Ioannis Mersinias: Greek man evacuated from Wuhan speaks to SBS

Personal testimony: Ioannis Mersinias went on a business trip to China and suddenly found himself at the center of the COVID-19 fatal epidemic in Wuhan. He lived for three weeks in a hotel quarantine waiting for instructions from the Greek diplomatic authorities. By special flight chartered by the European Union helped him return to Greece. Through the quarantine in "Sotiria" hospital, he spoke about his experience at SBS Greek radio program.

From 2012 until today, Ioannis Mersinias has been visiting China for business. In January 2020, however, he did not expect the outbreak of the COVID-19 coronavirus epidemic to trap him there for three weeks. Every day he was getting his temperature taken regularly. Every day he did not know when and how he would be able to return to Greece. He lived in a desert-like city from the fear of the new, unknown virus and the extraordinary measures to restrict movement of citizens.

Source: Supplied

With no way out, Ioannis Mersinias contacted the Greek Consulate and after concerted efforts by member states of the European Union managed to fly on a special flight to Italy and from there to Greece. He was one of the two Greeks who returned home from China.

Από παλαιότερο ταξίδι του Γιάννη Μερσινιά στην Κίνα Source: Supplied

Since then he is in quarantine at the "Sotiria" hospital. Through the solitary confinement room he spoke to the Greek SBS radio program and described what he lived in China and during his return to Greece. 

Listen to the full interview of Ioannis Mersinia in Greek by clicking  play on the podcast accompanying the top photo.