REPORTING. In China, five years after the appearance of Covid-19, residents of Wuhan remain resentful towards the authorities

Five years ago, on January 11, 2020, China announced in the city of Wuhan the first death from what was at the time still an unknown and mysterious virus. This fifth anniversary of the appearance of Covid-19 has gone silent in China. There is no commemoration but the 13 million inhabitants of Wuhan have not forgotten these terrible moments, with the sudden closure of the city and the numerous victims.

The Huanan market and its live wild animals never reopened. For five years, residents of the neighborhood have gotten into the habit of passing by the side of the road in front of large blue fences that prevent people from going inside. The market is still abandoned, proof that life before is struggling to return to Huanan. “It’s a shame that such a large market is abandoned, we are in the city centerdeplores a resident. It could be opened in a different way such as a business center.”

“The population suffered. I don’t want to remember, it’s no use. Before the epidemic, I didn’t know that it was dangerous to sell wild animals. How could people know that?”

a resident of Wuhan

at franceinfo

Life has returned to normal, but not the Wuhan economy. Business has not been good since the epidemic, tells us this young trader who had to close his business for lack of customers. “The epidemic is like an earthquake for China. It will affect our country for the next 10 years or even more, especially the economy. I am very pessimistic and I don’t think it is possible to recover from such an impact in a short period of time”he fears.

Those who lost their loved ones at the very beginning of the epidemic in Wuhan remain the most affected and the speech is sometimes very bitter. This is the case of Wendy, this young mother aged around forty, arranged to meet us in a café out of sight to talk to us about the death of her husband as a result of Covid. It is not easy in China to speak out on a subject that everyone knows is sensitive. Wendy and her family have already faced pressure from the police.

She tells us that at the time, in February 2020, health services were overwhelmed in Wuhan. There is no more room in hospitals. Her husband ends up dying due to lack of care. Five years later, Wendy is still trying to understand what happened. She accuses the Wuhan authorities of not having protected the population enough.

“Of course there is angershe explains. The government does not treat people as human beings, all it does is maintain so-called stability, that is, maintain its power, nothing else matters. After the city shut down, I told myself that for them, it doesn’t matter if all of Wuhan dies, as long as they are in power. If the system doesn’t change, I think this kind of tragedy will happen again.”

This taxi driver also saw his life turned upside down after losing his 66-year-old mother, one of the very first victims of Covid in Wuhan. On the verge of tears, the man explains to us that he carried his mother on the back of a man to try to find her a place in a hospital. Today, there remains a mixture of sadness and anger. “For 5 years, every time I talk about these things to my friends, I suffer a lot. It is always difficult to live this sad life. We, the people, have no dignity and no rights against the government. I’m angry!”

“If the government had warned us earlier to take precautions, we would not have ended up with the city being closed. I think the result would not have been as tragic, but they denied the rumors about the arrival of the disease. We are the victims. My friend helped me write a complaint, but which court will accept it?

a taxi driver who lost his mother during Covid

at franceinfo

Five years later, the Chinese authorities continue to closely monitor those who criticize the management of Covid in Wuhan. Some preferred to leave China. The taxi driver stayed. After the outbreak, a camera was installed outside the door of her house. He knows that his telephone communications are being monitored. As for Wendy, the young mother who lost her husband, she continues to ask for compensation and above all an apology from the authorities, but without much hope.