CHENNAI: The now-dreaded coronavirus has created a great sense of alarm among people world over. A regular sneeze is suspected as a symptom and anyone coming from China is viewed with caution. In the midst of the ongoing medical mayhem is M Velam, a fifth year medical student of Tianjan Medical University and College, and a native of Vanagaram in Chennai.
She is back home and speaks to Express about her arduous experience before she left Tianjin province, more than 1000 km away from Wuhan. "Only a few people were seen on the streets, because of the coronavirus scare," says Velam.
"Only a few shops remained open and they had put up noticeboards that read ‘wear mask and come inside’. The management of the hostel used to check our temperature everyday and give one mask daily," she said. She added that almost all students had vacated the hostel, except a few Nepalese and Africans, along with two Indian students.
About availability of food and water, Velam said the hostel ensured food from the hostel kitchen as they didn’t want the students to step out. "We got strict instructions that unless we had special reasons, we should not step out. So, we didn’t dare to get out of the hostel even to buy masks," she says.
The ‘medical’ student in her wanted to stay on. But when day by day, open shops got fewer and water supply to the hostel got cut, her hope of staying on and sustaining on available sources, faded. And that was when her father booked tickets for her to return to India.
Velam said she was the lone passenger in one deck of Scoot airlines flight from Tianjin to Singapore. "I was alone. And the flight from Singapore to Chennai was fully packed as there were a lot of people coming to Chennai," she added.
As per protocol, Vellam was subjected to thorough screening at China, Singapore and also Chennai airport and made to sign a self-declaration form with questions whether she was from Wuhan, visited the sea food market, had cough, cold or fever, etc. After such a nerve-racking experience, Vellam sure is happy to be home.