Life ‘slowly getting back to normal’ in China

A TEACHER who worked in Yorkshire and is now living in China has spoken of her experience under lockdown and reiterated a call to the British public to ‘stayat-home’.

Rachel Ford, originally from Chesterfield who worked in Sheffield, moved to China in August with fellow teacher and partner Suresh Dass.

Having watched British news reports of the outbreak, she says, she had initially thought the response was an overreaction.

But on a trip to Malaysia for the Chinese New Year on January 20, they received a sharp shock when they were placed into quarantine on their return.

“Unlike the UK, it was compulsory,” she said. “The accommodation services put a sticker on your door and if this ripped you would have to start all over again.”

The couple had to submit a temperature reading twice a day, and kept their spirits up with yoga, boxing and online teaching courses. On the situation in the UK, Ms Ford had a clear message.

“People need to wise up and listen to what the Government is saying – right now people need to stay indoors,” she said. “It’s completely selfish people are ignoring the warnings. I saw the news back home of people heading out and I couldn’t believe it.

“It’s frustrating when I watch the news in the UK that people are complaining the Government has left it too late but when they say ‘don’t go out’, I see people flocking to crowded areas.”

She believes that were the rules to be flouted, a stricter lockdown could be brought in.

“The Chinese authorities have enforced this and it’s ended up in a drop in cases and it’s slowly started to get back to normal,” she said. “I’m back at work now and the children I teach could be back in April.”