Writing: Informal letter (Letter of advice)

Newspaper reading (extracted from SCMP—young post)

Coronavirus: I am a 14-year-old girl in a Hong Kong government quarantine center,

all by myself

Millie Flo is in isolation alone after both her parents contracted Covid-19.
Her father was diagnosed first, and her mother tested positive while they were
quarantined.
By Millie Flo | 9:04am, 7 Apr, 2020

Millie's room at Cheung Yeung Estate in Fo Tan.

My mum waved goodbye to me, tears in our eyes, as she walked down the corridor
of Chun Yeung Estate, a government quarantine facility in Fo Tan, and was taken to
the hospital.

I sat on my bed, and it dawned on me that I would be alone for the next 14 days. It
felt like my body was being squeezed. Unable to catch my breath, I did the first thing
I could think of - I whipped out my phone, phoned my best friend, and told
her everything that had happened.
My dad was in the hospital after contracting Covid-19, and my mum and I had been
moved to Chun Yeung Estate as we are considered "close contacts" of my dad. We
were meant to stay there for the next 14 days, which is the incubation period of the
virus.

After a few days, my mum developed symptoms, and we got the result that she was
positive too. I was swiftly moved to a smaller, more sterile room, while my mum
was whisked away to the hospital. All of these events took place within the span of
36 hours.

There are a number of different words I could use to describe how I was feeling, but
there is one that stands out the most: panic.

After lots of talking, I managed to calm down, but the reality of what was happening
was still fresh in my mind. I talked to both of my parents, and I began to feel my heart
rate slow down. I realised that it was going to be ok. We could, and we would, get
through this together as a family.

I woke up the next morning with a fresh mind and strangely positive attitude, ready
for my second last day of online school. It was then that I decided I needed some
form of structure in my day. I made my bed (usually my mum and I argue about how
she thinks it needs to be made in order to have a productive day, but I couldn’t really
care less about what state my room is in), I tidied my room, sorting my clothes into
different piles, and I sat down, ready for lesson one of the day.

My days are relatively the same. I still wake up to the noise of my doorbell ringing
with breakfast every day, as well as the temperature check we have to do twice a
day. But now that I am on my own, I receive more calls from the staff at the facility,
and the department of health.

They ask me how I feel, not just physically but mentally. They even offered for a
social worker to come and talk to me if I needed. I then realised that the staff at the
facility are here to look out for my well-being too.

I had some medical issues earlier in the year, and my mum had asked the staff to
keep an eye on me. I was asked to go down to the nurse’s station, where they talked
with me about what to do in case something went wrong, and offered me help and
support if I needed it.
Despite the comfort of knowing that the staff are here to help, there is still an element
of fear. I still keep my doors locked, and at night time they are double bolted. It’s
nothing to worry about though, because after all, fear is natural.

One thing that is essential for being in here on your own is a good network of friends
and family for you to rely on. I told my friends that we could FaceTime for company,
and I speak with them if I got lonely.

I understand that although social media can be bad in some ways, it is a massive
help when it comes to keeping in touch with others. Luckily, the WiFi here is better
than I have at home, so I’m FaceTiming with my friends and family around the clock.

Although I am only on day five of my restarted quarantine, I have learned that despite
the fear in every situation, there is always something good to come out of it, and
facing things with a positive mental attitude helps greatly.

With a balance of a good support system and a good mental attitude, I will get
through this, without a doubt.

Question:
You are Chris. Your friend, Millie, was panicked about the isolation in the quarantine
center alone and worried about her parents’ condition. Write a letter of advice to her,
suggesting what can she do in these 14 days and offer her support.

Essay appreciation:

Dear Millie,

I’m sorry to know that your mum and dad have been diagnosed (=contracted/
confirmed) with COVID-19. You must be very worried and nervous during these days
of quarantine, especially all by yourself. It’s alright to feel panicked and frightened in
this coronavirus outbreak. Let me share with you some advice and tips, and let’s fight
the virus together!

To begin with, isolating in the quarantine center must be a very boring experience.
Apart from attending the online classes from school, you can also chat with your
friends (including me)! I’m sure we’re very willing to chat with you. With the
technological advancement, we can connect with each other using our fingertips.
With Skype, Facetime or Zoom, you can call us and share your situation with us
anytime and anywhere. Always remember: you’re not alone! We’ll all support you and
stand beside you!

Furthermore, it’s important to keep yourself fit and healthy. You ought to do exercise
even you are staying in the quarantine center. I suggest you do some mind-body
exercise, for example, yoga and qigong. This definitely helps you feel relaxed and
calm your mind. Through a series of stretching and breathing movements, I’m sure
you’ll feel refreshed and recharged, both mentally and physically. I also become a
big yoga fans in these days of social distancing. We can’t go out to find our friends or
do gym. It’s the best way to keep ourselves healthy by doing yoga indoor.

I know you must be very worried about your parents’ condition. It’s quite scary and
helpless to witness them from contracting with COVID-19, right? Yet, keeping a
positive attitude is very essential in this period of time. Be positive! Don’t worry too
much. Your parents will receive good care from the medical staff members and I’m
sure they will recover from it very soon.

‘Every cloud has a silver lining.’ I’m sure that you can overcome these 14-days
quarantine. Don’t worry! I hope my suggestions are helpful. If you feel bored or have
any questions, you can write to me again. I’ll fully support you. Write soon!

Regards,
Chris

NOTES—Format and organization: