Businesses making staying at home easier

Different businesses in China are doing what they can to support efforts in helping contain the spread of the novel coronavirus outbreak. Some are speeding up production of drugs and equipment, some are donating money and food, while others are coming up with ways that can keep people entertained at home.

OCN, the Shanghai-based paid-TV operator, announced on Tuesday that it will offer free television services for local residents until February 8 to enable people to get authoritative information in a timely manner and lighten up their lives at home.

People can watch cable TV, paid channels and catch-up programs for free if they have a set-top box.

Kaishu Story, a story-telling app for children based in Beijing, is offering more than 10,000 stories for free until February 8 to entertain children at home during their holiday. It used to charge monthly fees or fees for some sets of stories.

Wang Kai, founder and chief of the app, said: “Dear kids, you may have been told this year’s Chinese New Year was different from others. But it does not matter that you can’t travel around. With listening to more stories or reading more books at home, we are supporting doctors and nurses who are warriors in this battle against the virus and protecting ourselves.”

Tomorrow Advancing Life, or TAL, a NYSE-listed education enterprise, also announced that it will offer free live-streaming courses and self-learning programs for its users in epidemic-stricken areas as its clients can’t go to its physical classrooms there.