The novel coronavirus (新冠病毒) made this year's Spring Festival holiday very different for most of us.
Many places in China began a first- level emergency (突发事件) response to the virus in mid-January, calling for people to stay at home. Following these rules, most people gave up family gatherings during the Spring Festival and canceled any festive celebrations.
It's the quietest Chinese New Year I've ever had,” Xin Jingrong, a 14-year-old student from Nanning, Guangxi said. For the first time in years, Xin's grandmother had to cancel her trip to Nanning and stay alone in her hometown.
The control measures not only separate many families, but also make daily life inconvenient. Many shops are closed, delivery services are slow, and wearing masks in public has become a must. Although it is inconvenient, people are still showing their understanding and cooperation (合作).
Tong Zexi, a 15-year-old student from Harbin, has not gone out in more than 20 days. "I know I need to protect myself and cause no trouble. In this critical (关键的) tit in time, when one gets sick, many others could be affected."
Apart from simply following the rules, some people have done amazing things to help fight the outbreak.
On Feb 3, Zhao Junyan, a Junior 2 student from Shanghai, brought 15,000 masks from Indonesia back to China. People's Daily reported. Zhao, while traveling in Jakarta, collected the masks with his uncle, who works in the city. The 15-year-old donated (捐赠) all of the masks to Cangnan, Zhejiang, his hometown.
"When a country is in trouble, everyone is responsible to help," Zhao said to the media. "What I have done is what an ordinary Chinese person can possibly do."