At the height of China’s coronavirus outbreak, Wuhan had 1.5 million registered volunteers, according to official statistics. What challenges did they face? And what motivated them to head straight into the disaster zone?
During the worst of China’s coronavirus outbreak in February and March, there were an estimated 1.5 million registered volunteers in Wuhan, according to official statistics. They came from all over the country—as far as northern China—to aid relief efforts.
Last month, we caught up with three volunteers as they prepared to leave Wuhan. The number of cases was dwindling, and intercity trains were resuming service. They were ready to go home.
There was a flurry of emotions. It was clear from the interviews that the city had grown on them and the experience had changed them. One of the volunteers, a college student, left home without telling her parents and teared up as she video-called them.
Watch the video above to hear their stories.
