2 | Monday, February 8, 2021 HONG KONG EDITION | CHINA DAILY PAGE TWO
From page 1 FROM THE GRASSROOTS return to Wuhan, their hometown, from other cities where they were At 7 am on Jan 23 last year, Wan trav working. eled by train from her home in His son and daughter quit their jobs Xiangyang, Hubei, to visit her 89year in Shanghai and in Xishuangbanna, old father in Wuhan. Yunnan province, respectively. They Three hours later, while she was still later found work in Wuhan so that they on the train, the lockdown took effect in could be with their parents. the city. She could have got off the train “Before they came home, my wife during a stop in the middle of her jour and I had nothing to do. Now, with ney, but decided not to. them here, the house is full of joy and “I promised my father I would spend happiness. After getting through last Spring Festival with him, and I had to year, having a happy and healthy family keep my word. If the virus was serious is my biggest wish,” said Zhang, who enough to close a city, I needed to be owns a home service company. with him to stop him worrying,” she In January last year, Zhang started said. work as a volunteer, transporting Wan’s mother died in 2012 and her corpses in his sevenseat commercial father lived alone. When she arrived at vehicle. his home, she found he had symptoms “Every time I carried a body from a similar to those of a cold, but he was lat home, family members wailed over the er confirmed to have COVID19. corpse. Wuhan people really went To avoid her father becoming unduly through a hard time,” he said. concerned, Wan did not wear a face He transported the bodies of COVID mask while she was with him. Left: Zhang Xiaobing, second right, enjoys a family gathering with his wife and children in Wuhan, Hubei province. Zhang 19 victims from residential communi Her father, who had underlying worked as a volunteer transporting bodies during the pandemic in the city last year. Right: Sun Jinzhong poses with his ties to the funeral home in the city’s health conditions, died on Feb 5, one daughters. Sun, a surgeon at Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, was on 24hour standby to treat patients infected with Wuchang district, logging the number week after being told he had COVID19. COVID19. PHOTOS PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY he dealt with each day. Funeral home workers disinfected Zhang said that during the 17 days he his body before sending it for crema worked as a volunteer, he and others tion. For safety reasons, Wan was not transported the bodies of some 200 peo allowed to accompany her father on his ple, many of whom were older than 60. last journey. He worked day and night as a volun She was also later found to have WUHAN: RESIDENTS teer, eating just one meal a day, which COVID19 and was hospitalized. was always instant noodles. “I was really depressed about every “Along with three other volunteers, I thing, but had to try my best to survive. didn’t dare sleep, because phone calls I never believed that I would die,” she could come at any time. When we were said. able to get some rest, we chatted over She now performs baduanjin, a tra READY TO CELEBRATE cups of tea and cheered each other up,” ditional Chinese exercise, in her yard he said. every day. She also sings and takes the Zhang, who owns a homemaking online photography classes to aid her company, said fatigue was not a prob recovery — mentally and physically. lem, but he and his colleagues needed For Spring Festival next week, she to overcome fear and misunderstand plans to take photos outdoors with her ings. husband. To allow the air to circulate, Zhang “I miss my son, who works in Shang chose not to close the windows of his hai, but considering the overall situa vehicle while transporting bodies, but tion regarding the pandemic, I would he experienced facial paralysis. He now rather he not return home this year or uses acupuncture to help his recovery. even next,” she said. In December, the Hubei government issued a guideline aimed at containing the virus during the Spring Festival hol I realize that health and iday. The guideline targets a reduction in the flow of people and the number of family are the most group gatherings, along with strength precious things in life, ened personal and community preven tion efforts. and I plan to reduce the Wan said: “We must follow profes time I spend socializing sional advice to wear masks and wash with colleagues.” our hands. Just doing whatever you want to do is selfish. After we get Sun Jinzhong, surgeon at Renmin through these tough times, then we can Hospital of Wuhan University have fun.” When the pandemic ends, Wan said He joined