Netizens give thumbs up to anti-epidemic measures in rural China

Liu Jia collects a sample for nucleic acid testing in Peijiazhuang Village, Lueyang County, Hanzhong City of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, March 11, 2022. (Photo by Ren Zhengdong/Xinhua)

XI'AN, March 17 (Xinhua) -- A series of photos showing a medical worker collecting nucleic acid samples in a village have recently gone viral on Chinese social platforms, winning praise from netizens.

One photo showed a medical worker wearing protective gear stooped to swab a farmer's throat in a field. Other photos also showed the medical worker collecting nucleic acid samples at farmers' homes.

Those photos were recently taken in Peijiazhuang Village, Lueyang County, Hanzhong City of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, by Ren Zhengdong, a village official. The medical worker is Liu Jia, a doctor from a local hospital.

In early March, confirmed COVID-19 cases were reported in Lueyang County. To curb the spread of the epidemic in the rural areas, nucleic acid testings have been carried out across villages and towns in Lueyang.

Nearly 20 doctors in Liu's hospital have been dispatched to the villages to collect nucleic acid samples for rural residents.

"The elderly person in the photo is Zhang Fuye, who is 82 years old," recalled Ren, who worked with Liu to collect nucleic acid samples on March 11, adding that Zhang was not at home when they arrived.

"We found Zhang and his wife were digging potatoes in their field. Given their ages, we went to the field to do the test. Then, I pressed the shutter for Liu and Zhang," Ren said.

"Both the medical worker and the farmer are awesome. The medical worker even went to the farmland to do the test," a netizen named "Luoluo" wrote on Douyin, a popular short-video app in China.

"The medical worker did a great job and the farmer cooperated very well," another internet user named "past/past" wrote.

"The village is located deep in the mountains and villagers live in scattered places. Our medics need to tramp over hills and dales to collect nucleic acid samples one by one," said Liu, who is responsible for taking samples in Peijiazhuang Village.

Liu starts his work every morning at 8:00 am.

"It usually takes me 10 hours to collect more than 380 nucleic acid samples across the village," said Liu, adding that it takes more than 40 minutes to ride a motorcycle to the farthest villager's home.

"But it would take them about two hours to reach us. So we come to them to save their time," he added.

Liu said that villagers are busy with spring farming as the weather turns warm, medics and village officials try their best to do door-to-door nucleic acid tests.

"Many villagers are elderly. We must not make trouble for them. It is ok for us as we are very young," the 28-year-old man said.

"It shows China's determination to fight against the epidemic." "The dedication of the frontline medics deserve admiration. There are no blind spots in China's epidemic prevention and control," netizens wrote. 

Liu Jia collects a sample for nucleic acid testing in Peijiazhuang Village, Lueyang County, Hanzhong City of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, March 11, 2022. (Photo by Ren Zhengdong/Xinhua)