'Gatekeeper' An Lijuan Keeps Virus out of Community

An Lijuan (C), secretary of the Party committee of a sub-district in Beijing, checks the information of a resident. [China Women's News]

An Lijuan, secretary of the Party committee of a sub-district in Beijing, has been fighting on the front line of the community-based prevention and control of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) since the first day of the Lunar New Year which falls on January 25. 

The safety of more than 30,000 residents in Shougang Kuangshan Sub-district was on her top priority list in the past two months.

In the morning of the second day of the Lunar New Year, An mobilized more than 100 community workers and volunteers to post publicity materials and banners to circulate epidemic prevention and control information among the residents. 

"I had to put aside the family reunion, but my family members always back me up," she said.

An, also deputy to the Beijing Municipal People's Congress, wrote a letter calling on all Party members living in the sub-district to join the anti-virus battle, and tried to coordinate with various units to establish a volunteers' team composed of more than 150 people to carry out community-based screening work. 

When a suspected case appeared in a residential building, An rushed there to arrange the transfer of the suspected to a designated hospital, and immediately managed the isolation of the whole building. She took the risk of being infected and braved the coldness at midnight, standing fast to complete the necessary work. 

An led the community workers to help the residents in quarantine purchase and deliver daily necessities. To set an example, An was the first to deliver supplies to the people in isolation regardless of incomplete protective equipment at the time.

While sticking to the front line of epidemic containment, An took the lead by donating 10,000 yuan (US$ 1,409.5) to the Party organization; she also donated masks, disinfectant and daily supplies worth more than 4,000 yuan (US$ 563.8) to the local nursing home.

Through her hard and persistent work, an "impregnable firewall" for the community was built and the virus was firmly shut out of the community. 

"An, like a 'gatekeeper,' instilled confidence in everyone to win the battle against the COVID-19 and she made it," a resident said.

(Source: China Women's News/Translated and edited by Women of China)