Carroll’s Chinese students talk about the coronavirus outbreak in China

Undoubtedly, the most serious problem in 2020 is coronavirus. Every country is facing the same problem, but China was the first. Several students from China who are Archbishop Carroll students have faced issues regarding the pandemic.

Senior Jeremy Chen went back to China during the Spring Festival because he did not go back for the celebration for the previous three years. Spring Festival is a national holiday that celebrates the Chinese New Year, which was Jan. 25, and lasted from Jan. 24 to Jan. 30. The celebration is similar to the Christian Christmas celebration in that people travel home to see their relatives during the holiday.

When Chen got on the airplane to go to China, he saw that a lot of people were wearing the masks. He was nervous because on the TV and in the newspaper, a lot of professional people warned that people should not go out.  After that, he realized that the situation was worse than everyone thought. Chen had planned to come back to the U.S. on Feb. 5 but flights to America were being canceled as of Feb. 2, so Chen left his home earlier than planned to return to America.

After Chen came back to America, he was told to be in quarantine for 14 days — the incubation period of the virus. Chen said he was healthy and that the move was unnecessary,  but he said that that was how people handled the virus.

Senior Kammy Chen (no relation to Jeremy Chen) also went back to China during the Spring Festival. Now, she said, the virus is almost under control in China. Almost every store, restaurant, and company is starting to become normal. The common point between China and America is students are staying home to take online courses. The difference is people are all wearing the masks in China during the pandemic, but in America, many people are not wearing masks. 

Another Carroll student who went back to China for Spring Festival is YiZhang Hu. She reported that her parents are already back to work now, while her young brother is still staying at home to take online courses. People are all staying at home, wearing masks, and realizing how serious it is in China; also the government shut down the city, Wuhan, where the virus erupted, quickly.