No need to panic

At home, Liang's roommate kept the windows and doors open for good ventilation after noticing him coughing and sneezing, but the opened windows also bothered Liang, since willow catkins and pollen could get into the room and settle on clothes, causing his symptoms to recur.

"I can understand his concerns during this special period, and the health authorities have also recommended the public open windows and doors to get more fresh air," Liang said. "But these tiny things exist everywhere. I've discussed shortening the time the windows are open with my roommate, and I now wear a mask when they're open."

Chen Hao, a 30-year-old real estate agent in Beijing's Haidian district, said his two roommates had reacted in a similar fashion.

Chen has been allergic to pollen since high school, and started to cough, sneeze and scratch his arms frequently early last month. Chen explained his allergy history to his roommates, but they still often keep their door open for ventilation.

Like Liu and Liang, he struggled with whether to go to hospital, worrying about the risk of novel coronavirus infection but also concerned he could suffer from his allergies for weeks.

"On my way to the hospital, the taxi driver opened all the windows when he found I had a cough and was sneezing, even though we both wore masks," Chen said. "We didn't say anything during 30 minutes of depressing travel. The moment I got out of the car, I told him I was just allergic and he didn't need to worry."

After his visit to the hospital, Chen thought about why the public is so afraid of the virus.

"I was afraid of cross-infection, and so was the driver," he said. "But we don't have to be, as long as everyone takes proper protective measures such as wearing masks and paying attention to personal hygiene.

"There is no need to overreact or panic, since the fight against the epidemic is being won."