“You sneeze in the street – and you are like a leper, people run away”: what is happening in Wuhan now

A British native who worked for several years in infamous Wuhan told the Daily Mail what happened in the city after the quarantine regime was lifted after 76 long and painful days.

“On Tuesday at midnight, I was woken up by shouts of ‘Come on, Wuhan’ as my neighbors celebrated the formal end of the quarantine,” the man began his story. He used the word “formal” for a reason, because for Wuhan, in fact, nothing is over yet. 

All last week, the man was allowed to leave the house for up to two hours and only when necessary, and on April 8 he was finally able to leave the house and come back when he wanted to. “Stores are opening, so I can buy a razor and shave normally — doing it with the same blade for almost three months has been a total nightmare. And I can get a haircut too! And some restaurants have resumed service, ”says the Briton.

First of all, the man went to his restaurant for a portion of noodles with a special (very tasty) beef. Unaccustomed to his favorite food, the Briton returned to the institution two more times – at lunch and dinner. We understand him perfectly!

“Yesterday I went out early in the morning and was surprised by the number of people and cars on the streets. The crowd was a sign of a massive return to work. Roadblocks on highways leading to and from the city have also been removed, ”says a Wuhan resident. 

Life is officially returning to the city.

However, “dark shades” persist. The 32-year-old man notes that every few days people in full gear knock on the door of his apartment – masks, gloves, visors. Everyone is checked for fever, and this process is recorded on a mobile phone.

On the streets, the situation is also not very favorable. Men in special suits with friendly smiles on their faces selectively measure the temperature of citizens, and trucks spray disinfectant.

“Many people continue to wear face masks. There is still tension and suspicion here. ”

“If you cough or sneeze in the street, people will cross to the other side of the road to avoid you. Anyone who looks unhealthy is treated like a leper. “ – adds the Briton.

Of course, the Chinese authorities fear a second outbreak of infection and are doing everything in their power to prevent this. The measures taken by many (including the West) are considered barbaric. And that’s why.

Every Chinese citizen has a QR code assigned to him in the WeChat app, which serves as proof that the person is healthy. This code is tied to documents and includes the results of the last blood test and a mark that the person is free of the virus.

“Foreigners like me don’t have such a code. I carry with me a letter from the doctor, which proves that I do not have a virus, and present it along with identity documents, ”said the man.

No one can use public transport, enter shopping malls or buy food unless their code has been scanned: “This is the reality that has replaced quarantine. We are constantly checked. Will this be enough to prevent a second wave of infection? I hope so”.

The seafood market, from which the global coronavirus infection began, is sealed with blue police tape and patrolled by officers. 

Meanwhile, the economy and business owners have been hit hard. As the Briton notes, abandoned shops can be seen on any street, since their owners can no longer afford to pay rent. In many closed retail outlets and even in some banks, you can see a pile of rubbish through transparent windows.

The man finished his essay on a very sad note that does not even need comment: “From my window I see young couples, loaded with luggage, who are returning home, where they haven’t been since January. And that brings me to a problem that many here hide … Some of those who left Wuhan to celebrate the beginning of the Year of the Rat elsewhere left their cats, dogs and other pets with enough water and food for several days. After all, they will return very soon … “

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