Wang Pitsu was a first-time mother during the SARS outbreak of 2003. A working mother whose child attended kindergarten every day, she worried constantly about the risks. During this year’s Covid-19 epidemic, she’s been more concerned about the older members of her family because she’s heard that older people are more vulnerable to the disease. On the other hand, she says, “Taiwan has addressed the issue head on, and been proactive and optimistic. We are all being very careful, but there isn’t widespread pessimism.”
Life in Taiwan has remained pretty normal in the current pandemic. Wang still reads, writes, goes to the market, and guides market tours.
With the government urging us to minimize our contacts with other people, people have been going out less frequently to socialize and have meals. Eating at home has become the fashion, with some folks cooking their own food and others buying takeout. Vendors in traditional markets have told her that so many people are now cooking for themselves that there are lines to buy vegetables. “Having people making meals at home is helping Taiwan’s farming, fishing, and animal husbandry industries. It’s a great thing!
But cooking is time consuming. By the time you’ve bought, prepared, and cooked the food, and then washed the dishes, you’ve likely spent at least three hours on the task. With everyone making meals at home, Wang began thinking about how to apply her particular skill set to the problem. She realized that she knew many local producers, and started using local ingredients to make prepared meals. “It’s a way of encouraging people to eat at home, while also making the cooking process easier for them.”
“I’m being cautious in my approach to the Covid situation, but staying upbeat,” says Wang.
Wang is thinking about how to coexist with other fields through this tough period. “We’re already surviving. The next step is how to work together to keep living a normal life. That’s very important.”
