NEWS BITS

QUARANTINE IN CHINA:

Flight NW029 from Tokyo to Beijing on May 8, 2009
to attend the 2nd Micronutrient Forum

The shocking news  that I spent 6 of my 8 days in Beiljing in quarantine spread far.

So why do I choose to put this down as an experience? It  is because I believe it will serve as useful information for thos e of us who travel to different countries.The invitation to proceed to China for the Micronutrient Forum came when I had already planned to go to the USA on private visit and so I had to work speedily to obtain a Chinese visa before travelling to the USA. This was not easy but I managed to get it in good time.

My scheduled departure for China was May 9, 2009 but this later chenaed to May 7, 2009 to enable me attend a pre-confrence meeting. This decision to go early would forever change everything.

I was going to be joined on this trip by my daughter Makeba who works for a Travel Agency which has offices in Beijing and so as we visited she was going to check on them too.

My flight from Los Angeles was unevenntful.We were warned  by the Conference organizers severally that there was no need for alarm going by assurances of the Chinese partners  in Beijing; there should be no problem, we were assured. Only those found exhibiting symptoms would be targetted. The last email, however,  advised that if one had even the common cold it might be a good idea to cancel the travel. I felt confident to travel, so did my daughter.On the airline we were told that upon arrival in Tokyo we would have to hand in a health form which we had been given to fill. This was just a simlpe form asking about symptoms suh as headache, fever, diarrhea, cough and so on. I remember thinking to my self “ these sound just like malaria symptoms”!

When we reached Tokyo, we were detained for about 40 minutes on the plane as a team of about 10 health personnel came on the plane to collect completed health forms and undertake random temperature checks.

Our flihgt was cleared and I proceeded through security check as a transit traveller only to be told that flight NW 029 from Tokyo to Beijing  would be delayed by 2 hours ; as it turned out we arrived in Beijing at 1am May 9 instead of before midnight.This late arrival meant that we had to find our own transport .I went and changed money and headed to find a limousine to town.This did take sometime but finally I was in the saloon car which took 30 minutes to get to the Hotel.

The following day I had a meeting to attend at a different  hotel while I took  abit of rest on Sunday May 10.I knew my daughter was on her way to join me in the night of Sunday May 10. However for some good turn of events, she sent me a message saying that her arrival time was 11am on Monday 11 May; by that time I would be at a meeting in a different hotel but then she knew I would leave a message for her at the desk.I went to bed  early as I needed to rest well for the next day’s presentation.As a mother though I was anxious about Makeba’s ariival.I woke up at 5 am , went to the toilet and as I was going back to bed to have a bit more sleep, I heard a knock on my door. I said:Yes...hoping they were mistaken and would go away.But that would not be the case.They knocked again and asked:Is this Dr Oniang’o? And I said YES. “Did you come in on NW029 on 8th May from Beijing?” and I answered in the affirmative by this time you can imagine what was going through my head!!”Sorry there was a case of H1N1 flu on your flight already confirmed and for your own safety you have to come with us”.

I was assured that this was to ensure  that I and those I got in contact with remained safe.I was of course more worried about my daughter Makeba than about myself and how I was being given one hour to get ready.” No, do not worry, your daughter wil be just fine”.Later when  I thought about it, I decided to stay positive since if my daughter had arrived earlier, for example found me in the room, she would have gone into quarantine with me. Again, initially we were to travel together; well, it was good we did not!!

SHOCK!!!

Upon arrival at the quarantine hotel, body temperarture was recorded even before I got out of the vehicle, an ambulance, using a no-contact thermometer, and soon after a throat swab taken.

The first real shock for me was that morning of May 11, five am when the medical team came to collect me from the hotel. I had been having a string of bad happenings in my life over the past 12 months; honestly I shut my eyes and said to myself:”am I dreaming?”. in fact I almost fainted.

The second shock was when I received a call from the Kenyan Ambassador in China, who said the Kenya Government had been requested to track me down to make sure I was safe; and soon after the Foreign Office in Kenya called asking me to give them assurance that I was well.My reaction was:waw, you mean my government is this efficient and this concerned?Was it because I am a former member of parliament or would they do this for any Kenyan?

