Chongqing-  Kai Wood, a Canadian writer, and teacher who lives in Chongqing with his wife Xiaolin. Chongqing is a sprawling metropolis over more than 33 million people, only 800 KM to the West of Wuhan, the epicenter of the outbreak of a novel coronavirus 2019-nCoV.  For the past few weeks, he has kept a diary, which he shares with iChongqing.

 

Wed Feb 5 - A Trip to the Market

Happy birthday to you! Xiaolin sings to baby Ethan via WeChat video, and he claps his hands. He's loved the song ever since he turned one. I go wash my hands with soap and water and count two happy birthdays, twenty seconds, that's what the government is recommending to make sure we kill the virus. Today China reports 24,423 cases of the infection, 3949 more than yesterday. In my city of Chongqing, we have 376 confirmed cases. Two deaths so far.

Our good friend Chris was called by the police today because she was shopping at Carrefour supermarket on Jan 23. At the same time, a person from Wuhan was shopping, who later became infected. She reported no symptoms. Still, they ask her to stay at home for a couple of weeks. It feels like it's coming closer, but in our house, we're safe.

As Chongqing braces for a rise in infection, families are asked to only allow a single person to leave the house once every two days to buy vegetables and return. I go shopping again today, so I can stay home for the next week or two. At the door of the supermarket, a worker is baking a mask in front of a space heater. She shoots me in the forehead with a temperature gun, but can't get a reading. She asks me to take off my goggles. I politely decline. She shoots my forehead, my ear, and the side of my face before inviting me to remove a glove. She scans my exposed hand. 36.4, no problem, we say to each other, and I carry on. At least there's lots of food.

I take a peek where the live chickens used to live, but they're all gone. Only some fish on ice at the back.

On the way back in, the guard shoots my temperature too, and I'm worried because I'm so hot and sweating buckets, but they let me in with my big heavy bags.

My school sends foreign teachers a check-in questionnaire about our health. Local community leaders are going door to door, reporting symptoms, and providing medical treatment. Most people are happy to wear masks in public, limit our time outside, and seek medical treatment when needed. Some people aren't, and cause a fuss and get arrested. Everyone must do their best.

I read. We watch TV. I see a friend outside who picks up some face masks. We stay two meters apart, although we bump elbows when we say goodbye. He took the bus over, which shocks Xiaolin. He was alone on the bus, he said, and it smelled like disinfectant.

I'm starting to teach on Monday, online, but the system is complicated, and I don't understand it yet.

I hope I can still come to Canada this summer. My grandma turned 90 this year, and it's essential I see her. I give her a call, and she's so happy to hear from us. I made it a whole day without coffee. No headaches. I can't wait for tomorrow.