No experience has been as bizarre or depressing as eating out during this «special time,» which is how many locals have referred to life in China amid this outbreak.

It took us six phone calls to find a restaurant that was open in Shanghai — a normally bustling metropolis of some 25 million people.

When we arrived all but one of three its entrances were locked. That forced everyone through one entrance where a security guard put a thermometer to our head and took our personal information: names, ID or passport numbers, phone numbers, and body temperature.

When we finally entered the restaurant, we realized we were the only ones there. The host eagerly seated us, as the kitchen staff curiously looked on. Immediately after giving us menu, the server arrived and provided a sampling of hand sanitizer. He offered two types in case we had a preference.

We handled the menu with purified hands and sanitized again after paging through the selections.

When other diners arrived they were seated at opposite ends of the restaurant. The server explained their policy was only to serve three tables at a time. This restaurant had about 24 tables.

When we finished our meal and asked for the check, the server insisted on bringing us a chocolate heart cake. It looked as though it had been prepared for Valentine’s Day; it was February 16. As we left, the host thanked us repeatedly for coming in and apologized for the inconvenience.

«This is a ‘special time’,» he told us. «Please wish China well so we can get through this.»