The third shock was to actually learn what quarantine actually meant? Well, this was my first one and in China. I have no idea whether other countries do it the same way.We were in a hotel which clearly used to be 4 or 5 star, with round the clock medical personnel,  fans in the room as air conditioners are sealed off in case they spead the virus, broadband internet access and a cyberbusiness center where we went after wiping hands with antibacterial wipes One English Channel TV, no CNN or BBC; but the best thing I did was to carry my laptop and so I could get more news through the web.

The food menue kept improving on Day two when they realised the good number of Amercans  in our team, starting with french fries and ketchup. We were  even served orange fleshed sweet potatoes which  is a major item of research in some of the work I am associated with internationally.

By day 3, there were about 15 different dishes to choose from on the buffet  table in the morning, at lunchtime and for dinner.The food was good and served with a lot of care and pleasantries.There was no shortage of instant coffee and milk.

Face mask was a close ally as we had to wear it each time there was a knock on the door, and each time we stepped out. All these instructions were given to us in writing.No need to remind that the English of our hosts was fairly limited.That is why they made sure we received information in writing.

There were many medical masks which we could change as needed.The medical team came round twice  a day, between 10 and 11 am and 3 and 4pm to take temperature and look at the throat.

Food Service

One had to wear a mask, go to the dining hall for food which was served as take- away on disposable plates with disposable utensils and go to eat in one’s room.But as we went into day 3 and I guess  no one was detected with any serious symptom, there was a bit of relaxation and quarantinees were allowed to eat outside, but  so long they kept their masks on.Occasionally also some people were seen removing their masks , which in my view was not very wise !!

As day 3 was ending, information was sought from us as to when we w ere scheduled to leave China.There was a flicker of hope at that time. Upon asking when we might be released, the answer was very humbly given: “the quarantine madam lasts seven days!!”.By day four which was a Thursday , we  were completing a form about when we were scheduled to depart and also to confirm our full names so this information could be accurately put on our release certificates.For me this was a sign that our departure was being planned.Also by day 4, I had some idea of who else was here:two couples from Canada who had come for 3 weeks’ holiday, a group of 10 elders from the USA who were on a  on 10-day  holiday.Also by day 4, the food was superb:eggs cooked in different ways, pork ( remember we were being detained because of swine flu!!)  and even french toast and maple syrup  started to appear on the menu; emember I mentioned majority of the group were American!!

By day  fiveI was now getting gittery and anxious and started to feel the real effects of the solitary confinement.I knew  my colleagues at the conference were now beginning to go away, everything was now routine and extremely boring and even the appetite for the good food was lost!!This day was spent in making arrangements  to depart the following day. The Kenyan Embassy offered to pick up my daughter,  then pick  me up and head straight to the airport as our flight departure 855am.I was escorted out of confinement as as though I were a prisoner being  released;  it looked like what I have seen in TV movies; at the airport check- in counter is when I felt the first effects of confinement- misplacing things, and my daughter having to find them, and having a sense of fresh air as if I had been locked up in-doors throughout!! And then in a soft  tone the airline officer checking me in politely asked:Madam, you came in on May 8 on Flight 029 from Tokyo......”Oh, yes, let me show you my quarantine release form..” I quickly responded.The quiet tone was to,  I guess, avoid embarassment on both sides. On the Chinese side that was the end of he story; each quarantinee went their way. Some left China immediately like I did, others continued on their holiday trips while others still went their way to their business including adopting Chinese orphans, while the Chinese amongst us who had come to visit family proceeded that way.What an ordeal! My flowers and apple were to be taken to the Kenyan Embassy in China!!I clearly  I would have gone nuts if I did not have my laptop and internet access!!THANK GOD!! We were sent off in style with a bouquet of flowers and an apple nicely wrapped. My advice: tresaure every bit of freedom you have!

I dedicate this piece to all those who called me and sent messages of support while I was in quarantine for 6 days, and to my fellow quarantinees who showed humility and humor in a very trying situation.

By Ruth Oniang’o
Editor-in-Chief, AJFAND
PAC Member, HarvestPlus