SHENYANG, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- With a sign reading "Free ride for medical workers" pasted on his cab, taxi driver Yu Zhuo in Shenyang, capital of northeast China's Liaoning Province, often slows his car when passing hospitals.

Fan Xianjiao, a doctor from the Shengjing Hospital Affiliated to the China Medical University, said she owes a debt of gratitude to Yu, who has eased her daily commute during the outbreak of the novel coronavirus.

Yu exempted Fan's taxi fare when he found out she was a doctor on duty on the front line of the fight against the disease, when Fan took the ride on Feb. 17, and he decided to do his part to assist the medical staff's work.

Instead of shunning medical workers to avoid the risk of infection, many taxi drivers across the country have voluntarily made the same pledge as Yu's to offer free rides to express their respect for the great sacrifice of medical workers in the country's anti-epidemic battle.

"Medical staff have sacrificed a lot, and what I have done is trivial," said Yu.

The outpouring of appreciation and admiration for medical workers has overwhelmed the shadow of some violent incidents between patients and medical workers that have repeatedly resulted in the deaths or serious injury of doctors and nurses.

In the battle against the epidemic, the public has frequently witnessed the courageous and selfless dedication of doctors. So far, thousands of medical staff have been infected with the virus while at work.

Chinese central leadership and local governments have rolled out a series of preferential policies and incentives to care, protect and encourage medical personnel, including raising the on-duty subsidy standard and salary level for medical workers on the front line.

Nationwide, many major tourist attractions have exempted ticket charges for medical personnel.

"These measures convey the common wish of the whole society for respecting medical personnel's work," said Zhang Sining, a researcher with the Liaoning Academy of Social Sciences.

He said the novel coronavirus epidemic has become a major public health emergency since 1949. In the hard-hit province of Hubei, more than 41,000 medical personnel from across the country are fighting against the epidemic.

The unprecedented situation has created an atmosphere throughout Chinese society of respecting doctors: There are farmers sending fish and chicken raised at home to medical teams. A group of hotpot restaurants in Sichuan Province pledge to provide free meals for one year for medical personnel in the province who have joined the medical assistance teams in Wuhan.

"I hope that through this anti-epidemic fight, there will be more understanding between medical staff and patients, and more mutual trust," said Luo Yuan, a nurse from Fengcheng Central Hospital in the city of Dandong, Liaoning.

Luo's husband is currently with the medical team from Liaoning to assist the fight in Wuhan.

"I look forward to his victorious return," she said.