Deliverymen keep essential food-supply route operating

Staff safety should come first at this time, says Kong Lingjie, head of the JD logistics center that Xu works for.

Kong says the center has seen record purchases and orders during this year's Spring Festival. Since the beginning of the holiday, many of his colleagues have held the fort to deal with the soaring business.

JD, one of China's leading online shopping platforms, saw its turnover in grain and edible oil increase to 15 times the level from the previous year. The turnover of instant food grew more than tenfold and that of dairy products rose by 300 percent. The demand for bottled water also soared.

Most packages are left in the delivery lockers across neighborhoods these days, says Xu. "We used to deliver the packages to customers at the door personally, but it's now better and safer to avoid meeting so many people."

Before the festival, Xu brought his wife and 6-year-old son to Xi'an for a family gathering. "The very first thing I do after returning home at the end of the day is to disinfect my coat and shoes. I have to take good care of my family."

Xu says he missed the bustling streets and the crowded city, though he believes "things will definitely get better".