They lived in Hong Kong along with so many other foreigners for two-and-a-half years. One ordinary family from France, here because of the father’s work.
When the Covid-19 coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) started spreading in China and Hong Kong, and after the schools closed, they decided to split the family on February 1: the father remained here working, while the mother went to France with their three very young children: six- and three-years-old, and 18-months-old, along with their helper.
They stayed in the family house in the countryside and the mother was able to keep working as usual from home for her France- based company. The kids started to go to school there and enjoyed the company of their grandparents.
The painful separation lasted until March 18. After the schools in France started to close because of the arrival of the Covid-19 virus, the family reunited in Hong Kong. They travelled by train and then by plane with masks, gel and antibacterial wipes, but during the flight, the mother noticed that a sick lady sat just behind her in the aircraft.
After their return, they started a strict 14-day self-quarantine at home, but unfortunately, four days after the mother started showing symptoms: a big cold first, then she lost her sense of smell and started experiencing shortness of breath. However since she had no fever whatsoever, she thought it was not the Covid-19 virus, since fever is supposed to be a symptom.
However, on Sunday, March 29, she collapsed with respiratory distress and asked her husband to call an ambulance.
She was hospitalised and diagnosed with bi-lateral pneumonia, and the test for Covid-19 confirmed she was infected. Her doctor informed her that since she already had pneumonia, the virus could evolve either way at this stage: take a turn for the best, or for the worst.
A few days later, given the regulations concerning close-contacts of infected people, her husband, children and nanny were quarantined in a government quarantine centre, locked in a small and dusty flat, and forbidden to go outside.
This was a challenging situation for the whole family. The mother’s health improved thanks to treatment with drugs and oxygen therapy and her anxiety diminished. However, not receiving Holy Communion was very hard to bear.
So many people had been praying for her and for the family, in Hong Kong, in France and in other places in the world, and a few Masses were offered for them. A real chain of spiritual support.
After being separated from his family for seven weeks, the father was now separated with his wife, taking care of their children in a very small, confined flat, while still having to work remotely as well.
Both spouses are very deeply involved in the faith life of the Church and the lack of community’s life has been a real source of suffering. They have been trying to compensate it through daily prayers nourished by the daily gospel readings.
On Sunday, April 5, they participated in the online video streaming of the Palm Sunday liturgy, separated by the pandemic, but technically united by the Internet, in real spiritual communion with the French-speaking community.
They were separated by the necessity of quarantine but united by a desire to be a part of the community as much as possible and thus taking part in the mission of the Church, which is to be together through the Holy Spirit as children of God for his glory and the salvation of the world.
Now the situation is much improved: even though they had been quarantined together and shared family life for eight days before the mother was sent to the hospital, none of the other members of the family caught the virus.
She and her husband are convinced that the Lord heard their prayers. She is now waiting to be confirmed 100 per cent negative (free of the virus) before reuniting with her family, hopefully within a week or two.
• Father Rémy Kurowski
