Counsellor at the Chinese Embassy in Dominica, Mr. Luo Songtao, is advising that Dominican students in China should remain indoors, to avoid the risk of contracting the quickly-spreading Coronavirus.
Dominicans studying in China, specifically those in Wuhan (the epicentre of COVID – 19), wrote a letter last week, calling on authorities to provide them with supplies and start their evacuation process immediately.
But Songtao told Dominica News Online (DNO), “for now, it is best that the students remain indoors to avoid the risk of contracting the virus”.
He said students are receiving free supplies and meals, and further advised them to remain patient and positive during what he said is a “difficult time for both themselves and their country”.
Songtao also reminded the distraught students that they are not alone in the fight against the Coronavirus.
“There are about five thousand four hundred other foreign students in their same situation,” he said.
The students wrote that the entire situation was having a serious effect on their mental health, but Songato said four thousand psychology professionals who speak both English and Chinese are also providing counselling 24/7.
Out of the nine students in Wuhan, six are studying medicine and Counsellor Sontao encouraged them to use this time as an opportunity to learn.
He also advised parents to talk to their children daily and encourage them to remain positive to ease their anxiety.
“There is no need to panic but instead cooperate with the government adding that this challenging time will make them stronger in the future,” he said.
Meantime, Education Minister, Octavia Alfred, is also supporting claims that evacuation may not be the best decision.
She told the National Emergency Planning Organization (NEPO) meeting held last week Wednesday, that moving the students from China now, could be very risky as it may expose those who are healthy to the virus.
She did say, however, that movement is restricted.
“No outdoor activities, no sporting activities or games, no congregating. These rules apply on campuses and for the students who live in private apartments. The same exists all over while local authorities must follow the protocol established,” she said.
Alfred said online classes have started however, the lockdown order has created some anxiety for some of the studies.
“The situation is not the same for all students,” Alfred remarked. “There are those who are in high spirit. We do make efforts to ascertain the facts of the situation. The situation that may be the case for one student might not be the same for another student,” she said.
Some students are provided with supplies and meals on their campus, while others are given supplies and they do their own cooking.
“Some may have to purchase supplies and for this, the government has made funds available for our students. The students are generally grateful for the assistance received through the Ambassador. We are there to provide all reasonable support that they need,” she added.
The University provides free masks, sanitizers and other protective materials, according to the Education Minister.
She said while she understands that the students may be okay physically, “we know that they are anxious. We know that they are also communicating with each other through social media or otherwise,” Alfred stated.
Alfred said this is a time for families to encourage each other and to give moral support as well.
She also confirmed that the Universities have a special task force and various management teams that are providing psychosocial and psychological support to the students.
“Persons such as headmasters are in contact with students via telephone and emails daily. All Universities have to undertake a holistic approach to cover students in their overall framework and to advance epidemic control and the rigorous containment measures,” Alfred noted.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), as of Tuesday, March 10, there were 113,702 confirmed cases of the disease with 4012 deaths.
They do not only study there but they are being brainwashed there to be more susceptible to the chinese doctrine. They will be the trusted pillars of Skerrits future Dominica. All you others better start queuing up for a green card.
you cant just stay indoors. You must go outside. whether its to find food or pick something up. Granted that China is very technologically advanced and you dont need to, but its not human nature to just be indoors 24/7. you will go mad. Even prisoners are let out of their cells.
So Q95 was right … there is a letter from the students.
Them people take so long to inform people of what’s going on eh, no one knows what to believe
Admin: The letter is appended to a story which was published on DNO on the 4th of March. Here is the link: https://dominicanewsonline.com/news/homepage/news/dominican-students-in-china-express-their-concerns-in-an-open-letter/
The truth is, we have quite a few students in the US and the coronavirus is now in the US. Should it get worse in the US, we all would prefer them to stay in the US than come to Dominica even if Dominica has no coronavirus case. However, even if health Care is better in China the scary thing is China is a dictatoship and so too is Dominica. So you are never at peace because neither China not Skerrit can be trusted with information or anything because things are under cover………………….
Here is my question. If the students are to remain on lockdown and cannot go outside how did embassador get funds to them. If it was wired to their accounts then it did not have to go through embassador. Who is bringing them goods if they bought online? They apparently cannot go out use money themselves. Why is the Chinese embassador informing Dominicans on the condition of Dominica students? These folks are notorious for telling untruths. This sounds like the folks are in a prison. Tell Octavia go spend six months lock up at stock farm and she will know what its like. At stockfarm she will get fed daily and will not have any school work to do.
…..Mr. Luo Songtao, who is a Chinese national should seek to go back to China and allow our Dominican Students to come home. What he doing in Dominica?
So it’s alright for some of our students close to Skerrit to be brought down, alright for some Chinese Nationals to find their way to Dominica but for those of us that are not personal friends of Skerrit our children should stay in China? But I am not surprised at Mr. Luo Songtao because he was employed by the Chinese government to do what he is doing in Dominica. But we find ourselves in a situation where we elected Skerrit to work for us and in our best interest but sadly Skerrit is only working for China and their best interests and Dr. McIntyre is working for Skerrit to do what is in Skerrit’s best interest and so too are the other 17 greedy and corrupt ministers. No one cares about Dominica, Dominicans and what is in our best interests.
Welcome to Dominica’s 2 class society. It took all you that long to fathom that out. You did not know in December? It’s all your greed that will kill you!!!