Since the widely reported outbreak of the Novel Coronavirus in December 2019 I have been in regular communication with friends and colleagues in China, some of whom live within the vast Hubei province. I’ve also been watching the myriad of news reports and reading articles about the spread of the virus and the steps being taken both inside and outside of China to combat its progress.
The Chinese people are practising excellent quarantine protocols within Hubei and having seen some of the technology relating to gene sequencing and medical research, which I was proudly shown on previous visits there, I am convinced that a vaccination will be found within the not too far distant future.
I had three conferences to attend in China, due in late-March (one in Hubei province) and these have been postponed until the Chinese feel they can welcome their global tea visitors again with open arms. I was very encouraged by a letter from the Head of the National Chinese Chamber of Commerce who indicated that all of the Chinese tea people were all safe and sound, thus indicating that tea drinking clearly strengthens the immune system! I will let you draw your own conclusions to his statement…
I send the Chinese people all my very best wishes and wish them God speed for a swift decisive resolution to this well-reported outbreak.
