Life in China with a Virus, Part II

               Living in China during the novel coronavirus epidemic is an exercise in cognitive dissonance.  Just in case psychology 101 is too far in your distant past, cognitive dissonance is a psychological term that describes that uncomfortable feeling of holding two contradictory ideas in your mind at the same time.  On the one hand, I am getting frantic messages from family and friends at home who are informing me of this very dangerous disease and asking me to consider returning to the United States.  On the other hand, I am comforted by the behavior of my Chinese friends and acquaintances who are taking appropriate precautions to avoid infection and carrying on with life.  Let’s look at both sides of this story. I will start with the worries and the worriers.

            The novel coronavirus is a serious concern.  The World Health Organization (WHO) has called it a pandemic, a world wide epidemic.  As of today, February 4^th, the numbers of cases are still increasing.  Over 300 people have died in China.  National Public Radio reported that The Trump administration has put in place travel bans and a 14-day quarantine program for people returning from Hubei Province.  According to the NPR report this strict response is unlike any that has been seen in 50 years.  Furthermore, WHO says that there is no evidence that these kinds of bans reduce the spread of infections and may actually make things worse by forcing people to hide cases.

            Adding to the anxiety is the fact that China is a totalitarian state.  Many suggest that I can't believe what the government is telling me.   My WeChat app, China’s answer to Facebook, has a new feature called “health” where I get daily updates on the numbers of new infections, recoveries, deaths throughout the world as well as my province (Shaanxi) and city (Xi’an).  Is this information reliable?  Can I trust China?  Trump would certainly answer with a resounding “no”.

            Are you feeling anxious yet?

            On the other hand, the same NPR update report said that the novel coronavirus does not appear to be as virulent as the 2003 SARS virus.  Furthermore, it made the point that influenza is much more lethal, killing tens of thousands of people world wide yearly.  We don’t know the risk of serious illness and death from this virus for otherwise healthy people like me, but so far it seems much less serious than SARS.  When you compare the numbers on my WeChat health site (China's numbers) to the New York Times or NPR (US numbers), they are the same, suggesting that reporting is accurate.  In Shaanxi, our province, there have been no deaths due to the virus, and the infection rate is a low  142 in the province.  (Shaanxi province has 37.33 million people living in it!) 

             My daily experience in Xi’an has been a stark contrast to this world of worry.  My WeChat “moments” feed has been reassuring.  “Moments” are Facebook-like posts from your friends.  Since we are not going outside much, there is more time to skim through them and see what my WeChat friends are doing.  Mostly, they are going about their lives.  They are not frantic.  A few of my students complain of being bored, being forced to do house work and play Mahjong with their parents.  

Some posts from the more medically inclined  discuss how important it is to wash your hands and wear your face mask when you go out.  I note that the hand-washing bit is spot on, but the evidence that using surgical type face masks in public does much to prevent the spread of viruses is very limited.  I don’t think it causes any harm and it may help keep you from touching your face, so I am not opposed to it.  It also keeps your nose warm when the wind blows.

            

We live in “Jiaotong University’s Village 1”.  This is a gated community and it always which has security guards posted at the entrances.  During the epidemic, they have closed all but one of the gates.  We are free to come and go, but each time we enter, we must have our temperature checked.  The guard’s thermometer reminds me of a Star Trek pistol phaser. At first it was a little disconcerting when he points it at your forehead and he clicks it.  Luckily, each time he has gestured to me that I can come in; I don’t have a fever.  This seems like a reasonable and not terribly intrusive intervention.  It reassures me.

            Many of our favorite restaurants and stores are closed right now.  It may be in part because the Spring festival has been extended to February 8^th.  Nevertheless, there is still plenty of food, water, chocolate, wine the basic necessities of life. 

            I know that many criticize China for being opaque and not communicating clearly.  My experience is in stark contrast to this.  My Chinese colleagues and friends have been very helpful and open.  They have contacted me to make sure that I have plenty of food, water, and am feeling well.  They are genuinely concerned about me. 

One video that is circulating on WeChat is a very funny clip of a Chinese drones urging safety. Let's just say it is totalitarian humor.

            So, how do I balance these vastly different impressions of a serious problem.  I am washing my hands frequently, going out only when necessary, wearing my facemask as requested and hoping for the best.  It is worth revisiting the origin of the term cognitive dissonance and the work of the man, Leon Festinger, who described it.  In the 1950s he and his researchers joined a cult whose members thought that the world would end shortly in a giant flood.  When the cataclysmic flood didn’t materialize, members who were more lukewarm on the cult’s beliefs were able to accept that they were wrong and move on.  The staunchest members of the group did not believe what they were seeing and worked harder to get more members! (1)

            I hope that I can remain calm, rational, but not complacent.  I am working to balance these uncomfortable emotions.  Each day is a new chance to reconcile what I am seeing and feeling.  I am willing to adapt and adjust my behaviors given new evidence.

Given the circumstances,  I am doing well.  Finally, I want to reassure my readers that daily life here remains calm and comfortable.  

Reference:

Puskar, Michael “What Is Cognitive Dissonance? Psychology Treatments That Help” Updated December 04, 2019 Reviewer Whitney White, MS. CMHC, NCC., LPC, https://www.betterhelp.com/advice/counseling/what-is-cognitive-dissonance-psychology-treatments-that-help/ accessed 2/4/20