I have spent eight – despite all the anti-covid19 measures and limitations – beautiful and unforgettable months in Slovenia. After long, nerve-wracking and difficult bureaucratic procedures, on October 25, 2020, I was ready to go back to my second home, Shanghai. At that time, I could only be stop by a positive covid19 test result, which I had to take less than three days before the flight to Shanghai. The planned one-month visit to Ljubljana unexpectedly turned, as mentioned, into eight of them. However, I would not change all this time for nothing, as the question is, when, if at all, I will be able to spend so much time with my loved ones again. It sounds strange, but at this very moment – despite huge costs I had, because of it – I am more than glad, work visa, now almost a year ago, was rejected by bureaucrats for foreign affairs. This led to my arrival in Slovenia at the end of February 2020, just before the pandemic was officially declared in our small country, and let me spent all this wonderful time with family and friends. If it wasn’t so, it would be almost two years now, since last seeing them, as traveling is still almost impossible.
After a tiring and almost movie alike, more than two-day trip from Ljubljana, via Vienna (Austria), Helsinki (Finland) and all the way to the final destination, Shanghai – I was driven by a special (covid19) bus from Shanghai International Airport directly to quarantine, on October 26, 2020. Place of quarantine was a hotel resort in the Songjiang district, not far from a large amusement park. On the outside the resort looked like a castle from medieval times, of course a bad replica of it – but still, resort looks nice. Here I was accommodated in a room in which I spent the prescribed 14 days of quarantine without a way out. China, when we talk about covid19, does not leave anything to chance, and does not allow itself to make mistakes. So, I was not surprised by the fact that the interior of the room was very special and thoughtfully adapted to prevent the spread of infectious diseases. The window could only be opened by about 15 centimeters, the common ventilation was disabled and sealed. Instead of a ventilation system, there was individual, portable air conditioning unit in the room. After each use of the toilet, I was required to throw disinfectant tablets into the toilet bowl, so – in case I was infected – the virus would not spread through the feces. I won’t even mention all the side preventive measures: tests, temperature measurements, disinfections, etc., all done by highly professional, with ‘spacesuits’, masks and googles, well protected medical staff. This way, even for such an ‘unpredictable and invisible enemy’ as the covid19 virus is, is practically impossible to escape into the open space and (in covid19 case) find a new host to survive and spread further.
Too much has been written and said about the covid19 already, so I decided to do it differently this time. Some details from my quarantine room can already be seen in the gallery – but, to get more simple and vivid picture of quarantine I experinced, I will make a list of all the room inventory I was given to use in 14 days, and pictured it through the numbers and short facts. On 7th of November I was tested covid19 negative, on 9th of November, 2020 I was able to left the quarantine.
**Shanghai quarantine through the numbers and short facts**
TRIP >>>
– 1 nucleic test 3 days before the departure from Wien to Helsinki, 0n 25th of October, 2020 at 11:10am. Test was done in Kranj (Slovenia), 23th of October 2020 at 8:15am, cost of 120 EUR.
– 1 nucleic tests at Shanghai International Airport before driven to quarantine.
– Unknown number of body temperature measurements at the airport(s), with sensors at almost every bigger gate.
– Unknown number of disinfectant wipes and gels.
– 1 finger print registration.
QUARANTINE >>>
– 14 days.
– 400 RMB/day for accommodation (approx. 50 EUR).
– 100 RMB/day for meals (approx. 12 EUR).
– 120 RMB for 1 nucleic acid test 2 days before quarantine ended.
– 7120 RMB in total (approx. 900 EUR)
– 5 filed forms and QR codes (together with airport)
– 1 room in a resort.
– 32 Square meters of a living place.
– 2 beds.
– 42 meals (3 times a day: breakfast at 8am, lunch at 12pm, dinner at 5pm).
– In total 28 body temperature measurements (2 times a day, at 8am and 12pm).
– 24 water bottles (5,5dl) for free.
– 100 tablets for toilet water disinfection, after use.
– The window can only be open by 1/10, approx. 15 centimeters.
– 4 paper rolls.
– 2 packs of tissues.
– 1 pack with 50 pieces of 75% alcohol wipes.
– 7 of tooth kits.
– 60 pieces trash plastic bags.
– 1 shampoo.
– 1 shower gel.
– 3 small soaps.
– 2 big and 2 small towels.
– 5 sleepers (1 use).
