Caught in the epicenter
May 5, 2020
Qian Li ’12 was vacationing in China when news of the novel coronavirus started to circulate. Hired onto a documentary team, she departed for Wuhan, the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic, on Feb. 5. Li and the team covered several stories, including the production and processing of COVID-19 tests and the disposal of medical waste.
After testing negative for the virus three times, Li was able to leave Wuhan on April 8, as the city opened after 76 days of lockdown. She said her UAF journalism degree prepared her well for this project, and she named Brian O’Donoghue, Rob Prince and Theresa Bakker as mentors.
One of Wuhan's streets is empty at twilight during the lockdown.
Photo by Qian Li.
Qian Li holds a sample in a vial. Her production team was tested for COVID-19 periodically while covering the pandemic in Wuhan.
Photo by Qian Li.
Qian Li's goggles become foggy while working.
Photo courtesy of Qian Li.
Qian Li wears personal protective equipment while working in Wuhan, China.
Photo courtesy of Qian Li.
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