Acts of human kindness bring hope in challenging times

Shanghai residents act

Residential communities in Shanghai have been playing an active role in preventing the spread of the novel coronavirus.

For example, residents across the city have been taking part in daily patrols to provide updates and notifications about the epidemic to households, said Zhang Guangxing, head of the West Yan'an Road community.

"We are now facing a crisis and have to remain vigilant and take all possible measures to protect the community," he said.

"A lot of residents are elderly and almost half of the population in this area are tenants, not homeowners.

"Our job is to ensure everybody is well-informed about infections and preventive measures, to learn about people traveling in and out of the city, and report any traveler who is from an infected region."

According to Yuan Lihua, head of the Xinmei Community Center in Minhang district's Xinzhuang area, such efforts are also being undertaken by workers from the city's 4,000 residential and 1,000 village communities.

"Seven of us community workers have not taken a day off since Lunar New Year's Eve," Yuan said.