China's General Office of the State Council announced on Monday the extension to February 2 of the Lunar New Year holiday originally scheduled to end on January 30 as a key measure to contain the coronavirus epidemic. Meanwhile, kindergartens, primary and middle schools, and universities across the country have postponed the opening of the spring semester until further notice.

As many in the nation keep battling the novel coronavirus, some had to end their vacation in advance and travel back to the cities, where they strive for better lives. 

Though the coronavirus outbreak cast a shadow over the festivities of so many family reunions, what remains unchanged in this year's Spring Festival is the fully loaded trunks and luggage pieces completely stocked up by parents as a way to show their love and care.

Before leaving their hometowns, many travelers shared on Weibo, China's equivalent of Twitter, the fully packed trunks, luggage and backpacks that will warm their hearts and better equip them to work and study at the start of the Year of the Rat.

"With the epidemic situation getting severe, I was recalled to work on the first day of the lunar New Year. The food supply my husband and I considered adequate is not enough in both of our parents' eyes. This time, we returned home fully supplied, with our luggage stuffed by my parents and the car trunk loaded by his parents," posted the user @huaixiachushi on Weibo.

"We remain as children in our parents' eyes," commented Weibo user @wenjiejiushichangmeili, after her mother filled her car trunk with rice, flour, fresh vegetables and fruits before leaving hometown to the city where she works.

"It is incredible that my suitcase and two luggage bags, which seem so small, can carry so many stuff," Weibo user @CHUNXIAN_FU posted. In this case, the suitcase and the bags contain a hen, dozens of eggs, sausages, pickles, dumplings, steamed stuffed buns as well as fresh vegetables, such as lettuce, celery, and spinach.

Weibo user @zxiaowanzi also posted about the warmth of home, saying "Each item I brought on my way back fills everything with warmth."

Considering the novel coronavirus is fast spreading, more provinces and municipalities have issued travel restrictions to contain further contamination. In some regions like eastern Shandong Province and the city of Xi'an in northwestern Shaanxi Province, all inter-provincial shuttle buses and inter-city long-distance bus services have been suspended.

In the meantime, China has ramped up quarantine measures on public transport by demanding "immediate isolation, ventilation and sterilization" when either confirmed or suspected cases of the novel coronavirus pneumonia are found on board.

China State Railway Group Co. has also adopted measures to fight the infection, such as suspending all trains operated by Wuhan Railway Group Corporation, carrying out daily disinfection and training of cleaning staff along with the disinfection of the environment. Starting from last Friday, passengers can refund their cancelled tickets for all transportation means nationwide with all fees waived, according to the Ministry of Transport.

For the travelers who returned in advance or that are now preparing to once again leave their hometowns and families, fully loaded bags mean love and warmth from home, and this won't change, be it good or bad times.