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Planes Return Hundreds of Americans From China’s Coronavirus Epicenter Planes Return Hundreds of Americans From China’s Coronavirus Epicenter
(about 2 hours later)
Daisy Roth shepherded her two small daughters, Abigail and Adalynn, through the hushed city of Wuhan, China, past airport checkpoints and United States Embassy workers in hazmat gear, and onto a hollowed-out plane with bare white walls and dark blue seats, 10 across.Daisy Roth shepherded her two small daughters, Abigail and Adalynn, through the hushed city of Wuhan, China, past airport checkpoints and United States Embassy workers in hazmat gear, and onto a hollowed-out plane with bare white walls and dark blue seats, 10 across.
Back home in Neenah, Wis., Ms. Roth’s husband, Sam, was glued to his screens, tracking the plane’s progress online for hours, anxious for the flight arranged by the State Department to leave China, where the coronavirus outbreak has killed hundreds, and land in United States.Back home in Neenah, Wis., Ms. Roth’s husband, Sam, was glued to his screens, tracking the plane’s progress online for hours, anxious for the flight arranged by the State Department to leave China, where the coronavirus outbreak has killed hundreds, and land in United States.
Hundreds of Americans who had been in Wuhan as the outbreak worsened and as ways to depart China grew rare were flown out on two government-arranged planes overnight on Tuesday, arriving in California before dawn on Wednesday. It was a second wave of American evacuations after an earlier flight arrived last week. Days in quarantine on military bases were expected as part of a strict and highly unusual protocol federal officials have put in place to slow the spread of the outbreak.Hundreds of Americans who had been in Wuhan as the outbreak worsened and as ways to depart China grew rare were flown out on two government-arranged planes overnight on Tuesday, arriving in California before dawn on Wednesday. It was a second wave of American evacuations after an earlier flight arrived last week. Days in quarantine on military bases were expected as part of a strict and highly unusual protocol federal officials have put in place to slow the spread of the outbreak.
But even some passengers on the flights seemed unsure exactly where their plane would land, where they would go next and how long they would be isolated from the outside world. In the hours before they departed China, speculation floated among the passengers, who posted rumors in the WeChat messaging app about the accommodations at military bases where they might be placed. Masks covering their noses and mouths — even for children — were ubiquitous.But even some passengers on the flights seemed unsure exactly where their plane would land, where they would go next and how long they would be isolated from the outside world. In the hours before they departed China, speculation floated among the passengers, who posted rumors in the WeChat messaging app about the accommodations at military bases where they might be placed. Masks covering their noses and mouths — even for children — were ubiquitous.
For Mr. Roth, who works for a paper-goods manufacturer in Neenah, the flight brought both anxieties and risks. Ms. Roth and the girls seemed healthy, already isolated in Wuhan for weeks to avoid exposure to the fast-spreading coronavirus, but the experience of traveling for what was supposed to be a happy family reunion with her parents had left Ms. Roth exhausted.For Mr. Roth, who works for a paper-goods manufacturer in Neenah, the flight brought both anxieties and risks. Ms. Roth and the girls seemed healthy, already isolated in Wuhan for weeks to avoid exposure to the fast-spreading coronavirus, but the experience of traveling for what was supposed to be a happy family reunion with her parents had left Ms. Roth exhausted.
And in some respects, a quarantine now was welcome: It would not go over well in Wisconsin if Ms. Roth and the girls had been allowed to arrive in their community, fresh off a flight from Wuhan, the sprawling epicenter of the outbreak, Mr. Roth said. In the United States, 11 cases of coronavirus have been identified as officials have raced to trace the contacts of those who are ill.And in some respects, a quarantine now was welcome: It would not go over well in Wisconsin if Ms. Roth and the girls had been allowed to arrive in their community, fresh off a flight from Wuhan, the sprawling epicenter of the outbreak, Mr. Roth said. In the United States, 11 cases of coronavirus have been identified as officials have raced to trace the contacts of those who are ill.
