The self-report of a foreign volunteer: I “fight” against the greedy virus in Songjiang, Shanghai

Since the implementation of static management in Puxi area on April 1st, as a foreigner who has lived in China for 30 years, I decided to take a place in the most promising international metropolis in the world. ——Shanghai, be a volunteer for epidemic prevention and control without any return.

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After I made up my mind, I immediately called an enthusiastic Communist Party member on the 7th floor of my building . Soon, I got the application form, and after filling in the information such as personal interests and hobbies, I became a volunteer who can speak multiple languages. Next, I received isolation gowns, gloves, masks, face shields, and a green volunteer vest, and will use them in different volunteering scenarios.

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I live in Dongming Huayuan Community, Fangsong Street, which has more than 2,500 residents. On the first and fourth days of the lockdown management, I participated in the maintenance of the nucleic acid sampling order, guiding residents to maintain a safe distance and line up in an orderly manner. For more time, I participate in the registration of building personnel to ensure that all residents of a specific building go downstairs and complete nucleic acid sampling. Social media is widely used, with group leaders Lou alerting residents through WeChat groups, and “laggards” eventually being called out through loudspeakers.

On the way to the testing site, residents can enjoy the boulevard and cherry blossoms in full bloom Take a leisurely 10-minute walk between the trees and enjoy the pleasant spring weather. During the queuing process, residents and their children should prepare the nucleic acid test code in advance or scan the QR code provided by volunteers on the spot, and fill in their personal information on their mobile phones.

During the lockdown period, the community distributed COVID-19 antigen self-test kits on a per-household basis, requiring residents to take photos with their mobile phones at the specified time and forward them to the building team leader after completing the self-test.

The Shanghai Municipal Government provides each household with basic living materials, some fresh vegetables, Noodles, meat and Chinese medicine. With thousands of food parcels shipped from all over China, the distribution of these supplies is definitely a huge challenge for community workers. In the end, it was all delivered by many people including our volunteers. For baby milk powder, medicines and other items that residents order online, our volunteers will use various means of transportation, including luggage carts, electric bicycles, etc., to deliver them to the corresponding buildings.

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Trash removal is also regular, efficient and fast. The neighborhood committee requires each household to put sorted dry and wet garbage bags at the door from 7:00 to 8:00 in the morning. I and other volunteer companions put on disposable protective clothing, gloves and masks, packed the garbage into boxes, and transported it to the designated garbage point, and then collected by the sanitation department of Songjiang District. The protective clothing, gloves and face shields worn by the volunteers will be disposed of as medical waste.

Of course, the key to containing a fast-spreading virus like the Omicron strain is Minimize human-to-human contact. Therefore, I and other volunteers need to patrol the community at night to prevent residents from going out illegally, but this is very rare.

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Some other foreign friends in China that I am familiar with expressed that they are willing to stay in China and live in China very pleasant. They have benefited from their work in China and hope to participate in epidemic prevention and control and give back to the country. Volunteering can also really get to know the locals, such as the way they solve problems and deal with relationships. In my community, most of the young volunteers are Communists. From them, I can feel the spirit of the Red Army’s Long March – not afraid of any difficulties, and united closely.

I have always believed that the “dynamic reset” policy adopted by the Chinese government is currently the most Good solution. Right now, it’s a temporary discomfort for many people, but it’s ultimately beneficial to the economy and people’s livelihood of the entire society. Of course, there is one more important benefit – minimizing human fatalities.