WHILE talking about Shenzhen’s preventative measures against the COVID-19 epidemic, Mohamed A. A. Ahmed from Egypt said he felt very safe in China.

“Chinese are great,” Ahmed was quoted by Southern Metropolis Daily as saying.

Ahmed, who goes by HAMO on the short-form video platform TikTok, shared his isolation experience after arriving in Shenzhen from Dubai in March. The videos he made have received some24,000 likes so far on the platform.

It took Ahmed more than60 hours to finally arrive in Shenzhen in the middle of March.

Just like many other arrivals, Ahmed was required to have a nucleic acid test and to be isolated. Based on his home address, Ahmed was then taken to an isolation site in Luohu District.

“To be honest, I was very anxious at that time— seeing all workers wear thick protective clothes. I can’t even see their eyes. I really wanted to be reunited with my family in Shenzhen,” said Ahmed.

Many expats who returned to the city, especially those with different eating habits, also had their concerns about the preventative measures and isolation policy.

In order to resolve these problems, Luohu officials not only arranged interpreters to help communicate with expats but also dispatched English materials on anti-virus guidelines.

“I didn’t expect that I could have halal meals at the isolation hotel,” said Ahmed.

Ahmed said that he appreciated all the work done by the staff in Luohu and felt safe living in Luohu after his isolation ended.

Ahmed’s wife said that Ahmed had been introducing the government’s efforts in controlling the epidemic to his friends since the outbreak.

Ahmed said that he will continue shooting short videos to introduce Luohu’s fighting experience to more countries, according to the report.

Translation machines were also placed at all isolation hotels in10 subdistricts in Luohu District to help staff communicate with foreigners.

A Japanese man, called Chou Masahiro, said that he felt so warm when staff at his isolation hotel in Luohu patiently explained to him the use of the translation machine and asked about his needs.

“The staffer later used the machine to congratulate me when I was allowed to leave the isolation site. Although we speak different languages, we can still communicate,” said Masahiro.

“We respect foreigners’ religions and customs and we are glad to offer help to reduce their concerns,” said a staff member in Luohu District.

A man from India, called Rohit Saraf, told the reporter with the Daily that he felt a kind of love from home when he was being isolated in Luohu District. (Wang Jingli)