The　COVID-19　pandemic　has　led　to　drastic　changes　in　the　world.　One　prominent　aspect　has　been　the　transformation　in　interpersonal　relations,　especially　people’s　attitude　towards　residents　from　COVID　epicenters.　Using　a　2-wave　national　study　in　mainland　China　during　the　pandemic　outbreak,　this　study　examined　Chinese　people’s　distancing　and　helping　intentions　towards　residents　from　Hubei　Province,　the　epicenter　of　China　at　that　time.　Results　suggested　that　individuals　had　an　ambivalent　attitude　towards　denizens　from　the　epicenter.　Specifically,　people　felt　greater　risk　when　they　perceived　a　higher　severity　of　the　pandemic　and　so　were　more　likely　to　distance　from　epicenter　residents.　However,　individuals　showed　greater　empathy　towards　epicenter　residents　when　they　felt　a　higher　severity　of　the　pandemic　and,　therefore,　were　more　likely　to　help　them.　Group　identity　moderated　these　effects:　those　with　a　higher　identification　as　Chinese　were　more　inclined　to　help　Hubei　residents,　but　those　with　a　lower　identification　as　Chinese　were　more　prone　to　distance　from　them.　The　findings　provide　important　implications　in　understanding　interpersonal　relationships　during　the　pandemic.　©　The　Author(s),　under　exclusive　licence　to　Springer　Science+Business　Media,　LLC,　part　of　Springer　Nature　2022.