40th quarantine day in Shanghai and “even the sidewalk has been disinfected” –

“40th day in corona quarantine. Every day is the same. People in my building have corona. They took the bus today. Even the sidewalk they were standing on minutes later was disinfected. I don’t know when I can go out again. I try to stay positive.

The Dutchman Niels Taal has lived in Shanghai for ten years. Like millions of others, she is not allowed to go outside because of the corona quarantine. The situation in many parts of the city is dire. The NOS spoke to the two Dutchmen about strict rules.

Language blocked longer than others. On March 11, someone close to him tested positive and everyone had to quarantine for 14 days. “I wanted to buy food and the downstairs door was suddenly locked. We weren’t allowed to go out without saying anything. Luckily I was still able to order food as the rest of Shanghai was still open. That changed later.”

The question every day is how Taal gets its food. During the second week of the curfew, residents bought things like rice, but after that it was improvised. “I acted first. I’m not very good at cooking so I swapped the oil and rice for instant noodles. Every day I check apps to see if someone can order in bulk.”

Taal still had to eat every day. “But a few times I was almost at the end of my supply. Later an acquaintance asked his assistant (who has a special pass) to bring me food. At least now I have something in my freezer.”

Residents are advised to have a corona test every two days. “So we are all close to each other. I wouldn’t be surprised if it affects people at the time. If your test result is positive, you will be taken to the quarantine center. The people here are no more. they are afraid of the virus, but they are afraid of this Center.”

Video of a shelter:

Harry den Hartog, an urban planner who has lived in Shanghai for more than a decade and a researcher at Tongji University, has also heard stories about quarantine centers. He says they are not all the same. “My students were taken to another city. Hotels have their own rooms there. They’re fine there, but I’ve also heard stories of lack of privacy and poor hygiene.

Den Hartog lives in a community with 25 other households. No corona infection has yet been detected in his neighborhood, so the rules are slightly less strict. “I can go out into the street, but not too far. There are not many people on the street, only people in corona suits. It creates a strange atmosphere.”

Although Den Hartog and his partner are doing quite well, there is a constant threat. “You are afraid to have to go to such a center.”

Yet he remains hopeful. He thinks the situation will soon return to what it was earlier this year. “It wasn’t good then — if there was an infection, an entire community, a mall or a university would still be locked in with people in it — but that gives it a little more oxygen.”

According to Taal, many Chinese do everything for the country. “But people are now very disappointed with this approach. It is no longer possible to explain why this was chosen.”

Especially his comeback was difficult for Den Hartog to understand. “In those two years we lived here relatively normally. People thought: corona will not come here. Then, when things get better in the rest of the world, it comes here. It is still difficult to understand this sudden change.”