Volunteers bring aid to people in quarantine
People quarantined in the Qianjiang International Plaza were released on Monday after a week of lockdown. The office building, which houses about 200 companies with around 1,400 people, was put under quarantine on December 7 after COVID-19 cases were reported.
During the weeklong lockdown, Zhu Shuwen's volunteer team delivered about 1,500 packages of toiletries to the building. As the Party secretary of Sijiqing Subdistrict, Zhu led the volunteers in coordinating with Hangzhou government to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
The volunteers are from all walks of life. Some are young entrepreneurs who responded enthusiastically and generously to the recent outbreak. By December 9, they had cumulatively provided 241,000 yuan (US$37,861) worth of protective gear, face masks, disinfectant, medical gloves and toiletries to Qianjiang International Plaza.
Quarantined people in Qianjiang International Plaza queue up to do nucleic acid tests on December 9.
The sudden lockdown led to anxiety among people quarantined inside the plaza. In an effort to ease their worries, the Hangzhou Health Commission organized a team of 11 therapists to offer online counseling services.
By yesterday, Hangzhou had reported 21 new locally transmitted COVID-19 cases since December 7. A number of volunteer teams have contributed to the citywide prevention and control efforts since then.
Zheng Zhongheng, director of the volunteer work guidance center in Shangcheng District, initiated efforts to recruit youth volunteers online in the district.
"In just three hours after the initiative was sent out in WeChat groups, over 200 young volunteers signed up. According to the needs of 14 subdistricts, we promptly divided the registered volunteers into groups and let them report to the closest community as soon as possible, making sure that they could protect themselves. They greatly relieved the pressure of the prevention and control work at the grassroots level," said Zheng.
Under Zheng's initiative, 197 volunteer teams were immediately organized in Shangcheng District. They have carried out pandemic prevention information dissemination, temperature scanning, health code registration, distribution of protective gear and other volunteer services in public areas.
To augment logistics support and arrange suppliers and volunteers, local enterprises have stood out. DaddyLab Co and Assuro Tech Co collaboratively offered 1,500 sets of meals to community volunteers. Wensli Group donated 100 scarves and 20,000 face masks to volunteers.
Police officers, security guards and volunteers in protective outfits maintained order. Daily supplies were sent to the quarantined complexes and residential communities, including Qingtainanyuan, Chunjiangtianxi and Donggangjiayuan.
A volunteer help a quarantined child take the nucleic acid test.
Tao Xinshi has operated a grocery at Donggangjiayuan for five years. Since the residential community was locked down on December 8, Tao began to deliver food for residents without charging a delivery fee.
"Due to the large demand from quarantined residents, all four of my family members have come to help now. It is just a little thing for us to do. I hope everything can go well," said Tao.
Tao is the epitome of the city's orderly and warm pandemic control and prevention work. Residents have fully cooperated with the government to this end. Some have even canceled wedding ceremonies to decrease the risks of spreading the virus.
"About 16 wedding ceremonies were canceled due to the recent outbreak. The flowers that were supposed to decorate weddings are left in my store. I hoped to give them away to volunteers," said Zhang Tao, who operates a flower shop at Gengshanzhisan Road.
Zhang spent two hours packing 300 roses and delivered them to the Pujiaxincun residential community.
"I hope the roses can bring happiness to quarantined people and volunteers," Zhang added.
Zhang Tao (left) packs roses to send them to volunteers as gifts.
In addition to the support of residents, prevention and control work also requires cooperation from store owners. On December 9, Hangzhou government released restrictions on public entertainment activities and ordered to close citywide pubs, KTVs, swimming pools, cinemas and all kinds of gaming parlors.
The Dongpo Road Community is located at the core of the city's urban commercial belt. Community party secretary Zhu Jiangwei visited entertainment venues to inform them to shut down.
"Due to the daily crowds of people on Dongpo Road, we must stick to the measures to control the spreading of the virus. I hope store owners can understand. The commercial area will welcome more customers only if the COVID-19 wanes," said Zhu.
