Zhuo Li recently returned to Montreal from spending the Chinese New Year with family in Sichuan province, China. He's confident he did not contract COVID-19 and at no point did the government ask him to go into quarantine, but out of a sense of duty he spent 14 days in isolation.

Li is one of many Montrealers who have decided to quarantine themselves after visiting China as an extra precaution to prevent the spread of the virus.

"I feel I have an obligation to do that," Li said.

He was in China when the COVID-19 outbreak started, though he said the region he was in had no reported cases at the time. Still, he wanted to be sure he was symptom-free.

I definitely don't want to be responsible for the spread of coronavirus in Quebec. - Chen Hong

Li said after he arrived in Montreal, he drove directly home from the airport. His wife and daughter, who he lives with, had already left the house for an impromptu vacation to prevent any risk to themselves.

After 14 days home alone, Li is looking forward to returning to normal life and going back to work.

All in all, "it's not so hard," he said, adding that he's sympathetic for those who are in mandatory quarantine and who have it much worse.

How would you spend 14 days alone? Watch the video at the top of this story to see how Zhuo Li kept busy.

Zhuo Li, pictured on holiday in Sichuan province, China, returned to Montreal in February after spending time visiting family. (Submitted by Xun Li)

Another Montrealer who recently quarantined herself is Chen Hong. She decided to stay home after returning from China in mid-February. She had been visiting family in her home province of Heilongjiang.

Though Canadian authorities have not imposed self-isolation on all returning travellers, and though Hong doesn't have any symptoms, she decided to isolate herself for a period of three weeks.

"Even if I don't think I'm sick, I don't want to take any chances," said Hong. "I want to protect my colleagues and others. And I definitely don't want to be responsible for the spread of coronavirus in Quebec."

Chen Hong said she doesn't have any symptoms, but she'd rather be safe than sorry. She's staying at home for three weeks to make sure she doesn't put others at risk. (Submitted by Chen Hong)

Hundreds of volunteers deliver groceries, other essentials

Nearly 500 members of Montreal's Chinese community are working together to help community members who have decided to quarantine themselves.

The group, which started on the messaging app WeChat, is run on a completely voluntary basis. They ensure travellers who wish to self-quarantine have access to food, a way to get home from the airport and daily exercise without having to come in contact with the public.

The group also keeps in touch with travellers to make sure they have groceries waiting for them when they land in Montreal. For people who are already self-quarantined, volunteers drop off groceries on their doorsteps when they request it.

"It's a very nice gesture from the Chinese community because we take care of everyone's health and we want to make sure that public health and safety has been reassured in Montreal and in Quebec," said said Angela Huang, who has volunteered with the group since its inception three weeks ago..

"We also show people not to be afraid to come to Chinatown or get close to Chinese people because we're not sick, and we're doing everything to prevent the virus from coming to Quebec."

Aside from the travellers' vital needs, volunteers also make sure they have access to entertainment through their WeChat group. There, they share links to web tutorials and hold a daily yoga conference call.

Hong and others have been using the chat group and larger online community to learn new skills over their 14 days in isolation. She said she's been watching videos to teach herself how to sketch and to play the ukulele.