Here is an extended portion of the interview with Rochester native Rebecca Kanthor, who lives in Shanghai:
A Rochester native who now lives in China has had to alter her lifestyle somewhat due to the outbreak of the coronavirus.
The State Department recently issued a ‘do not travel’ advisory, warning Americans not to go to China because of the outbreak of coronavirus which started in that country.
But even before that warning was issued, Rebecca Kanthor and her family were isolating themselves inside their home in Shaghai. Kanthor is a freelance journalist, an East High school graduate who moved to China several years ago.
She and her husband actually passed through Wuhan recently, the city that has been the epicenter of the virus.
They were able to make it home to Shanghai, and are just staying home with their 2 kids for several days.
“I just decided that would probably make other people feel safer, because if they know that I went to Wuhan and it would make me feel safer, so I just decided that’s what we’re going to do; plus, really to be honest, everybody is staying in their homes right now. I’ve gone out for just a few minutes every day, just go out to stretch my legs a little bit, and there’s nobody on the streets,” Kanthor told WXXI News.
Kanthor said she hasn’t seen anyone panic because of the virus, but did see long lines at the pharmacy with people concerned about being able to buy face masks to protect themselves. Her parents, who are still in Rochester, were originally going to visit her this weekend, but had to change their plans due to the virus.
Kanthor says she and her family are feeling fine, and her kids are on winter break, so they’re enjoying the time at home.
Her parents were originally scheduled to visit this weekend, but her father, Hal Kanthor of Rochester said they had to cancel those plans when airlines started shutting down routes to China and the virus became more prevalent.
But he said that he and his wife are in regular contact with her daughter and their family.
“We actually use a Chinese app called WeChat, which you may have heard about. All of our family is on that app; all of our family is on that app, so we have four children and we’re all in constant communication with it,” Kanthor said.
The Kanthors hope to visit their daughter and her family later this year.
