Ordinary People, Heroic Deeds

2020-03-10 16:20:00 Source：China Today Author：

RECENTLY, the novel coronavirus outbreak has gripped the heart of every Chinese. At the time when every household is anticipating a family reunion during the Chinese New Year, they have to stay indoors. Provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities across the country all initiated a first-level response to public health events. For the sake of their own safety, people have been called to travel less, take more protections, and work from home. However, there are people in some posts who, despite the severity of the situation, remained on duty, putting their lives on the line to defend the integrity of their profession and serve the nation.

Zhang Dingyu, director of the Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital, is viewing the medical records of critical patients on January 27.

Angels in White

Since the reception of the first seven infected patients on December 29, 2019, Director Zhang Dingyu of the Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital and more than 600 medical staff have been fighting the virus at the largest special hospital for infectious diseases in Wuhan. All patients admitted are confirmed infected patients.

During these days, Zhang goes to bed as late as 2 a.m. and has to get up at 4 a.m. to take countless calls and handle various emergencies. But as time went by, as he rushed about each day dealing with critically ill patients, going up and down the stairs became more and more difficult for him. “I have amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. My legs have started to shrink, and it will eventually affect my whole body. I must move quickly in order to rescue more patients from the virus,” said Zhang, who’s bloodshot eyes belied his calm demeanor.

Adding to the stress he was already under was the fact that his wife, also a medical worker, became infected with the virus while treating patients, and is now undergoing treatment in isolation in another hospital.

It was often the case that Zhang was unable to find time to visit his wife for three or four straight days. “I feel very guilty. I may be a good doctor, but not a good husband. I am scared of losing my wife,” he lamented. Fortunately, his wife recovered after treatment and was discharged from the hospital on January 29.

Zhang Dingyu and his colleagues in Wuhan are not fighting alone. Major hospitals across the country have sent medical teams to help. Among these, thousands of medical staff at Nanfang Hospital of the Southern Medical University in Guangdong Province volunteered to help, including doctors, nurses and even retired medical veterans.

Due to the epidemic, there are few people in the train carriage, which is usually crowded during the Spring Festival. Train conductor is a high-risk job this year.

Zhang Dingyu, director of the Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital, is viewing the medical records of critical patients on January 27.

“Patients were waiting for us, and there would be more hope the sooner the hospital was completed.”

Various construction projects are progressing at full speed at the construction site of Wuhan Huoshenshan Hospital in late January.

Hospital Builders

As more and more coronavirus cases were confirmed in Wuhan, local medical facilities soon became unable to meet the mounting needs of patients. Many suspected patients could not be admitted to hospitals and could only isolate themselves at home. Diagnosis of some patient’s condition has therefore been delayed, increasing the danger of further spreading of the disease.

As a result, the Wuhan municipal government decided to build Huoshenshan Hospital and Leishenshan Hospital. Within about 10 days, the two temporary hospitals were erected and put into use on February 3 and 5 respectively.

On Chinese New Year’s Eve, the construction site of Huoshenshan Hospital was brightly lit, and various machines were running at full capacity. The China Construction Third Engineering Bureau organized hundreds of construction units to participate in the project.

Meng Dongbing and Mei Jun were among numerous builders involved. The couple originally planned to return to their hometown in Shandong Province to celebrate the Chinese New Year, but at noon on January 24, they learned that the bureau would be responsible for the construction of the Huoshenshan Hospital. They immediately refunded their tickets and rushed to the construction site without hesitation. Meng had just undergone a minimally invasive surgery on his lungs, and his colleagues advised him to take a rest.

Meng replied, “I knew I could do it. Patients were waiting for us, and there would be more hope the sooner the hospital was completed.”

Mei was engaged in the intensive work of logistics preparation and vehicle dispatching, which was made more difficult because of the holiday. The couple often worked until midnight at the construction site.

Meanwhile, Zhou Mi, an employee of the bureau, was responsible for material procurement and logistics at the project site. As a native of Wuhan, he went to work on the night of January 23 once he was notified. “We had to prepare the materials needed for the on-site office as fast as possible,” said Zhou. Medicine, umbrellas, thermos flasks — the variety of materials needed was so huge that his father had to drive him around to every supermarket and shopping mall in Caidian District of Wuhan to make his purchases. At the time, Zhou’s mother, who works in a fever clinic at the Wuhan No.7 Hospital, did not return home for four days as she was busy treating patients. The family of three did not even get together on Chinese New Year’s Eve, and could only communicate on WeChat (China’s twitter-like messaging platform). “Knowing that we were all fighting together, I feel at ease,” said Zhou.

Jiang Guixi, the project leader of the third construction company of the Bureau, who has not returned home for the Chinese New Year for 19 years, was recalled and returned to Wuhan as soon as he arrived at his hometown this year. There were more than 4,000 workers at the construction site. Having to complete the daily task of arranging three meals a day, taking the temperatures of incoming and outgoing personnel, and arranging and managing security personnel, all meant that Jiang was overloaded throughout the holiday. He said he had served in the army for 14 years and now saw this virus as an enemy which had to be defeated.

From a wasteland to a standard hospital for infectious diseases, it took only 10 days for these frontline dedicated workers working under harsh conditions, day and night to complete the miracle facilities.

High-speed Train Conductors

As the epidemic outbreak took place during the holiday when China’s greatest people migration takes place, the movement of people undoubtedly increased the difficulty and risk of failing to control the epidemic. As a result, high-speed train conductors have become high-risk occupations.

“For others, maybe not going out is being responsible to yourself and others. As a Party member and chief conductor, leading the team members to brave the adversity at this time is our real mission,” said Peng Mingjing.

As a mother of two children, this year is her 17th Spring Festival travel season on the job. When the news of the outbreak broke, the family hoped that she would be able to take time off to be with her two children and elderly parents, but she was not able to do that.

Her parents understood her choice, but it was tough on her two young children. The oldest girl, a fifth grader of an elementary school, saw news of the epidemic on TV and social media. She was especially worried that her mother would take the train also transporting people infected by the virus. On one occasion when Peng was leaving home, she saw her two daughters in pajamas tearfully blocking the door so she could not leave. After Peng eventually left, she cried her heart out. “It was the first time I have ever left home in tears,” she said.

Things at home can be easily settled. Peng knows that the more important responsibility lies in taking care of her colleagues and passengers. She makes sure that while on duty she is always smiling, giving passengers a sense of reassurance. While explaining the epidemic prevention methods to other crew members, she also reminds passengers to wear masks, wash their hands frequently, and maintain environmental hygiene.

“In the face of the epidemic, we are committed to transporting passengers safely and in an orderly fashion. It is my duty as a Party member and chief conductor. We will eventually beat this epidemic,” said Peng.

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