Indian expats in Shanghai hail China's epidemic response

The Indian community in Shanghai has hailed China's fighting spirit in tackling the challenges brought about by the novel coronavirus outbreak.

According to the Indian Association in Shanghai, the collective efforts undertaken by the government and the public to fight the epidemic is a demonstration of the nation's ability to effectively organize and mobilize resources as well as design a holistic response plan in times of crisis.

Many people in the association who have been living in the municipality say that they chose to stay in the country when the epidemic broke because they were confident the authorities would have the situation under control.

In February, when the epidemic reached its peak in China, the association initiated a campaign themed "Solidarity", calling for the Indian community in the city to show their support to China's efforts in fighting the spread of the virus.

Many Indian residents, from primary school students to artists to businessmen, sent articles, poems, paintings and videos that paid tribute to the efforts of the Chinese, especially front-line medical workers, who are working hard to control the outbreak.

The Indian Association in Shanghai has always been actively involved in local activities. For the past six years, hundreds of Indians in the city have been donating blood as a way to give back to Chinese society.

"Except for Hubei province, other provinces and major Chinese cities do not have large-scale outbreaks or disease clusters. Many people from overseas may be curious how such an outbreak could be brought under control within just two months. This is all due to the holistic mobilization of the whole society," says Satyajeet Narode, an Indian resident who works in the research and development sector.

"Residential neighborhoods, shops and shopping malls have stationed workers to measure the temperature of each visitor. If there are any suspected cases, there are systematic medical and social actions in place to handle the situation," he adds.

Narode also gave the thumbs up to the management of residential neighborhoods, many of which have put in place lockdown measures that have proved to be effective in curbing the spread of the virus. These measures include prohibiting access to couriers, taxis and people who do not stay in the neighborhood.