A bittersweet first day in quarantine – but we're in good hands
Neighbors queue up in front of a temporary tent for their nucleic acid test.
Around 10pm on Wednesday, I learned that the building where I live would be placed under temporary lockdown, as one of the residents was found to be a close contact of a confirmed COVID-19 patient.
A local community worker of Daning Subdistrict in Jing'an District surnamed Huang came to take care of us. She immediately set up a WeChat group for all of us and would see to it that we could join hands and tide over the current difficulties together.
Although I knew from reports that the new round of COVID-19 outbreak in Shanghai had become sort of serious, I was still a little shocked when I was "locked down" at home for the first time since I moved to Shanghai from Beijing because of the massive "grid screening."
I married a Shanghai man in November 2020, and have settled down in the city since then.
Certainly, Shanghai's COVID-19 prevention and control policies have been scientific, effective and reassuring, but I could not stop feeling anxious when I had to be "locked at home."
I have a pet dog. That's the problem. The question of "how to walk the dog" haunted me all night, and I simply didn't sleep well. I got up early last morning and made myself a cup of tea, hoping to calm down a little.
As the lockdown notice came late at night, everyone joined the group and stayed quiet until 7:35am this morning. Then Huang the community worker informed us what to do during the quarantine.
We were told to stay at home from March 24 to March 26 and to undertake two swabs. If all the results are negative, the lockdown will be lifted. During the two days, we can order food and groceries online, which will be sent downstairs. The swabs will be taken outside the building.
Now, back to our pet. My husband called our property manager around 8:30am in the morning to ask if we could walk the dog inside the community.
"We can help you with your dog," said the manager.
A few minutes later, a staff member dressed in a white protective suit knocked at my door and took our pet dog for a walk. It was not until then that I breathed a sigh of relief. My anxiety went away.
When things happen to others, it always feels like it's a small thing, but when it happens to me, I feel that there are no small things in the world.
A staff member of the property company, named Xia Heping, helps to walk my dog.
Our nucleic acid test samples were taken around 11:30am. The neighborhood committee have all the processes well managed and finished everything quickly.
The COVID-19 pandemic, especially the Omicron variant, has presented a great challenge to the whole city. It's a new thing for everyone, from the policymakers to residents. But I think I have been put in good hands.
A community worker answers a question about receiving parcels during the lockdown period.
