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It belongs in Current Events, but probably is deemed too controversial to discuss. This virus could very well be the next pandemic, and with a 2% death rate, it's going to be like the Spanish flu of 1918.
It sucks being in China now. Everything is on lockdown. Can't really leave your apartment no matter what city you live in. My wife ordered a ton of food ie rice, veggies, meat to stock up. She's kind of freaking out and constantly checking the news as the number of people with the virus increases each day.
We have our masks, but basically we don't leave our apartment, mostly because we have a 4 month old baby. Groceries are all bought online, with the delivery guy asked to leave them at the door so we avoid contact with anyone lol.
I survived SARS when I was younger while living in Beijing. Now 15 or so years later, living in Guangzhou, it feels the locals are taking more responsibility and attention to this virus.
IMO, the government should have shut down the city of Wuhan a week before they actually did. I was told the local city wanted to but the BJ government said no and wanted to wait it out. Who knows.
It belongs in Current Events, but probably is deemed too controversial to discuss. This virus could very well be the next pandemic, and with a 2% death rate, it's going to be like the Spanish flu of 1918.
While you're probably right, that it should be a topic in Current Events, however it's especially relevant here as it pertains to Asia.
Yeah, the streets here in SZ are deserted, even by CNY standards. Nearly everything is closed except for a few scattered shops. Pretty much stuck in our apartment all day which is pretty exhausting with a rambunctious three and a half year old.
You're lucky you stocked up; my wife fell victim to both old Chinese beliefs ("no frozen/canned stuff, only fresh, food that isn't fresh will hurt you") and modern Chinese naivety ("it's ok, we can just have things delivered") and threw fits when I went to stock up, saying it was "wasteful." Thankfully I did it anyways so we've been in good shape. Also, one of our restaurants is one block away from our apartment and its stocked with frozen and non-perishable goods. As long as I go straight there, I won't have any real risk of infection.
In a lot of the mom wechat groups she's in, people are starting to freak out as food is running low and no one is delivering.
Ultimately of course we will all be OK and much worse has happened, but after the dust clears, China's going to have a new set of issues to deal with. China's actually somewhat lucky that the focus on the virus has people temporarily ignoring it's economy, because this is gonna hurt, especially if it drags on... Most of the financial news I've read on it estimates that between .8-2% of the GDP could fall depending on how long it drags on. Small businesses such as small restaurants, corner markets, etc as well as the delivery people, line staff, and suppliers that depend on them are gonna be under massive pressure and that's gonna be a big hit to China's domestic service economy, which it has maintained would float it through the trade war.
It's going to have to finally confront its food, public, and personal hygiene standards. Wet markets are going to need to use refrigeration, local agencies tasked with enforcement are going to have to stop taking hongbaos to allow some stalls to sell live animals and bushmeat, as well as just making sure suppliers are up to standard in the first place. This is all a good thing, China should have done this ages ago, but it will also affect cost increases for supplier and vendors which they will pass onto consumers.
I don't like making hamfisted, absolute statements or predictions, but I have a feeling that if China's golden days weren't over before, they are now.
What most people are wearing look like masks to reduce dust. Still, most any face mask is probably better than none at all if there's a risk.
Most flu virus is carried via air droplets, and tend to enter and exit the body thru the mouth and nose. Typical surgical/dusk masks can protect you from inadvertently inhaling virus particulates, but maybe more importantly they help prevent infected people from exhaling them, so they can have a sizeable impact on preventing spread, especially when combined with frequent hand washing and other reasonable hygiene measures.
Of course, one of the doctors in China thinks he might have caught it from not wearing proper eye protection and rubbing his eyes, so...
You're lucky you stocked up; my wife fell victim to both old Chinese beliefs ("no frozen/canned stuff, only fresh, food that isn't fresh will hurt you") and modern Chinese naivety ("it's ok, we can just have things delivered") and threw fits when I went to stock up, saying it was "wasteful." Thankfully I did it anyways so we've been in good shape. Also, one of our restaurants is one block away from our apartment and its stocked with frozen and non-perishable goods. As long as I go straight there, I won't have any real risk of infection.
Strange thinking. We have always stocked up, so we have food for another several months if there was nothing to buy. Its my wife who keeps stocking up by buying online I told her to get some extra vegetables and meat 20th of January when I realized how serious it was.
People being scared is good because it makes people stay indoors, but it is important to remember that the vast majority outside of Wuhan do not have it and hence you are not very likely to get it at the moment. Just avoid crowds and family dinners and you should be fine.
Experts have predicted the SARS virus could return with mutation since the end of SARS in the summer of 2003. They told the public about possible returns but are never sure when and where. MERS maybe something similar, broke out in another region of Asia before this outbreak. So this is in fact the third outbreak in the world. The second in China.
Interesting to know the different reactions of different people this year. People in SARS region in 2003, people born in this century, Chinese and foreigners in China and other countries affected by this new virus.
After talking to people I know and watching videos of what people are doing in Chinese new year in different parts of China, the conclusion is the reactions varies.
Quiet is normal in the cities during new year as people return homes but other parts of China are full of families celebrating together. From videos sent from less known areas of Hubei and cities in Guangdong outside of wuhan, many people are still celebrating new year happily, enjoying meals at homes or in restaurants in Guangdong without worrying supply of necessities except items for medical uses.
Policies may change anytime.
Mostly the restrictions are the most strict in and around Wuhan.
Not all areas of China are the same now.
As expected stations and airports in all provinces carefully screened passengers for fever. This is a good step.
Respect cultural differences if you want others to respect your cultures.
This can also save people from divorce or the end of an international friendship.
It sucks being in China now. Everything is on lockdown. Can't really leave your apartment no matter what city you live in. My wife ordered a ton of food ie rice, veggies, meat to stock up. She's kind of freaking out and constantly checking the news as the number of people with the virus increases each day.
We have our masks, but basically we don't leave our apartment, mostly because we have a 4 month old baby. Groceries are all bought online, with the delivery guy asked to leave them at the door so we avoid contact with anyone lol.
I survived SARS when I was younger while living in Beijing. Now 15 or so years later, living in Guangzhou, it feels the locals are taking more responsibility and attention to this virus.
IMO, the government should have shut down the city of Wuhan a week before they actually did. I was told the local city wanted to but the BJ government said no and wanted to wait it out. Who knows.
I am sending my prayer to you and your family.
Regardless how we feel about a certain country or their leadership, this is a moment a little bit humanity is needed.
Good luck
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