For the MV Hondius passengers quarantined at Arrowe Park hospital on the Wirral, it is likely to be a period of some anxiety.
But there will be some consolations as they await the all-clear to return to their normal lives, says a veteran of the Covid-19 quarantine at the same site – such as jigsaws, gourmet ready-meals, and even a concierge service.
After being evacuated from the hantavirus-hit cruise ship in Tenerifeat the weekend, 20 British people, one German who lives in the UK, and one Japanese national are due to remain at the Merseyside hospital for 72 hours.
They will be monitored by doctors and then told whether they can isolate for up to 45 days at home or at another location, in what the hospital described as “a planned, controlled and carefully managed arrangement”.
The arrival of the passengers at the hospital, where they will be staying in a staff accommodation block away from the main hospital, was reminiscent of the early days of the Covid pandemic, when the building was last used as a quarantine facility.
None of the 22 passengers are showing symptoms of hantavirus, and hospital staff have said the illness “is not spread through everyday social contact, and there is no reason for local residents to be concerned”.
Matt Raw, 45, was evacuated from China to Arrowe Park in early 2020, along with about 80 other British citizens. They were moved to what he said “was basically the halls of residence for the students, who were moved out to make space for us”.
“There were three bedrooms per suite with a communal lounge and kitchen for each suite,” Raw said. “Whilst for us, this meant sharing a suite with another person, it wouldn’t surprise me if these people had a suite to themselves, given that there are only 20 or so people this time.”
He added: “The other big difference is that we had potentially been exposed to a new and unknown virus, whereas in this instance, it’s a known virus.”
Raw, who is originally from Cheshire and now lives in Wuhan, was evacuated from China alongside his mother, Hazel, and his Chinese wife, Ying, after the British government U-turned on a decision to only repatriate British citizens.
He said that “communicating with the outside world isn’t too difficult”, as they had access to television, the internet and social media at Arrowe Park.
“There was also a courtyard where we could go to get some fresh air,” he said. “For us, the circumstances were somewhat different, but some people were understandably very worried about what might happen, and others were quite happy to be in the best place possible should they become ill. Everyone handles these situations differently.”
Raw also said it was likely the 22 people would be able to socialise together while they stayed in Arrowe Park. He had even made lasting friendships from his own time in quarantine.
“The simple admin of daily life was pretty much enough to keep most people busy,” he said, “but there was no shortage of entertainment, games consoles for those who wanted them, and of course there was the large supply of games and jigsaws that had been donated by the lovely people of Wirral.”
Raw said they had eaten well while in isolation, as there was a “wonderful concierge service who ordered food and beverages from the supermarket”. They were able to cook their own meals, although they were also offered ready meals “which were of excellent quality” and hospital food.
“Given that the lady who shared the suite with us was mostly busy with her two-year-old daughter, I ended up taking on the role of the apartment cook,” Raw said. “We’re still in touch and visit each other when possible. Whilst it did become a little boring after two weeks, I personally was never short of anything to do.”
This time around, Raw said, the new residents at Arrowe Park may be more inclined to get some fresh air than when he had stayed there during a freezing cold January.
“There was a pool table in a common area and I think that many of us had decided that there wasn’t much point in not socialising given that if one of us was infected, then we were probably all infected, based on what we knew at the time,” he said. “The weather was frankly horrendous whilst we were there, so there wasn’t really much desire to go outside and socialise. The sun didn’t actually come out to play until the day that we were released!”
“Anyone who has done a reasonable amount of travelling or lived abroad will likely just treat it as one of life’s minor inconveniences and find plenty of ways to entertain themselves whilst they wait for the quarantine period to pass,” he added. “It’ll certainly be an experience to talk about when they arrive home.”
His one piece of advice for those undergoing a similar situation would be to “just pretend that you’re on holiday”.
“Keep busy and the time will pass quickly,” he said. “A positive attitude and mindset will make a big difference, and don’t dwell on the things over which you have no control.”
Raw was pictured in February 2020 leaving the facility with his fist raised in the air, after being told he had tested negative for coronavirus.
“I remember being quite ecstatic when I was told that not a single one of us had tested positive,” he said. “Let’s hope that all the people staying here this time are equally as lucky.”
