The following observations were recorded by a close friend of mine, currently living in China. To protect their identity, both they and the region of China they are currently residing in will remain anonymous.

The first I heard of the virus was at the end of January 2020. Like most people in China, I was busy making plans to do some travelling and see my friends during the upcoming Spring Festival. Panic about the virus seemed to come out of nowhere. One day, you could walk around freely. The next day you had to wear a mask every time you left your apartment and get your temperature checked before you could enter any building. All of a sudden, everything seemed to close. Any place where people would gather was shut down, and the only places that remained open were the supermarkets.

As time went on and more cases outside of Wuhan emerged, the security restrictions got ever stricter. Temporary board walls were erected outside of apartment buildings. Anyone who wished to enter or leave had to give their name, phone number, and ID number. Everyone was encouraged to stay inside as much as possible. The whole city turned into a ghost town. A few souls walked around, quickly and with great purpose, to gather supplies before retreating to the safety of their homes.

The two extra two weeks of Spring Holiday that were granted by the government had run their course and people in “essential” industries had to return to work. By government decree, all those who could were ordered to start working online. It was at this time, the English training centre I work at switched to online lessons, as did public schools. By that time, the virus was in full swing and my friends and family were worried about me. I, however, was not worried about catching the virus as I was safely locked away in my apartment. My biggest concern however was keeping myself occupied. The government had strengthened the Great Firewall in an effort to keep information about the virus from leaking to the outside world, making it much harder to access sources of non-Chinese entertainment.

As the number of new cases has fallen, places of business have started to open up again. Although they still record your personal information, the process has been simplified with the use of an app that creates a QR code so your information can be quickly obtained.

As I walk around outside it seems that the fear that had once gripped the city has now dissipated. Once again, old people are out playing Chinese chess and Mahjong in the street. The malls and restaurants are open again with people taking full advantage. For the moment it seems that life has returned to an almost normal state, but only time will tell if it will remain that way.

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