The COVID-19 epidemic relates all. At this crucial moment, we can judge a person’s loyalty and ability. 

On the eve of the Chinese New Year, the first medical team consisting of 136 medical staff reached Wuhan from Shanghai to provide medical treatment, including two nurses from the Yangpu District Central Hospital. On January 27 and 28, more medical professionals from Yangpu District went to the epidemic-hit region in Wuhan, including 21 medical staff from Yangpu District Central Hospital, Shidong Hospital, Kongjiang Hospital, Yangpu District Mental Health Center, Shanghai No. 1 Rehabilitation Hospital, Yangpu District Chinese Medicine Hospital and Yangpu District Dental Disease Control Institute.

17 years later, the “solider” against SARS is again on the battlefield against the COVID-19.

17 years ago, she was in the first medical team from Yangpu District Central Hospital to walk into the quarantine ward for SARS. Today, she volunteered to join the new medical team against COVID-19 in the capacity of an “experienced and competent solider” against SARS.

She is Liu Hong, the Chief Nurse in Section 1 of Internal Medicine Department of Yangpu District Central Hospital. As a young nurse who joined the Party 16 years ago, she started on January 28, 2020 as a member of the second medical team from Shanghai to Hubei Province. Nowadays, she works as the head of Critical Care Team 4 in Wuhan No. 3 Hospital.

At 4 o’clock in the morning when the world was tranquil and the city was still sleeping, a new group of night shift nurses arrived at the quarantine wards. Dressed in the protective clothing, they looked like Baymax working busy in the wards. There are 24 critically-sick patients in the wards. The nurses are divided into a few teams, with each team nursing four patients. No nursing assistants or family members are allowed to get into the quarantine wards. In addition to temperature measurement and body turning every two hours for critically-sick patients, life care such as feeding water and food, cleaning feces, and changing diapers are all done by nurses.

The lack of oxygen caused by thick protective clothing, gauze mask and eye mask makes the simple operation take several times more the energy and time. A simple operation is enough to soak the work clothes in the protective clothing in sweat. It takes almost an hour to put on and take off the full set of protective kit. In order to save materials, members of the nursing group stop eating or drinking two hours before the work. In six hours, they would not eat, drink to go to the toilet. And the working clothing become wet and dry for a few cycles. This is the place to build their physical strength and perseverance.

Patients in the hands of intensive care group are treated with non-invasive ventilators or high-flow oxygen. Liu Hong often encourages and reminds them to “inhale and exhale at the pace of the ventilator. Do not take off the mask often and do not make it leak. By ensuring oxygen supply, we can get better soon.”Because of the long-time isolation from their loved ones, these patients are particularly upset and helpless. The nurses will also talk to them while they are operating, so as to relieve their anxiety. The patients use gestures to express their gratitude. In these gloomy days, the warmest sunshine is the help of nurses to the patients, who stay in company with each other.

Now they become more competent.

In the ward of Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital, you can find medical staff from all over the country. At 14:30 on January 26, Shanghai’s first batch of medical staff aiding Hubei Province took over the 2nd and 3rdfloor wards of the North Building of Jinyintan Hospital. Wards in the 3rd floor are intensive care unit. As of February 11, Zhao Yue, the Chief Nurse of the Surgery Intensive Care Unit from Yangpu District Central Hospital, had been working here for 16 days.

While working in Shanghai, Zhao Yue is nicknamed by her colleagues as the Encyclopedia. However, when first working in the ICU of Jinyintan Hospital, the nurse with 14-year experience didn’t know where to start.

 “ At first, it took me 20 or 30 minutes to put on protective clothing, but now it can be worn in about a quarter of an hour. Protective clothing will have a great impact on caring work, wearing gloves will affect the feeling, goggles and masks will have an impact on the field of vision. If we wear goggles for long, they become foggy and blurred. Then we use iodophor or apply anti-fog wipes, which will be much better.” Zhao Yue said.

On the first day of working in the ward, Zhao Yue was responsible for caring four patients, two of whom were using non-invasive ventilator, one was using high-flow humidification oxygen, and one was taking oxygen. A patient in his fifties was afflicted with ASD and had a heavy psychological burden. He was not cooperative in the treatment. Zhao Yue gave him psychological comfort, taking the patients who recovered better as a reference. She encouraged him to eat more, so as to recover more quickly with better immunity.

Nowadays, Zhao Yue would contact her family to report her own safety. If she leaves work in daytime, she would make a video call to them. If not, she would also tell them she is at work or off work via WeChat.

 “The medical team from Shanghai is the best!”

In the intensive care unit of the Wuhan No.3 Hospital, a patient took the hand of Chen Di, a member of the medical team from Shanghai aiding Hubei, and said, “Shanghai medical team is the best!” The 66-year-old patient was ready to be discharged out of the hospital. Although she was still weak, she used a slightly trembling voice to express her strongest gratitude from the bottom of her heart.

Chen Di is the Chief Nurse of the intensive care unit of the Antu Branch of the Yangpu District Central Hospital. After coming to Wuhan, she and the Shanghai medical team aiding Hubei worked in the intensive care unit of the Wuhan No. 3 Hospital. The support of the family is the source of motivation. Sitting in the shaking car every day before reaching the hospital, she would watch videos and greetings from parents, kid and colleagues, which are her daily “mental coffee”. Chen Di said: “Now I often start my work early in the morning. It takes a lot of time to wear and take off protective clothing every day. Although the work is tiring, it is very fulfilling and heart-warming.”

