Wuhan prepares for happier Spring Festival

House isolation 

Last year, Sun Jinzhong, 41, a surgeon at Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, was on 24-hour standby to treat patients infected with COVID-19. On Jan 23, he isolated himself in a house near the hospital after a colleague's nucleic acid test result came back positive. 

"I was panicking that I might infect my two daughters. I missed them so much, but I couldn't spend Spring Festival with them," he said. 

On Lunar New Year's Eve, his wife sent him a home-cooked meal. She wore a face mask and handed the food to him without getting out of the car. 

Sun's hospital initially experienced a shortage of supplies. There was a lack of food in the canteen, no Hamzat suits, and sanitation workers quit their jobs. 

"I got through those dark days by having a laugh with my colleagues via video chats as we ate lunch," he said. 

In February last year, rising numbers of medical professionals arrived in Wuhan from across the country with supplies, including face masks and protective clothing. 

Sun said, "Patients worried about me a lot and asked if I needed their help, which moved and comforted me. Those who have experienced the virus now seem to be taking more care each day."

As surgeons, Sun and his colleagues used not to follow disinfection procedures as strictly as doctors from the hospital's Respiratory Department. Now, they make every effort to observe all steps involved in hand-washing. 

"Our habits have completely changed. I am also glad to see people wearing face masks on the subway and buses," Sun added. 

This year for Spring Festival, he is not taking his family to his parents' home in Anlu, Hubei, for a holiday reunion as usual. The family will stay in Wuhan to avoid the long journey and the risk of infection. 

Sun also hopes that life will return to normal this year and that he can spend more time with his children. 

"I realize that health and family are the most precious things in life, and I plan to reduce the time I spend socializing with colleagues," he said. 

After the outbreak emerged, Zhang Xiaobing, 54, told his two children to return to Wuhan, their hometown, from other cities where they were working. 

His son and daughter quit their jobs in Shanghai and in Xishuangbanna, Yunnan province, respectively. They later found work in Wuhan so that they could be with their parents. 

"Before they came home, my wife and I had nothing to do. Now, with them here, the house is full of joy and happiness. After getting through last year, having a happy and healthy family is my biggest wish," said Zhang, who owns a home service company. 

In January last year, Zhang started work as a volunteer, transporting corpses in his seven-seat commercial vehicle. 

"Every time I carried a body from a home, family members wailed over the corpse. Wuhan people really went through a hard time," he said. 

He transported the bodies of COVID-19 victims from residential communities to the funeral home in the city's Wuchang district, logging the number he dealt with each day. 

Zhang said that during the 17 days he worked as a volunteer, he and others transported the bodies of some 200 people, many of whom were older than 60. 

He worked day and night as a volunteer, eating just one meal a day, which was always instant noodles. 

"Along with three other volunteers, I didn't dare sleep, because phone calls could come at any time. When we were able to get some rest, we chatted over cups of tea and cheered each other up," he said. 

Zhang, who owns a homemaking company, said fatigue was not a problem, but he and his colleagues needed to overcome fear and misunderstandings. 

To allow the air to circulate, Zhang chose not to close the windows of his vehicle while transporting bodies, but he experienced facial paralysis. He now uses acupuncture to help his recovery. 

He joined the volunteer team after the local civil affairs bureau found a friend of his to do such work, and the friend invited Zhang to join him. The bureau initially asked for a nursing home owner to do the work, but this request was declined. 

"To be honest, I was risking my life doing this work, but as my friend had asked me to help, I couldn't shirk my duty and would have been ashamed to say 'no'," Zhang said. 

"What annoys me the most is that some people I know said that I did this for money. We didn't receive any payment." 

Zhang's daughter also worked as a volunteer, buying and distributing vegetables and medicine to residents. 

Her father said: "When I helped with the transportation, my family, especially my daughter, gave me a lot of support and mental strength. As a volunteer herself, she has also faced misunderstandings and complaints, but I could tell she coped with all of this.

"There are so many kind-hearted people fighting for Wuhan."

Last year, Zhang spent Spring Festival with his family at home. 

"We were sitting anxiously in front of the television, watching the news about the virus. I felt sad and wasn't in a holiday mood," he said. 

As a result of the pandemic, his company's revenue last year fell by 50 percent compared with 2019. He now hopes that life can return to normal as soon as possible. 

"I have confidence in my business because I have seen how quickly and well Wuhan has recovered from the impact of COVID-19 thanks to the measures taken by the authorities and prompt support from people nationwide," he said. 

For Spring Festival, he said he is preparing a big celebration and will spend a day buying food and other necessities at a market. 

The Wuhan government has prepared festive shows and tours for residents, and delivery companies will continue to operate during the holiday. 

From Feb 10 to Feb 26, to mark Spring Festival and Lantern Festival, light shows with the theme "We are together" will be staged over the Yangtze River in Wuhan. 

Venues such as Yellow Crane Tower and other tourism areas will stay open during the holiday, as plum blossom will be in full bloom.