During the Chinese Spring Festival in 2020, Kunming, like the whole country, is confronted with severe pressure of the epidemic prevention and control since the sudden outbreak of pneumonia epidemic of 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) infection. A prevention and control campaign is mobilized in the city across the board.
How do the foreigners in Kunming respond in this special time? And how are they living? What feelings do they have about the all-out prevention and control in Kunming? Some of them in Kunming are interviewed by journalists and share their own stories.
Matthew is a teacher from New Zealand. “My girlfriend’s hometown is Wuhan. So I may feel more than other foreigners with regard to this novel coronavirus.” Matthew said.
Both Matthew and his girlfriend live in Kunming. They planned to go to Wuhan to see her family before the Chinese Spring Festival. But they had to stay in Kunming since Wuhan had been locked down. In the New Year’s Eve, they told her family to protect themselves and do not go out as they were having a video call. The would-be mother-in-law showed them the dumplings she made to reassure them. “So long as I have things to eat, I will not go out!” she said with a smile in the video call.
“We all have an unprecedented determination to beat the epidemic,” Matthew said, “There are timely supply of vegetables, fruits and meat in the markets around our home. My girlfriend and I stay at home, feeling a great sense of security and no worries at all.”
Ana is also a teacher in Kunming. She comes from Brazil and teaches English. As a person who had been through an epidemic virus event, Ana firstly was not very worried about it since similar things had occurred in her country as well. At present, governments at all levels are very good at prevention and control. She feels very secure.
“Better safe than sorry,” Ana said. It was a holiday before the epidemic outbreak. So she prepared to go around for better understanding of China. Yet Ana had to change her plan as the rapid outbreak of novel coronavirus. She said: “Now all authorities are sparing no efforts in controlling the epidemic. I believe the virus will be under control before long and things will get better as well.”
Many of them are confident in combating the coronavirus. Canadian Sebastien Genier is a partner of the youth hostel in Xiba Road. He lives in a community around the youth hostel. He said that Kunming has taken good measures of prevention and control in the face of the sudden epidemic.
“Authorities have been urging people not going out and staying at home. The checking and clearing methods of all kinds are also very strict. Specialized personnel at the food markets and supermarkets will measure customers’ body temperature. No need to worry about daily life with abundant supply of necessities.”
During the outbreak of the epidemic, his hostel is closed. He stays at home apart from going out for necessities of daily life. “I pay close attention to the epidemic information every day, and various news reports let me see the power of China. After living in Kunming for 19 years, the city has reassured me and I believe that the epidemic will soon pass.”
“The care from my friends makes me no longer worried”, Sameera Chathuranga Wijekoon said. As a student from Sri Lanka, he gives himself a Chinese name Feng Wei for communicating with his Chinese friends.
In this winter vacation, Feng Wei chose to stay in Kunming and spend the Spring Festival together with friends. During the epidemic outbreak, Feng Wei has been living in a friend’s home, and the community where they are is also in semi-quarantine.
“Despite the worrying epidemic, the cars and people going through schools and communities will be inspected including temperature measurement. Indoor ventilation is kept at home at all times. The earnest care from my friends and family makes me no longer worried.”
During the epidemic outbreak, Feng Wei’s family is particularly worried. He has video calls with his parents every day telling his family that Kunming has taken comprehensive prevention and control measures and the problem will be resolved as soon as possible.
