Foreign volunteers aid anti-epidemic efforts in Pudong

In the midst of the battle against the latest COVID-19 outbreak in Pudong New Area in East China's Shanghai, a group of warmhearted foreign volunteers are active within the area's communities, and doing their part to protect the city they work and live in.

In some neighborhoods with a high ratio of foreign residents, expats have been working as volunteers to help explain the grid-screening plan to their expat peers, making sure QR codes are ready for nucleic acid testing, and maintaining order at testing sites.

At Pudong's Jinqiao Mansion Apartment, Mathew, an expat from the United Kingdom, has been working as a volunteer for nearly two months since his neighborhood had close contacts and was forced to enter lockdown on March 11. Mathew has been helping transport and deliver supplies, clean the corridors, maintain order at testing sites, and distribute and gather the COVID-19 antigen testing reagents.

"Working as a volunteer not only offers convenience to the residents, but also enriches my life during the lockdown," Mathew said.

There are more than 170 people living in the residential building where Mathew lives. After two months of volunteering, Mathew got to know his neighbors better, and made a lot of new friends in his neighborhood, which made him feel more attached to the community and the city.

"Jinqiao Biyun Community is home to over 5,100 registered residents, nearly one third of whom are expats, and many of them have lived in Shanghai for many years," said Zhang Xiaoqing, a community official.

Zhang said that after the outbreak, many expats actively responded to join the volunteer team. Up to now, there are a total of 15 expats working as volunteers in the community, accounting for 15 percent of total volunteers.