21-year-old Deng Mingkai had been a hairdresser for four years. He was supposed to return to work on February 1, after the Chinese New Year holiday. But after COVID-19 hit the country, all he got was a notice of work suspension.

The coronavirus outbreak has caused tremendous economic damage globally. Businesses have shut down, some for good, forcing many ordinary people into desperate situations. Some have had to ditch their careers and look for work in sectors which are seeing increased demand during the pandemic.