The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
‘Convenience culture’ in China has prevented panic buying
A Rosyth woman living in Beijing has said China’s “convenience culture” has prevented the panic buying seen in the UK.
Chloe Sandilands, 22, has been living and teaching in the Chinese capital since September but her school has been closed since the Lunar New Year last month.
“No one is bulk buying here. I’ve never seen the shop shelves out of anything,” she said.
Beijing has seen widespread closures of shops, bars and restaurants, while other venues limit three to a table.
Strict curfews at apartment complexes are also in operation.
But people are able to use a single payment app such as Alipay or WeChat not only to arrange deliveries, but also to order taxis and for online banking.
The same apps provide daily updates on coronavirus recovery figures.
“China is so far ahead of the UK in terms of technology and convenience,”
Chloe said. “You can track the country’s health and see how everyone is doing, it’s reassuring.
“People still wear masks but I think people are getting less scared. It feels like it’s coming back to life.”
Chloe’s private-sector employer has set up an online video conferencing system which Chloe uses to communicate with students, meaning lessons are possible but logistically challenging.
She said: “A class that would have taken me two hours with a 10-minute break is now taking me three hours and 20 minutes.
“It’s just new and can be scary for them and you have to make sure they’re comfortable.”
For Chloe, who has managed to avoid the virus, there seems to be light at the end of the tunnel.
“If you’re inside all day you start to go a bit crazy,” she said.
“We’re all pretty isolated but I’m allowed to leave my flat, thankfully,” she added.