Life getting back to normal for Samoan students in China

By Talaia Mika 18 June 2020, 1:00PM

Normalcy has returned for two Samoan students who are currently studying at universities in China as the country moves on from the coronavirus (COVID-19) global pandemic.

Anton Utufua Tofa, who currently studies at the Shanghai University and Mauri Tualaulelei, of Tianjin University, say they have returned to studies and have not encountered any difficulties after going through the lockdown.

In Shanghai, most businesses have reopened after the lockdown and it is business as usual, according to Mr. Tofa. 

“So far in my opinion, I haven’t encountered any problems while being on the lockdown nor does it have any effect on my well being,” he said in response to questions from the Samoa Observer. “I used most of my leisure time occupied with reading or catching up with any unfinished assignment that needed to be done just to avoid any physiological effect that it (pandemic) may affect me while we’re in lockdown.”

Mr. Tualaulelei, who is from Sinamoga, and is studying for a bachelor’s in business administration, said the cohort of Samoan students living in China have been taken care off well by the Chinese government who put in place measures to contain the virus.

“As far as I am aware of, all the Samoan students in China are healthy and safe from the virus," he said during a previous interview. "They are scattered throughout China and attending different universities. During the outbreak, all university students had to undergo different protocols given to them by the Chinese Government to ensure their safety during the crisis.

“In my university for example, our whole compound was locked down completely, people are not allowed to come in or go out without credentials or special permission.”

The Chinese government, in a white paper on a country’s battle against COVID-19 tilted "Fighting COVID-19: China in Action”, stated that over 94 per cent of COVID-19 patients were successfully treated in China.

As of the end of May, a cumulative total of 83,017 confirmed cases had been reported on the Chinese mainland with 78,307 infected cured and discharged from hospital, and 4,634 people dying from the virus. 

The Chinese government said the statistics showed that they had a cure rate of 94.3 per cent.

China is also assisting countries, who are currently in the midst of a COVID-19 public health crisis, by exporting protective materials to 200 countries and regions from March 1 to May 31 to help them fight the virus.

By Talaia Mika 18 June 2020, 1:00PM

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