A week ago, Wuhan residents kept the fruit and vegetable sector in a supermarket busy. However, a sprinkling of customers is there and most of them are turning to community service after authorities tighten the city's lockdown amid the spreading coronavirus.
According to a supermarket in the Wuchang District, the local government on Monday asked them not to let individual customers in at a time when many residents are only allowed out of their communities on a rotating basis. So how are people getting their food and other necessities?
The store manager told CGTN their service is only available to emergency, community and some group purchases.
"Our store has received over a thousand requests from two designated communities, and we've prepared 13 family plans for them," said Wu Peiling with Metro market.
Among some patrons of group purchase, Zheng Jinchao from China Railway Wuhan Group said individuals are faced with "inconvenience," noting the makeshift policy would just secure the basic needs daily.
"The serious epidemic situation puts limits on a high-quality life, and that also requires us to be positive to pull through," Zheng added.
Meanwhile, community workers admit that market supplies are far from enough.
"We've encouraged our residents to order daily necessities on e-commerce platforms, where eight stores are available now," said Yin Yinlong, director of the Yuejiazui Community Service.
All deliveries in Wuhan stop outside the residential lots. Each customer is notified to come fetch them at the gate. Volunteers there help those in need, especially the elderly.
One resident said that despite the inconvenience, it is much safer given the ongoing battle against the COVID-19. There are drops in confirmed cases outside the epicenter of the outbreak. Yet, experts cautioned that Hubei Province needs more containment efforts.
Because of the travel limit, group chats on WeChat among residents living in the same building are used to make various group purchases, including the market purchases and e-commerce orders. Each group has volunteers.
Yu has been aiding the elderly with daily necessities since the outbreak. She insists there should be more volunteers in that position to decrease the contact.
Though doing this doesn't satisfy everyone, Yu said she cares for everyone.
"There're still many of them out there," she worried. "We advise the community service to prepare info tags for each package so that volunteers can carry out the deliveries."
Volunteers are quite willing to do this in addition to their daily efforts in screening and disinfection, Yu added.
(Cover: Community workers in Wuhan carry market purchase for residents. /CGTN)