A year on from leaving Wuhanone coronavirus evacuee says he has been “robbed” of his life in China.
Matt Raw, 39, who lives in Knutsford, Cheshire, was part of the first group to be flown from Wuhan to the UK,.
He ended up at Wirral’s Arrowe Park Hospital for a two-week quarantine period starting last January.
Mr Raw lives with his wife Ying, 38, and his mother Hazel, 76, who he cares for full-time.
Reflecting on the last 12 months, Mr Raw said he had been “robbed” not only of a whole year of his life but of a life in China also.
Mr Raw added: “With each day that passes the chances of actually being able to go back diminishes. We have no other option than to stay here in England.”
The circumstances of his departure from Wuhan were chaotic as he was given five minutes to pack his suitcase and get to the airport.
Find out how many Covid-19 cases there are in your area by adding your postcode below
On the flight itself only hand luggage was allowed meaning, as well as his house and car, he left most of his belongings in China.
Mr Raw added: “I fell in love with China and the Chinese people and their culture. It’s an absolutely wonderful place. To me China is home just as much as Knutsford is.”
In the year since returning to the UK, Mr Raw said he has only had three things to put in the diary, entering quarantine, leaving quarantine and his birthday.
Although fond of China, Mr Raw is not unappreciative of his life in England.
He added: “It is a pleasure to be in England where I can chat to neighbours over the garden fence.
“Obviously there are so many things we can’t do at the moment, but we have a lovely view over the Cheshire Plain looking towards Wirral and Liverpool.
“We are very much the luckiest people in the room here. We’ve not been bankrupted or lost livelihoods and businesses.
“Ultimately if you have a roof over your head and food on the table, everything else is largely immaterial.”
But given his fondness for China and the appalling way he feels the UK government has dealt with the pandemic, Mr Raw said he is considering going back to Wuhan whenever possible despite the difficulties involved.
Compared to his experience of China’s handling of the virus, Mr Raw said our government has done “far too little, far too late”.
He said: “I’ve got no idea what the rules are anymore, so I basically just stay at home.”
On his future plans, Mr Raw said: “My mum’s already received the first dose. When we are both vaccinated, on the assumption that it is safe for my mum to travel and the quarantine measures in China are suitable, we will be going straight over.
“We have got every confidence in the ability of China to deal with this pandemic. If there is any mathematical way I could measure my confidence in the UK government's handling of the virus it is less than zero.”
