Letter from China (21-3): doctorjohn on Quarantine 2
So far I am impressed by the Level of Execution and the Hotel Service.
Level of Protection for Staff From my observation, there are several staff teams with well delineated duties. The front desk people (no operator) I don't see as they don't come up to the floors but they relate my requests well. The garbage collection and food delivery people wear protective clothing, masks and gogles. My desk lamp had no light; upon examination the bulb needed replacement. I was shocked when the staff rang my bell, in Full Metal Jacket (addition of Face Shield). He wanted to come in and do it in case it is more complicated but I made him wait as it was a simple job. I screwed on the bulb and told him it was OK for him to leave. The Level of Protection for Staff is much higher than in HK.
Personalization We have no choice aside from the set meals, but individual demands are met in case of special diet requirement. I normally almost never do take-out's and disdain eating out of pastic containers, but I have no choice here. I have been taught not to leave a single morsel on the plate (or bowl) but, though the food is generally OK, occasionally I'd be faced with something that I'd just have to pass. Service is OK. e.g. I asked for some soy sauce and hot sauce and they were duly delivered. Everyday they deliver 2 bottles of water, which is too much for me as throughout the morning I only drink hot coffee and tea. As I am a green person and know they throw away everything that has entered the room even if unconsumed, I requested no delivery until further notice (I still have 6 bottles).
Health and Safety Concerns The operator who handled the request reminded me that the condiments should not be kept long at room temperature to avoid food poisoning (actually that wouldn't happen for quite a while with these). Now I understand why they only allow 5 fast-food chains to deliver, for their higher (and uniform) standard of cleanliness for sure. As relatives and friends can drop off things at the front desk, I learned that there are restrictions. A quota on cigarettes but, listen to this, absolutely no alcohol allowed. I asked the hotel staff why and they told me it's by order of the Police Department. No doubt to prevent unruly behavior during isolation (this would never work in at least the US and Russia). Fortunately, I had with me two 1-liter bottles of Scotch which I am rationing. Also, I asked for a disposable shaver but that too is banned for its blade. Here security is taken as seriously as a prison! Is that going too far? Yes, I think so, but I don't blame the authorities for doing that. More, all cups, glasses, dishes etc have been stowed away and replaced with disposables. I am fully aware that the environmental cost of this pandemic is immense, but I'd still like at least a foam cup for my coffee and tea rather than the flimsy paper cup I am struggling with...
Helping Each Other The difficulties for seniors continue. The first night, I received a call from the front desk. The staff who go up to the floors have gone home; would I be willing to help my next door neighbor with his Wifi as he wanted to talk to his family in HK via wechat. This is understandable. This is more a short-term stay or love hotel (albeit a nice one) than a regular one, and the elderly are not the usual guests. To Log on the Wifi we are asked to scan a QR code which will ask you to register by sending a confirmation code to your cellphone, but that assumes you have a China number. I had the problem earlier myself as I didn't have a China number (not yet). I called the operator and they told me to use a proxy number and code. So the staff knew I knew how to do it. So I put on my mask and knocked on his door, and the problem was solved in no time. Two hours later, a knock on my door, there he was, my neighbor, barefoot but with mask on. He said he didn't know how to operate the TV Remote. This is undertsandable too. The modern remote is full of buttons and has small prints. The seniors just want to use 1 button to cycle through the channels. So I put on my mask and went to his room and helped him.
Damsel in Distress For the first 2 nights in a row, my next-door neighbor on the other side had the TV on pretty loud, so I complained after 10 or 11 pm. One day the problem was solved immediately after I made the complaint; the next day it didn't work so I knocked on the wall and she lowered the level. Two days later I had to make another complaint. The TV noise diminished but I heard her talking on the phone for a long time and sobbing. After that, I called back the front desk and had a chat with the staff. I was concerned about the sobbing and mentioned that I am a retired medic and she told me that the guest was a little stressed. and has been under psychological consultation. Here I'd like to tell you that on the day we checked in we received several calls from health-care professionals regarding our state of being. One from a regular doctor to inquire about chronic illness (which enables one to apply for partial exemption from the Quarantine - from 14 days to 7 days + 7 at home); the other to ask us whether we felt anxious. The staff mentioned they are thinking about transfering her to a new room. I felt bad about the lady and told the staff that for my part, in this case, I'd not complain again, to aide everyone. Afterall, I don't sleep that well anyway. Well, she's still there and no problem since that day! I applaud the staff for doing good work and showing genuine customer care, much superior to the hotel I stayed in HK.
A Stark Contrast Of course I watched a lot of TV to kill time. My stay coincides with a small outbreak in Shijiazhuang, Hubei Province and it's astonishing to watch how the city of 11 million people was locked down and how everyone gets tested in a few days. Yesterday was the second round of testing. This is for sure draconian measure but the people seem to take comfort in the response.
I do too. In terms of the virus, I feel a lot safer in HK and China, where the sense of civics is much stronger. Everyone I have talked to, fellow travelers or workers, emanates a sense of "we are in this together". In contrast, witness America (and elsewhere), where ugly politicians invoke National Security and try to shift attention from their dismal records on protecting the people to other countries, even apps. The greatest threat to America comes from within, not outside, and I am sorry for that. America is the laughing stock of the world, and I feel sorry about that. I am also very angry that health care workers have to bear brunt of the catastrophic failure of leadership.
Chinese New Year, the equivalence of Thanksgiving in America, is looming on the horizon. With the prospect of billions of people on the move (many migrant workers from the countryside returning home for the holidays), the government is already promoting staying put for the holidays and corporations are rolling out incentives for that. We shall see the efficacy of the calling. The Government, from the top to the local level, is united in its health response and has the complete support of the people, whereas the United States is obviously not so.
In Lockdown, the market comes to the community
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