Waiting at a bus stop on Hong Kong’s border with mainland China, Billy Yiu was preparing to say goodbye to his wife and baby, unsure when he might see them again.

The 40-year-old Hong Konger works in the semi-autonomous financial hub and commutes daily from neighboring Shenzhen, where rents are far cheaper.

But the journey will be all but impossible for the foreseeable future.

In a bid to halt the spread of a deadly new coronavirus, Hong Kong on Saturday began placing anyone crossing from the mainland under a mandatory 14-day quarantine.

So on Thursday night, Yiu was making a final trip back to Shenzhen to see his family before returning to Hong Kong where he would stay with his parents.

“I don’t know how long this is going to last but what can we do?” he told AFP.

His wife had opted to stay in Shenzhen with their baby.

“It’s not easy for her. But we have a domestic helper and we will make video calls,” he said.