The streets of Shenyang City, northeast China's Liaoning Province, are no longer buzzing like New Year holidays before. Transportation in the city is still operating amid a coronavirus resurgence, yet the busy lines, usually packed with passengers, seemed a little deserted for a city of eight million people, and the situation might last for a while.

Some residents decided to do their part to help epidemic control by staying home over the holiday. However, for those who have to go out, getting around has become an adventure.

"I'm a little worried," said a man in his 60s, "but there are things I have to do. I can't stay at home forever. I guess we'll just need to be more careful."

"I don't think we should panic as long as we prepare. The situation in Shenyang is under control," a woman on her way to work told CGTN.

Over 20 coronavirus cases had been reported in Shenyang since December 23, 2020. The municipal government has declared a city-wide emergency, and are handling the resurgence with utmost urgency. The city transit had to limit passenger flow by half to ensure public safety since December 31, 2020, while guaranteeing normal operation of the system.

"We've added more buses during rush hour, shortened the interval between each ride, and prepared for emergencies. We'll do our best to reduce the influence on residents' daily commutes," said Li Yong, deputy chief of Shenyang's Public Transit Law Enforcement Unit, a department under the city's traffic bureau.

As the city tightens epidemic control regulation, passengers must show their health code before boarding and wear a mask. Other measures include regular disinfection.

"We disinfect the whole bus after each route completion, including handles, seats and the driver cab, also the doors and the poles," said Xu Zhenxue, a bus driver on Bus No. 222, who has been working in the industry for 18 years.

The lonesome scene of this less festive New Year jolted some bitter memories for other senior drivers like Xu.

"I've never seen anything like this, perhaps only once in my 30 years of driving," said Qi Yixing, head of Buses No. 222 and 221, and after pausing for a second added, "during the SARS outbreak".

The captain's heart sunk when he watched the empty buses, rushing through the city's once busy streets, on surveillance cameras in the control room. But Qi said he believes this is will be all over soon.

(Cover image: An almost empty bus operates amid Shenyang's latest coronavirus resurgence. /CGTN)