Due to her cheerful personality and helpfulness,  Chen Di has the nickname “Princess Didi”, which is written on her protective clothing. Chen Di said, “We will take care of each other and remind each other to take protective measures. We represent Yangpu District Central Hospital, Shanghai and China. We must return to Shanghai and our dear colleagues and family members safe and sound.”

 “We will definitely provide sufficient protective measures for our first-line medical staff”.

Recently, Weng Chao, the Deputy Director of the Hospital Infection Management Department of Shidong Hospital boarded the plane together with the second batch of Shanghai medical team to Wuhan No. 3 Hospital. Working as the head of the logistics support team, he is mainly responsible for the infection prevention and control and logistics material supply in the hospital. “I am in charge of logistics and supply. My team will sure the front-line medical staff has enough protective measures.” Weng Chao said so.

A few days ago, Weng Chao and his teammates completed their first delivery of materials at Wuchang Railway Station. Then he started to work non-stop to raise supplies, often working late at night to secure the supply of protective materials. He led the emergency logistics team to transport the protective supplies in short supply overnight, and distributed them to the front-line medical staff such as fever clinics, emergency departments, pediatrics, and ICUs as quickly as possible. Weng Chao said: “With one more box of protective supplies, the medical staff will have more safety guarantee. We don’t care how long we work!”

 “Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you ...”The song in the resident hotel of the medical team was heard. This special birthday party was planned by Weng Chao and the logistics team. Wearing the gauze mask to sing birthday song on a special day in a special mood not only represents blessing to teammates, but also to cheer themselves up. Birthday candles were not blown out by the mouth, but by the hand. At this moment, everyone made a common wish: after the epidemic, everyone can remove their masks and breathe the freshest air, hoping that everyone is healthy and safe.

In the brightly-lit early morning, Weng Chao and his teammates drove to Wuchang Railway Station to receive supplies. He filled the drinks in the heating cabinet in the sparsely populated hotel lobby for his teammates on duty. He drove on the streets of Wuhan in early morning or late night, providing meticulous services for the team members’ work and life at all time. “I'm the big servant of everyone.” He often says about this work, responsible for food, drinks, life and distribution of supplies.

His notepad records the progress of the medical team’s work: training on diagnosis and treatment programs, urging team members to practice putting on and removing protective clothing, docking with local hospitals, receiving and distributing protective supplies, coordinating vehicle use, contacting local barbers for teammates, and customizing birthday cakes for the team members ... Although the logistics work is trivial, it represents the great support and comfort to the teammates who are fighting in the Wuhan No.3 Hospital.

We are comrade-in-arms in the battlefield against the epidemic.

Recently, Shen Yanmei, the Chief Nurse of the pulmonary rehabilitation department of Shanghai No.1 Rehabilitation Hospital, rushed to Wuhan in the second batch of medical team aiding Hubei.

Shen Yanmei works as a responsible nurse in the ward of the General Medical Team in Wuhan No.3 Hospital. “It has been more than ten days since I came to the Wuhan No.3 Hospital. We have been working hard. The patients have seen it in their eyes, and their actions and careful thinking have deeply moved and inspired us!” Participating in such a war without gunpowder is the responsibility of a medical staff to live in awe for life. Now every medical staff is actually fighting. May everyone be healthy and safe!

A Ms. Song on bed 38 asked Shen Yanmei: “Nurse, when are you going back?” Looking at Ms. Song's anxious look, Shen Yanmei smiled and said, “We will only go back when you recover. Please make sure to be cooperative in the treatment and get relaxed!”

Knowing Ms. Song’s concerns, Shen Yanmei not only gave her nursing treatments, but also chatted with her to help her relax and relieve her anxieties. The two had a lot of warm moments in getting along with each other. At one time, she learned that Shen Yanmei didn’t have lunch, Ms. Song forced two oranges into her hands. These small actions made Shen Yanmei feel warm.

 “We should take the responsibility of the medical staff”

As one of the second-batch medical team from Shanghai, Chai Yujing, an inspector at the Mental Health Center of Yangpu District, bid farewell to her elderly parents and young son at home, and embarked on a journey to Wuhan without hesitation. She said, “Wearing this white gown, we have to shoulder this responsibility. Wuhan not only lacks medical care, but also needs inspection staff. I am here to support Wuhan!”

 “Mom, when are you coming back and telling a story to your baby?” Looking at the baby ’s expecting eyes in the video, she can only comfort her over and over again in Wuhan. “Mom is fighting against the beast here to protect you and other young boys and girls. Make sure to be obedient to the Grandpa and Grandma, and mom will be back soon.“I give you a kiss to you, mom. Cheers, mom!”

At the end of the day, Chai Yujing, who feels exhausted and almost collapsed after taking off her protective clothing. She has eczema on her hands because of wearing latex gloves for a long time, and often could not fall asleep because of itching. As a result of continuous diarrhea, she can only tie here waistband with shoelaces ... In the face of this, the 30-year-old lady has never complained. However, after hearing the naive voice of the three-year-old son in the video, she turned her back and silently shed her tears.