Editor’s note: Foreign friends living in China and abroad who are concerned about China are all fighting with us against the pneumonia caused by the novel coronavirus. As foreigners, how do they respond and fight against the epidemic? What are their true feelings about the epidemic situation and China's anti-coronavirus actions? From now on, Hainan International Media Center will launch the "Anti-epidemic • Diary of Foreigners" series, which will truly reflect the real-life of foreign friends living in Hainan during this special moments from their own perspectives.

I am Norbert Sporns. My life in Haikou since the coronavirus outbreak has been affected like everyone else. My approach has been to follow on my experience during the SARS epidemic in 2003, keeping hands clean, using alcohol gel disinfectant and limiting mixing in large groups of people.

Social contacts now for me are limited to grocery store outings and my daily two-hour walk. Measured on my telephone pedometer, I try and maintain 10,000 steps per day, about 2 hours of walking. Being on Haidian Island allows us the benefit of many well laid out walking paths through linear parks. Going on a long walk keeps me healthy. My strong immune system is my first line of defense in staying healthy.

I admire the dedication of grocery store and produce market employees in providing us essential access to safe healthy food. In addition, I must say that the distribution of well-maintained public toilets is a great addition to life here.

I miss contact with friends and teachers, since I am a Chinese language student. I try and continue my studies at home.

If I have one hope from this virus outbreak for the future, it is that we learn to be more careful in maintaining our health and respectful of the healthy needs of others. As a foreigner in Haikou, I applaud the great efforts made to provide sanitary walking facilities.

Source: Hainan International Media Center