HOLDING DOWN THE FORT

　　Community workers and volunteers offer help toresidents during the epidemic By Ma Miaomiao

　　Two bags of brochures, disposablegloves, masks and pens were whatZhang Yingxia and two volunteerswere equipped with as they began theirdaily work in Xingshengxiang Community inXining, Qinghai Province, northwest China,on February 13.

　　As a worker at the community servicecenter for 12 years, Zhang has workedaround the clock since January 24 as Chinagoes all out to contain the novel coronavirusoutbreak. The community has more than3,000 households and 16 workers.

　　In the race against the virus, communitieshave become an importantbattleground. According to the latest statisticsfrom the Ministry of Civil Affairs, nearly 4million people have been on the frontline ofprevention and control in 650,000 urban andrural communities across the country sincethe outbreak of the epidemic.

　　Early on the morning of the SpringFestival, or the Chinese New Year, that fellon January 25 this year, Zhang and her colleaguesbegan contacting local residents andgiving them health tips by phone and doorto door. For residents whom they could notreach, they posted a notice on their doors toensure that no one was missed.

　　Since epidemic prevention and controlwork began, the staff at Xingshengxiang hasbeen working at full capacity. It finally had torecruit volunteers on February 2 to alleviatethe shortage of manpower and better serve local residents.

　　The two volunteers accompanyingZhang were actually her twin sons, WuJianhao and Wu Jianshuang, who are 21years old. On February 3, the brothers appliedto join the volunteers and serve thecommunity.

　　They followed their mother around,distributing brochures, putting up posters,registering resident information andmonitoring the body temperatures of migrantworkers returning from other places.

　　They were also responsible for the hygieneand disinfection of some key areas, aswell as the purchase and delivery of dailynecessities for residents in self-monitoredquarantine.

　　Zhang explained that the two youngmen have been her assistants during holidayssince they were in the sixth grade. Atfirst, they helped clean up the neighborhood,deliver newspapers and run errands for theelderly. Later, as they grew older, they tookon various volunteer services during summerand winter vacations.

　　Xu Hongyan, Director of the community’sResidents’ Committee, said, “I am awitness to their growth, and now they havebecome our most reliable reserve workers!”The brothers were busy with their volunteerwork, and even though they were tired,they said they feel more content standingfirmly with their mother on the frontline ofepidemic prevention rather than waiting forher to come home late at night.

　　“My whole family unconditionally supportsmy mother. She and other communityworkers are fearless in the face of unknowndangers. How could we hold back?” WuJianshuang said.

　　In order to further contain the novelcoronavirus epidemic, China extended theSpring Festival holiday and postponed schoolopenings. The two brothers said they wouldcontinue volunteering until they are able toreturn to university.

　　As night fell, they arrived at a residentialarea without a management staff. The twohelped check the temperature of residentsand register their information.

　　According to Wu Jianhao, to prevailover the outbreak, not only are the effortsof medical personnel needed, but also theparticipation of every ordinary person in thebattle to overcome difficulties.

　　“I hope what comes is not merely spring,but happiness after the epidemic,” Zhangsaid.