Gulba adds: "It's so regular now. Before I drove here I saw people lining up to do tests. The government is doing a great job on this."

Besides her, Zulpi nodded like an eager student.

Last year Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region spent a total of 47.4 billion yuan on local healthcare, 56.8 percent more than in 2019, a significant part of which was devoted to regional COVID-19 prevention and control.

The restaurant is still new, and many things still need to be worked out. They plan to have the open roof on the second floor decked out with tables and chairs for air fresco dining. Renovations and cleaning-up would take about a month, Gulba said.

They have also bought a coal-fired steel stove capable of roasting two whole lambs. It cost about 3,000 yuan and sits at an unoccupied store room. It looks huge, like a chest freezer with a hole on its top instead of a cover. They are still looking for a master chef.

"I'm sure next time you come, there will be roasted whole lamb," Zulpi says.

"Coffee too," Gulba adds.

And perhaps by then we'll be rid of COVID-19 as well. What a glorious thought.

Contact the writer at hanlei@chinadaily.com.cn