Knutsford man lifted from Wuhan as pandemic hit desperate to return to China

Matt Raw, 40, and his wife Ying, 40, were evacuated from the epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak in January 2020 – but have since regretted their decision to leave.

Despite all Covid restrictions being lifted, Matt, from Knutsford, says he wants to return to China – where a strict 'zero-Covid' policy is still being imposed.

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The retired locksmith said: "I understand that life has to move on, but I think some parts of Boris' strategy are quite reckless.

Matt Raw, wife Ying and mum Hazel were evacuated from Wuhan, the epicentre of the coronavirus epidemic

"Scrapping the free tests and isolation requirements is a huge decision because there are still loads of vulnerable people here who could do without catching the virus.

"Once people have to pay for a test, they're just not going to – especially those who have more of a selfish outlook on Covid.

"At the moment the majority of people are on board with isolating if they test positive, but giving people that choice I think is dangerous.

"The game plan seems to be centred around gaining that herd immunity we've spoken about for so long now, which is a huge gamble.

Matt Raw

"It is a valid strategy, but whether now is the right time to be implementing remains to be seen."

Matt, his mum Hazel, 78, who suffers with severe dementia, and Ying were among 83 Britons instructed by officials to leave China in the early stages of the pandemic.

They were taken to Britain when Wuhan, where the first known Covid infections were found, went into lockdown more than two years ago.

The flight to RAF Brize Norton was meant to bring British citizens and their families to safety, but, two years on, Matt say's life isn't what he expected.

He said: "We were living in Wuhan having been placed under a strict lockdown by the Chinese government when we were told to get out.

Matt Raw

"The Foreign and Commonwealth Office were on the phone, insisting we were to get on this plane back to Britain.

"We weren't unhappy in Wuhan, and when we spoke to staff on the phone it felt like we knew more about the virus than they did.

"Nevertheless, we followed their advice and got on the plane home."

When the couple arrived in the UK, everyone on board was transported to Arrowe Park Hospital in Wirral to quarantine.

After 14 days confined to a tiny hotel room – sharing a kitchen with strangers – they were allowed to leave once the entire flight had tested negative.

But, for almost six weeks, the UK government remained quiet on Covid - worrying Matt.

He said: "It was bizarre coming from a lockdown in Wuhan to the UK where everyone was still going about their usual lives.

"A global pandemic was just around the corner, and the government sat there and did nothing.

"They should have locked us down straight away and they didn't, and their hesitancy cost them crucial time to deal with what was coming.

Matt Raw

"This was the first of countless mistakes the government made when dealing with the pandemic."

Matt and Ying expected to be back in Wuhan within a few months of arriving in the UK, but it has now been two years since they returned.

Even with the easing of Covid restrictions, Matt's mother's dementia has meant they're unable to return, as China's quarantine requirements would be too strict for her to cope.

The couple have come to terms with the fact they'll be in the UK for the foreseeable future – but Matt has grown frustrated with how he and his wife have been treated.

They've recently been trying to start a family, but after experiencing some troubles, Ying claims she has been told she is ineligible for fertility treatment.

Matt qualifies as a UK citizen, but he's been left frustrated by their attitude towards his spouse.

Matt said: "We had no intention of coming here, the UK government brought us here.

"I'm a British citizen and I'm entitled to a family, but because my wife is foreign we're being treated like second class citizens.

"Ying is a contributing member of society with a job and a national insurance number – she pays taxes just like everyone else.

"In China we would have to pay for the treatment but it would be no where near the tens of thousands of pounds that it could potentially cost us here.

"This is just one of the many reasons we desperately want to go back."