ST. LOUIS, Missouri – A local mother and wife is back in St. Louis with her two young boys after fleeing China due to the coronavirus.
Erin Henderschedt and her husband have been in China for four years while their two other boys stayed in the US for college. She and her husband live just outside of Beijing with two of their children.
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The coronavirus, blamed for hundreds of deaths in China, was first contained to Wuhan, about 750 miles from where Erin’s family lives.
"When the virus first emerged in December, we knew about it. My husband said, ‘It's going to go from bad to worst quickly,” she said.
By mid-January, Henderschedt and her family were talking about evacuations.
"It was scary because we know the closeness of China. The people. There are so many people and it's so dense. Things can spread really quickly, " she said.
Even though the virus was originally contained to Wuhan, one or two cases eventually popped up in her community.
"It just kept getting scarier and scarier; and, finally, one day my husband said, ‘I think in a couple of days, they are going to authorize departures and I want the three of you on a plane," she said.
Earlier in December, her family had decided to stay in their home in China.
"It's really frightening. You feel like the world is kind of closing in on you because you can't go anywhere. You're afraid to have even your friends over because you don't know who's been out and about and who hasn't,” she said.
Once home, she self-quarantined her family in a hotel. Her parents are visiting with masks.
"Each day, as this blossomed or bloomed, it got scarier and scarier for us," said Henderschedt's father Rick Rovak.
Rovak said he has been completely up front with the hotel as to why they are wearing masks.
This is where Wuhan coronavirus cases have been confirmed worldwide
"I hate to make it corny, but it is the golden rule. I would want someone to tell me if they were in this situation. so, we told them and they were very appreciative," Rovak said.
Henderschedt also plans to self-quarantine for about 10 days to make sure no signs of the virus show up.
Henderschedt’s husband is still in China helping people evacuate.
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