How volunteers kept Wuhan running during the 76-day lockdown

As Wuhan lifts its quarantine starting from midnight on Wednesday, Hu Jing, a volunteer at Donghulu residential compound in Wuchang district of Wuhan is now busier than ever.

She had to get in touch with all residents heading out of Wuhan, informing them they need to have their travel documents ready and green health code at hand for security check. She reminded that permission must be obtained from the neighborhood community in the respective city they are traveling to, or else if they leave, it would be hard to come back.

For the 55,000 people estimated to be leaving Wuhan by train on Wednesday after a 76-day lockdown, now is the time that they have longed for. But to make their much-anticipated return an orderly process, volunteers like Hu have been on high alert, weary that ease in travel restrictions would lead to a resurgence of infections.

During the 11-week coronavirus lockdown, they are the ones who kept the city supplied and running. With travel restrictions and public transport shutdown, basic needs like going to the hospital, buying groceries and purchasing medicines are left unattended, until volunteers from all walks of life mobilized to offer their help.

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