Updated Feb. 4, 2020 Updated Feb. 5, 2020
“To be honest, just because I don’t really want the backlash of people thinking that my family is bringing the disease here,” he said. “I’ve not faced any discrimination or negative comments directly, but reading the paper and just seeing certain xenophobic behaviors online, I can imagine that there are people around me thinking, ‘I don’t really want the coronavirus in my community.’ And I don’t blame them.”“To be honest, just because I don’t really want the backlash of people thinking that my family is bringing the disease here,” he said. “I’ve not faced any discrimination or negative comments directly, but reading the paper and just seeing certain xenophobic behaviors online, I can imagine that there are people around me thinking, ‘I don’t really want the coronavirus in my community.’ And I don’t blame them.”
Also on the evacuation flights that arrived on Wednesday were two sisters and a niece of Guanettee Colebrooke, a Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps instructor in suburban Washington. Ms. Colebrooke said she was prepared to welcome them to her home in Virginia whenever they might be allowed to leave quarantine.Also on the evacuation flights that arrived on Wednesday were two sisters and a niece of Guanettee Colebrooke, a Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps instructor in suburban Washington. Ms. Colebrooke said she was prepared to welcome them to her home in Virginia whenever they might be allowed to leave quarantine.
Her sisters, LaVana and Luanettee, were studying for advanced degrees in Wuhan, and had spent weeks holed up in their apartments in that city with bottled water and canned food.Her sisters, LaVana and Luanettee, were studying for advanced degrees in Wuhan, and had spent weeks holed up in their apartments in that city with bottled water and canned food.
“They feel so sad that there are so many people who are unable to be evacuated,” Ms. Colebrooke said. Her sisters made a simple calculation, she said: “They were like, ‘If we can get out of here, let’s get out.’”“They feel so sad that there are so many people who are unable to be evacuated,” Ms. Colebrooke said. Her sisters made a simple calculation, she said: “They were like, ‘If we can get out of here, let’s get out.’”
Ningxi Xu, a 30-year-old asset manager from New Jersey, said she was thrilled to be among the passengers permitted to fly out of Wuhan. She had tried to secure a seat on an earlier flight after getting stranded in Wuhan during a visit with family.Ningxi Xu, a 30-year-old asset manager from New Jersey, said she was thrilled to be among the passengers permitted to fly out of Wuhan. She had tried to secure a seat on an earlier flight after getting stranded in Wuhan during a visit with family.
“I spent a lot of time and effort to get myself on an evacuation flight back as soon as possible but it didn’t happen until now,” she wrote in an email as she waited to depart Wuhan.“I spent a lot of time and effort to get myself on an evacuation flight back as soon as possible but it didn’t happen until now,” she wrote in an email as she waited to depart Wuhan.
She said she was uncertain about what the days ahead — in quarantine — might hold.She said she was uncertain about what the days ahead — in quarantine — might hold.
“Do you know how the conditions at the Southern California quarantine site have been?” she asked. “Do you know or think they’d allow visitors while we’re in quarantine?”“Do you know how the conditions at the Southern California quarantine site have been?” she asked. “Do you know or think they’d allow visitors while we’re in quarantine?”
Four military bases in California, Colorado and Texas, have been identified as able to house people evacuated from China.Four military bases in California, Colorado and Texas, have been identified as able to house people evacuated from China.
Passengers from the evacuation flights were expected to be accommodated at Travis Air Force Base in Fairfield, Calif., and at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego.Passengers from the evacuation flights were expected to be accommodated at Travis Air Force Base in Fairfield, Calif., and at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego.
Ying Cheng, 61, who traveled to Wuhan from Dallas in January to visit her mother, was also on one of the evacuation flights, her daughter, Jiacheng Yu, said from Texas.Ying Cheng, 61, who traveled to Wuhan from Dallas in January to visit her mother, was also on one of the evacuation flights, her daughter, Jiacheng Yu, said from Texas.
“It’s a major first step,” said Ms. Yu, 31, who is a lawyer.“It’s a major first step,” said Ms. Yu, 31, who is a lawyer.