Last week footage from Chinese hospitals, eerily similar to those seen in Wuhan in late 2019, started making its way into the mainstream media.
Overflowing waiting areas, unconfirmed reports of a death toll, even crematoriums which “smoked for days”, because of the emergence of a “mystery virus” identified as HMPV. This respiratory illness was even reported in the UK, after a “spike over Christmas”. Despite health experts playing it down as nothing but a seasonal illness situation, I thought I’d play it safe and embarked upon a three-day lockdown.
Gathering toilet roll, paracetamol and a DVD box set of The Crown, I headed for what seemed like the safest possible place – my house.
This is how it went...
My 2025 edition of lockdown started by settling into a regular routine. I began my day with a Joe Wicks workout, before a stint trying – and failing – to make bread, while I feverishly checked the news for updates.
To my relief, any fear surrounding what started as quite a scary re-enactment in China of those first frantic days of the COVID-19 pandemic fizzled out quickly. According to the WHO, the health agency was “in contact with Chinese health officials and has not received any reports of unusual outbreak patterns”.
“Contained”, and “nothing out of the ordinary” seemed to be the reassuring lines used by most major news publications, despite Wuhan announcing it was shutting several schools to try and curb HMPV’s spread.
Regardless, I was in this for the long (well, three day) haul now. I’d already purchased a temporary subscription to Netflix in order to binge the new season of Squid Game.
On day two I headed out on my self-sanctioned one walk for those 24 hours. It was a beautiful morning, and I looked forward to my home dance class with Sophie Ellis-Bextor later that day.
Meanwhile, HMPV continued to feature on the news agenda, but most people in the UK still seemed completely unaware of it. In fact, every time I mentioned it I was met by the same response. “I thought HMPV was an STI,” said one family member. I was met with similar confusion when I turned down social plans for later that day.
“Oh you’re doing one of your weird work things again,” said my flatmate, after I looked disapprovingly on their evening schedule of pubbing. “I’ll be at home,” I said smugly. “With Sophie. Just make sure you wash your hands.”
It was announced later that day Chinese New Year celebrations might lead to a “rise” in hospitalisations in China, with social media still awash with kids being treated for the illness.
The day ended by trying – unsuccessfully – to cajole my flatmates into taking part in a Zoom quiz from separate rooms. Both made unremarkable excuses and turned down the offer, but in all honesty I was pleased because I could return to Squid Game to see out the night.
My final day of lockdown. At this stage, it was getting relatively tedious. What had started as a blissful break from the norm had quickly got old, and I yearned for the heady days of earlier that week when I could socialise without guilt.
Searching for some expert guidance, I felt my heart sing when I read the “spike” in cases is actually to be expected for this time of the year.
“HMPV is a common respiratory infection in winter, and we typically see activity reaching a peak at this time of year,” said Dr Conall Watson, a consultant epidemiologist for the UKHSA.
“Our surveillance systems in GP surgeries and hospitals indicate that levels are in line with what we would expect to see.”
For now at least, I was confident about returning back to my everyday life. Closing my laptop on Tiger King, I opened my curtains and smiled at my neighbours, who still wouldn’t look at me after my pot-and-pan bashing from yesterday. "It's over guys!" I said – and I was glad it was.
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