Life in China During the Rise, Spread, and Fall of Coronavirus
A personal account of life in China during COVID-19 and how we’ve reached the new normal
Over a few short months, COVID-19 has evolved from an obscure virus to a full-blown global pandemic that has now spread to every continent, with the exception of Antarctica. Citizens around the world are falling into panic mode as governments sound alarms to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Meanwhile, in China, the epidemic is coming to a close with the rate of new cases steadily dropping from the thousands to just 27 new cases today.
Life has all but reached a new normal here — masks remain on everyone’s faces but the fear associated with the virus has died down significantly. I have been in Shenzhen, China, since mid-January, and this is my account of the rise and fall of public panic in China during the coronavirus epidemic.
It is now well-known that Chinese officials in Wuhan tried to cover up information related to COVID-19 in the early days of its spread, leaving most citizens unaware of the seriousness of the disease and utterly unprepared for its impact.
It wasn’t until the night of January 20, when a prominent Chinese respiratory expert confirmed on state television that there were reported cases of…
