AWOL Magazine
WUHAN: RETURNING TO NORMALCY University Students in Wuhan, Where the Coronavirus Outbreak Began, Returned to School Amidst the Pandemic
Written by Ziyi Yuan Art by Ziyi Yuan
Students in Wuhan, China, returned to universities in September as the number of people infected with COVID-19 increased worldwide and many schools remained closed in the United States. The vice governor of Hubei province, Yang Yunyan, delivered a message to the public in June saying “there is no need to wear masks in Wuhan while maintaining a social distance if people are outdoors and in open areas, such as parks.” But the Hubei government and scientists still suggested that Wuhan citizens should get into the habit of wearing masks and carrying masks everywhere.
WUH
Hansheng Li, a freshman majoring in clinical medicine at Wuhan University, has been doing his homework in his room and sharing the small space with his 10 roommates on campus. According to Li, Wuhan University does not require students to wear masks or to socially distance in public places. Students are also not required to ensure their rooms are clean and disinfected, even though the school
According to the Johns Hopkins The medical class in a laboratory at Wuhan University. (Photo by Coronavirus Hansheng Li) Resource Center, there were around has nearly 54,000 students and 3,600 91,900 cases confirmed in China in academic staff. November, nearly 68,200 of which were in Hubei Province. “We normally have 50 to 100 students in one class. Students rarely In April, the total number of wear masks and professors don’t wear confirmed COVID-19 cases in masks during classes,” Li said. Wuhan was approximately 50,400, according to the data from China Despite many people not wearing Global Television Network. After masks, Li said there have been no the Wuhan government tested its infections at the university. entire 11 million person population for COVID-19 in May, there were 300 asymptomatic and no new COVID-19 sufferers. 14
