(Yicai Global) April 8 -- As Shanghai's Covid-19 lockdown is extended indefinitely, volunteers are stepping up to help the city of 25 million residents keep going with their lives in isolation.

Mr. Cai, a teacher at Shanghai Baoshan Vocational School, is volunteering to help in testing others for Covid-19 and preparing supplies. The following are his words.

I helped with nucleic acid tests in my community as a volunteer on April 1 and April 4. We gathered at 6.30 a.m. on the first day without breakfast and water and finished work at 3.00 p.m. We were tired. We did not know enough about the procedures and had no technical guidance. We just learned how to use certain software and assisted doctors in completing the first round of nucleic acid tests. The second round of tests took around half as long as the first one because we were more familiar with the devices and software.

A photo of Mr. Cai and other volunteers.

Classrooms moved online in mid-March. Classes usually begin at 8.20 a.m. every day, and teachers start the class by chatting with students about what they have been doing at home, whether they have had breakfast, and asking about any Covid-19 infections in their family or among close contacts to remove students’ concerns and ease their mental pressure, which is sort of a “morning call.”

Classes are running normally for now, except for those students who need to go and do a nucleic acid test. They usually come back in up to half an hour, thanks to the high testing efficiency.

A digital component created during an online class

Besides teaching students online, I also volunteer to help the community and need to buy groceries for myself. I am using online shopping platforms such as Meituan, and Hema Fresh and I also have joined at least 10 WeChat groups for group buying. I don’t even remember where I have placed orders.

I have been busy since the Covid-19 outbreak. I plan to be a volunteer again for the third round of nucleic acid testing despite the risks of infection. Volunteers, including me, will be more familiar with the procedures than newcomers and can therefore cut the risks for everyone. 

After all, someone has to do it, right?

Editor: Emmi Laine, Xiao Yi