Brian Hall’s Sanya Lockdown Saga
When the clock struck June in Shanghai, Brian Hall, a public‑health professor fresh from a decade of duty at New York University Shanghai, thought he could dodge the next lockdown. He packed his bags and headed for the sun‑kissed resorts of Hainan, hoping the island’s tropical vibes would let him work remotely. Spoiler: the tides of control are much murkier than the sea.
Stuck in a Sealed Hotel
- The hotel where the professor now sleeps is shut tighter than a drum.
- Guests can’t leave their rooms unless the city gives the green light—an exemption that’s as rare as a solar eclipse.
- Hall’s rent, food, water, and his sanity are all contested by a sudden, harsh new rule‑book.
The Toll of the “Dynamic Covid‑Zero” Policy
Hainan once bragged about recording just two symptomatic cases last year. Fast forward to August—over 1,800 local infections have flooded the island. In line with China’s “dynamic Covid‑zero” ambition, authorities have closed millions of doors, barricading residents and tourists alike. The only way out? A valid Covid test, a grocery run, or some essential job. Anything else? Sorry, the gatekeeper says, “Not today.”
3,000+ Tourists Left Hanger‑Bird
- About 178,000 tourists were stranded in Hainan.
- 57,000 of them found themselves trapped in Sanya’s storied resort scene.
Remembering Shanghai’s Lockdown
Hall’s mind is a worry‑laden carousel—denial, disbelief, anger, sadness, and a touch of hopelessness swirling together. “It’s the memories of Shanghai’s two‑month lockdown that echo,” he wrote. “The future feels like a storm of uncertainty.” He admits that the current stay feels more like a sequel to a bad ending than an escape.
Taking Life One Day at a Time
Hall’s mantra? Stay flexible. He’s clinging to a simple truth—“We have to be adaptable if we want to stay and succeed here.” While his day‑to‑day existence can feel like a Ikea puzzle with missing pieces, the professor keeps his sense of humor sharp: “If you can’t get out, at least you can laugh—preferably at the absurdity of a lockdown that feels like a bad dream, but still a dream you can shake off and turn into a story for future interviews.”
Still Searching for a Day to Start ✔
The very viral news spread through tiny fingers of a Shanghai‑bound email thread. The width of the door to a normal life feels like a mirage in the middle of the desert. But you can’t give up—there’s still a chance to laugh, to finish the research, and to finally make it out of the locked hotel. And who knows—perhaps another lockdown could be a story we call “The Time-Traveling Expat’s Luggage.”
