number of countries are now blocking residents from Hubei from entering their countries. Some, like Singapore, USA and Australia have even blocked all people coming from China. How do you feel about that?

A: I am a little offended by that but I understand their reasons. And after our own lockdown, it seems that it is an effective measure to contain infections.

There have been reports on the internet of racism towards Asian peoples and Chinese citizens triggered by the 2019-nCoV virus. What are your thoughts on that?

I think racism in any form is wrong and there is no rational excuse for any form of racism.

I’ve heard personal stories from friends with friends and family in China that many in China are getting bored out of their minds because of the inability to leave their homes. How has that experience been like for you and your family? What is it like not being to go out into the world like before?

I understand their urges to go out—I have those too. It’s like being grounded by the virus. I miss all the food beside our university and I constantly tell my friends to try them all again when quarantine life is over. And I miss my friends too since contacting them online is so different from meeting them in person. I even held an online singing party on my birthday. My parents seem to have the same problems too, they hold daily video chats with their relatives and friends.

How well do you think the government of China has responded to this viral crisis? How confident are you of them being able to get things under control?

The local government has tried their best but it was slightly dissatisfactory. But when the national government was involved, the situation was a lot better. I am 100% confident the national government won’t leave us behind.

Where do you get your information about the coronavirus from?

There’s an official WeChat account called 武汉发布 (Wuhan announcements). Other information is from CCTV and local news, Weibo and web search.

Is there anything you know about the coronavirus that has not been mentioned in global news?

Mostly about our own lives—it’s not as chaotic as “corpses littered on streets” or “people randomly collapsing”. I posted on Reddit because I think the situation is too tense on r/ChinaFlu and there’s no other good media for me to share our actual quarantine lives online. I’d like to think I helped some people with my posts.

Is there anything you know about the situation within China that has not been mentioned in global news?

No. But I think people need to put more faith in the Chinese government. They can handle this situation.

What have you and your family learned from this coronavirus outbreak that you didn’t know before?

Nothing much. But I think we’ll be more cautious of our hygiene after the outbreak and fulfil our wishes as soon as we can—life is short, we shouldn’t waste it.

What are the best and worst examples of humanity you’ve seen since the coronavirus crisis broke out?

Best examples: people voluntarily formed groups to help the doctors and nurses at hospitals; donations of food, medical equipment and the efficiency to build up a system to transfer resources into a city on lockdown. All of those examples were not government-motivated, but done by people.

Worst examples: a small number of people going out to deliberately infect others after getting diagnosed and people sending messages like “u dead yet?” or “go f*ck yourself” to me after my Reddit post.

What advice do you have for others in China and around the world who are also in quarantine or locked down right now?

Just because you’re in quarantine or lockdown doesn’t mean you can let your guard down. Keep personal hygiene up and wash your hands as frequently as you can. Food is better cooked than consumed directly. Ventilation is always good for a cleaner and healthier house. Remember to keep your toilets water-filled.

What advice do you have for others around the world who have not yet been seriously affected by the 2019-nCoV coronavirus?

Be cautious and follow the news but there’s no need for panic. Keeping yourself healthy is the best weapon against the virus.

Lastly, what can readers of this article do to help you, Wuhan, Hubei and China get through this?

Keep watching the news. If you have the heart and the money, please donate. Please don’t discriminate Chinese, or anyone really, because we’re all residents of the same planet. Have faith in us and all other infected countries—we are able to quash this before it turns into a global epidemic.

If you would like to donate funds to purchase medical consumables for China, Icypriest suggests donating to Wuhan University Alumni Association of Greater New York’s crowdsourcing drive on goFundMe. He is still on lockdown in his home and will be more than happy to answer your questions if you drop them in the comment box below.

Tomorrow, we will interview an expat presently in the capital of China—Beijing—to understand the current situation there. 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.

Other interviews with Icypriest:
What It’s Like Being Locked Down In Wuhan During The 2019-2020 Novel Coronavirus Outbreak (Part 1)

Photographs courtesy and copyright of Icypriest. Interviewer: Sy
Sponsor or support the 2019-nCov Diaries series here.
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