China Central Television:
As a woman working on the frontline, where do you find the courage to face up to all the dangers? Thank you.
Yang Xue:
Frankly, I was not brave enough at first. My cousin called me and asked if I could give her a ride to work since she lives far away from her hospital. At that time, I was very afraid because to my knowledge, a hospital was a dangerous place. But I realized that she went to work to save people. She wasn't backing down, why should I? So I said yes.
On the way to the hospital, she kept telling me how to protect myself and my family at home, what details should we pay particular attention to and how to disinfect. She also told me she would protect herself well and I shouldn't worry. Her strong sense of commitment and optimism dispelled my worries and gave me courage. That was when my attitude changed.
Later during a ride to help transport materials, I stopped at a crossroads on Wenzhi Street waiting for the traffic light to turn green. A military van was waiting beside me. When a serviceman in the van saw the logo of our volunteer team--Hongshan Youth Commando, he rolled the window down and gave me a military salute. I was deeply touched. Encouragement from this soldier, one of those who have come here to help us, boosted my morale. As a Wuhan local, I feel obligated to do all I can to help my city get better. These are the stories that helped me find courage. Thank you.
Zhong Xiaofeng:
I don't think a lot about risks, perhaps because of my sense of responsibility and devotion to my profession. My routine work involves taking care of tuberculosis patients in critical condition in the ICU. Tuberculosis is also an infectious respiratory disease. I don't have time to be afraid; I only focus my attention on the details of how to do a better job. It is my duty to provide quality nursing services to patients and help them conquer the disease while protecting my team members and ensuring efficiency. Thank you.
Liao Jun:
Fighters, men and women alike, must advance in a bid to curb the epidemic. Listening to people's voices on the ground despite the dangers is our responsibility. Many journalists have headed to the battleground time and again to cover epidemic control efforts. They often say, "We will not back down until this war is over." Xiong Qi, a colleague of mine born in the 1990s, took the first pictures of an isolation area at the Zhongnan Hospital ICU on the eve of the Spring Festival. Xiong said that was the place where he was meant to be. I think this is where our courage lies. Thank you.
Yuan Yadong:
I'd like to make some remarks too. It is normal to be afraid when facing the epidemic. COVID-19 is a completely new infectious disease and we do not know enough about it. As medical workers, we are courageous enough to confront it. Like SARS, it is a coronavirus infection and a respiratory disease. Most pulmonologists above 40 participated in the treatment of SARS patients and are highly experienced in preventing the spread of and treating infectious diseases. We believe through effective protection we can stay healthy and with scientific methods we can save lives.
Medical workers also need to explore new frontiers. We must continue our research into the unknown to improve our competence. We must be on the ground, do hands-on work in the ward and collect firsthand clinical data to gain experience and become experts in our field.
