Medical students perform key tasks in pandemic fight

Ti Gong

Local medical students are actively participating in the anti-COVID-19 campaign by working as nucleic acid test sample collectors, epidemiological investigators and neighborhood doctors.

Yan Yumeng and her roommates at Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine have been involved in epidemiological investigation since March. They have to call all positive cases, each of whom has a different routine, habits and close contacts.

"If the subject is an elderly person, we must be very patient to explain the issue and provide comfort and understanding. While facing persons who don't cooperate, we try our best to win their trust," she explained.

"The investigation has become much easier with the passage of time, as people's understanding of the pandemic has improved. They now give very positive feedback on vaccination and protection measures. This actually means that the city's coronavirus prevention and control efforts are paying off."

She added that the efficiency of identifying close contacts and secondary close contacts have also improved.

Since March, 89 student volunteers have been taking part in the campaign, officials from the medical school revealed. Many of them make full use of their language capability to streamline the job.

A student Huang Yue has finished investigations involving a dozen foreigners and also participated in drafting and perfecting the English epidemiological investigation guidance and information table.

Xu Yang, a Shanghai native student, joined the nucleic acid test sample collecting team in Hongkou District last month. Her team has collected more than 160,000 samples.

"I am proud that I can use my major to help my hometown during the pandemic," she said.

Many students are also using their medical knowledge and skills to help neighborhoods by offering consultation and basic medical service.

Ti Gong