the volunteer team after she wants to travel to Tibet autonomous the local civil affairs bureau found a region and photograph the stunning friend of his to do such work, and the scenery. She also wants to visit and thank friend invited Zhang to join him. The the doctor who treated her in Wuhan. bureau initially asked for a nursing home owner to do the work, but this House isolation request was declined. Last year, Sun Jinzhong, 41, a sur “To be honest, I was risking my life geon at Renmin Hospital of Wuhan doing this work, but as my friend had University, was on 24hour standby to asked me to help, I couldn’t shirk my treat patients infected with COVID19. duty and would have been ashamed to On Jan 23, he isolated himself in a say ‘no’,” Zhang said. house near the hospital after a col “What annoys me the most is that league’s nucleic acid test result came some people I know said that I did this back positive. for money. We didn’t receive any pay “I was panicking that I might infect ment.” my two daughters. I missed them so Zhang’s daughter also worked as a much, but I couldn’t spend Spring Fes volunteer, buying and distributing veg tival with them,” he said. etables and medicine to residents. On Lunar New Year’s Eve, his wife Her father said: “When I helped with sent him a homecooked meal. She the transportation, my family, especial wore a face mask and handed the food ly my daughter, gave me a lot of support to him without getting out of the car. and mental strength. As a volunteer Sun’s hospital initially experienced a herself, she has also faced misunder shortage of supplies. There was a lack standings and complaints, but I could of food in the canteen, no Hamzat suits, tell she coped with all of this. and sanitation workers quit their jobs. “There are so many kindhearted “I got through those dark days by people fighting for Wuhan.” having a laugh with my colleagues via Last year, Zhang spent Spring Festi video chats as we ate lunch,” he said. val with his family at home. In February last year, rising numbers “We were sitting anxiously in front of of medical professionals arrived in the television, watching the news about Wuhan from across the country with the virus. I felt sad and wasn’t in a holi supplies, including face masks and pro day mood,” he said. tective clothing. As a result of the pandemic, his com Sun said, “Patients worried about me pany’s revenue last year fell by 50 per a lot and asked if I needed their help, cent compared with 2019. He now which moved and comforted me. Those hopes that life can return to normal as who have experienced the virus now soon as possible. seem to be taking more care each day.” “I have confidence in my business As surgeons, Sun and his colleagues because I have seen how quickly and well used not to follow disinfection proce Yellow Crane Tower in Wuhan is illuminated ahead of the Spring Festival holiday. PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY Wuhan has recovered from the impact of dures as strictly as doctors from the COVID19 thanks to the measures taken hospital’s Respiratory Department. by the authorities and prompt support Now, they make every effort to observe from people nationwide,” he said. all steps involved in handwashing. For Spring Festival, he said he is pre “Our habits have completely paring a big celebration and will spend a changed. I am also glad to see people day buying food and other necessities at a wearing face masks on the subway and market. buses,” Sun added. The Wuhan government has pre This year for Spring Festival, he is not pared festive shows and tours for resi taking his family to his parents’ home dents, and delivery companies will in Anlu, Hubei, for a holiday reunion as continue to operate during the holiday. usual. The family will stay in Wuhan to From Feb 10 to Feb 26, to mark avoid the long journey and the risk of Spring Festival and Lantern Festival, infection. light shows with the theme “We are Sun also hopes that life will return to together” will be staged over the Yang normal this year and that he can spend tze River in Wuhan. more time with his children. Venues such as Yellow Crane Tower “I realize that health and family are and other tourism areas will stay open the most precious things in life, and I during the holiday, as plum blossom plan to reduce the time I spend socializ will be in full bloom. ing with colleagues,” he said. After the outbreak emerged, Zhang Left: A Wuhan resident selects a Chinese knot for Spring Festival. ZHAO JUN / FOR CHINA DAILY Right: Preserved meat hangs in Contact the writers at Xiaobing, 54, told his two children to front of a store in downtown Wuhan. SONG JIANCHUN / FOR CHINA DAILY [email protected]