Stuck outside China? From quarantine hotel advice to visas and testing procedures, these WeChat groups are helping people stranded by coronavirus
- Groups such as Shanghai Arrivals, QuaranTeam and Americans Waiting Outside China provide information and assurance for people looking to return to the country
- Many were founded by people who went through the process themselves and wanted to help others
Lena Horlyk, who has called Beijing home for 12 years, is one of many returnees who have had to endure months of uncertainty, cancelled flights and separation from loved ones, friends or work while trying to get back into China during the coronavirus pandemic.
Horlyk was in her native Denmark when China closed its borders to all foreign citizens on March 28 last year. She immediately started looking for help online, but personal reasons and then a cancelled flight prevented her from returning to China until this year.
When we speak, Horlyk is on day 12 of her hotel quarantine in Shanghai (most returnees to Beijing have had to quarantine in other cities before travelling to the capital). She has rationed the treats she brought with her from home, enjoying a couple every afternoon. Books, work, knitting and yoga help her pass the time while woollen socks and electric candles provide for a homey atmosphere in her otherwise dull room.
Thanks to online help groups, “I got all the answers I needed about how to apply for re-entry [to China], the health code procedure, and especially what to bring to survive quarantine,” she says.
She was advised to bring cutlery, as most hotels provide only chopsticks, and one person suggested cleaning products and a cloth: “Remember, nobody will clean the room for two weeks”. Horlyk’s suitcase also contained a small Bluetooth speaker, for musical entertainment, and plenty of instant coffee.
When Richard Webb returned to China in March 2020, he was directed to two WeChat groups: Shanghai Arrivals and QuaranTeam. He has stayed active on social media to help others trying to return and says that a recurring topic in the QuaranTeam group is the concern over quarantine hotel room arrangements.
