Beijing: Leifeng Xiaoyang, who works at a hotel in Wuhan, Hubei province, the epicentre of the novel coronavirus outbreak, is among a group of volunteers providing medical workers with rides.
The hotel, on the outskirts of Wuhan, is open as usual.
“But when I’m off duty, I volunteer to drive medical workers home or to hospitals,” said Xiaoyang, who asked that his real name not be used.
After Wuhan was put under quarantine, Xiaoyang, a Wuhan native, posted a message on Weibo (a Chinese version of Twitter) on Jan 24 offering doctors and nurses free pick-up service.
“And later I found a group of volunteers who are also helping those medical professionals who need a lift,” Xiaoyang said.
“We get information about when and where to pick up and drop off medical workers via WeChat.
“We don’t talk much in the car. They (doctors and nurses) are tired, and I let them take a nap,” he added.At every destination, Xiaoyang asks his guests to take a selfie with him as a memento of this time during the emergency and “everyone agrees,” he said.
Among Xiaoyang’s guests was a nurse in her 20s who left a deep impression.
She was working at the children’s hospital in the city but wanted to work on the front lines to help coronavirus patients.
“The day I gave her a lift she submitted her application for a frontline job,” he said.
Before Xiaoyang provided her with rides, the young nurse went to work on foot, a one-hour journey, since authorities in Wuhan halted public transportation on Jan 23 to better fight the outbreak.
“What I’m doing as a volunteer means something special for me,” he said.
“If we don’t do something, the city may be sunk.”
Meanwhile, Yinchuan, the capital of the Ningxia Hui autonomous region, suspended bus services on Jan 29 in an attempt to contain the coronavirus.
The city had 19 confirmed cases of the virus as of Sunday.
As soon as Ban Bo, a 39-year-old teacher at Ningxia Vocational College of Finance and Economics, heard that public transportation was halted, he decided to do his part for those who needed help.
He joined two groups of volunteers who give medical workers free rides.
“Many of my relatives are working at hospitals, so I know how hard their work is,” Ban said. — China Daily/ANN
The hotel, on the outskirts of Wuhan, is open as usual.
“But when I’m off duty, I volunteer to drive medical workers home or to hospitals,” said Xiaoyang, who asked that his real name not be used.
After Wuhan was put under quarantine, Xiaoyang, a Wuhan native, posted a message on Weibo (a Chinese version of Twitter) on Jan 24 offering doctors and nurses free pick-up service.
“And later I found a group of volunteers who are also helping those medical professionals who need a lift,” Xiaoyang said.
“We get information about when and where to pick up and drop off medical workers via WeChat.
“We don’t talk much in the car. They (doctors and nurses) are tired, and I let them take a nap,” he added.At every destination, Xiaoyang asks his guests to take a selfie with him as a memento of this time during the emergency and “everyone agrees,” he said.
Among Xiaoyang’s guests was a nurse in her 20s who left a deep impression.
She was working at the children’s hospital in the city but wanted to work on the front lines to help coronavirus patients.
“The day I gave her a lift she submitted her application for a frontline job,” he said.
Before Xiaoyang provided her with rides, the young nurse went to work on foot, a one-hour journey, since authorities in Wuhan halted public transportation on Jan 23 to better fight the outbreak.
“What I’m doing as a volunteer means something special for me,” he said.
“If we don’t do something, the city may be sunk.”
Meanwhile, Yinchuan, the capital of the Ningxia Hui autonomous region, suspended bus services on Jan 29 in an attempt to contain the coronavirus.
The city had 19 confirmed cases of the virus as of Sunday.
As soon as Ban Bo, a 39-year-old teacher at Ningxia Vocational College of Finance and Economics, heard that public transportation was halted, he decided to do his part for those who needed help.
He joined two groups of volunteers who give medical workers free rides.
“Many of my relatives are working at hospitals, so I know how hard their work is,” Ban said. — China Daily/ANN
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