Chongqing - On the afternoon of Nov 18, Li Rong, a doctor from the Chongqing Health Center for Women and Children, together with 30 of her colleagues entered one of the four makeshift hospitals in downtown Chongqing, the Yuelai Fangcang Hospital of the Chongqing International Expo Center, to engage in the front line of the epidemic fight.

The Yuelai Fangcang Hospital. (Photo provided to iChongqing)

"This is the first time that Chongqing has faced such a large-scale epidemic, and it is also the first time that I have faced so many COVID-19 patients," Li Rong said that she was at a loss when she first entered the makeshift hospital. She was unfamiliar with her working environment and partners.

It is not easy to be a doctor in a shelter hospital. "Long working hours and high mental pressure," Li Rong said that because they share a common goal, no one cares about the trivialities and hardships of the work during the process. They are willing to make more effort to smooth the process and get things done.

"Although it is a temporary team, everyone is very united and works hard, hoping to cure the patients so they can be discharged from the hospital as soon as possible," Li said. And the work in hand has been sorted out in an orderly manner.

One medical staff in the Yuelai Fangcai Hospital. (Photo provided to iChongqing)

Not only doctors and nurses but many patients in the shelter hospital also actively joined the volunteer team. Among them are students, police officers, cleaning staff, and programmers. They help the staff with distributing meals, answering questions, chatting with the elderly, maintaining order, etc. Their dedication can greatly reduce the pressure on the medical staff.

"Wearing protective suits is inconvenient. In addition to the time consumption on the road, it is common not to be able to go to the toilet or eat for 7-8 hours. The patient volunteered to help, which is so caring and considerate," Li Rong said.

In addition, the logistics colleagues from Chongqing Health Center for Women and Children also cared for them. They sent materials such as microwave ovens, clothes racks, shampoos, shower gels, and paper towels. "As long as we say what supplies we need, the people from the hospital will deliver them overnight," Li said.

At the beginning of November, Li signed up for the nucleic acid testing team and started working in the communities under the jurisdiction of Yubei, Jiangbei, and Yuzhong Districts. She did not hesitate to sign up as a volunteer at the Yuelai Fangcang Hospital this time. "Many colleagues in our hospital have children or are not physically fit. I don't have any worries about these two aspects. I should take the initiative to stand up," she added.

Since this new round of the Covid-19 outbreak in Chongqing, 517,000 people have joined the volunteer team. Many of them are moral models and 'Good Samaritans of China.' They have given full play to their leading role and carried forward the spirit of role models with practical actions. Li Rong, who was once awarded the title of 'Good Samaritans of China,' is also one of them.