The 76 days and nights spent in lockdown linger as a bad memory in the minds of residents of Wuhan, Hubei province, but national efforts to help them in their fight against the novel coronavirus still warm their hearts.

Chen Feng, a resident of the Songtaoyuan community in the Wuchang district, said that he was happy that Wuhan had emerged from its difficulties thanks to the comprehensive national approach taken to fight the virus.

As the epidemic started in Wuhan at the end of 2019, healthcare facilities became overstretched as a huge number of patients flooded hospitals. As hospitals struggled to protect medical workers from exposure, many ran short of personal protective equipment.

At this critical moment of havoc, the Communist Party of China Central Committee, with General Secretary Xi Jinping at its core, took decisive measures to help Wuhan fight the epidemic by mobilizing resources nationwide to curb the spread of the virus in what was then the hardest-hit city in the country.

Xi flew to Wuhan later for an inspection tour, which boosted the confidence of residents fighting to secure victory in the struggle against the epidemic.

Hu Ke, a respiratory doctor at the Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, said that he stayed with his patients for 88 days in a row, and that he will never forget that difficult period.

"I never imagined that General Secretary Xi would come to Wuhan at the time, and his arrival encouraged us to fight the virus till the end," Hu said.

The decision to lock down Wuhan was difficult but proved to be effective.

The move made it possible to prevent the virus from spreading to other areas, while quarantining at home prevented more people from being infected.

During the fight, the constant theme was "the people first" as Xi stressed saving lives, safety and health as the top priorities, treating every patient and leaving no one unattended.

Over 42,000 medical workers were sent to Hubei from across the country, as were key medical supplies including ventilators, protective suits, masks and daily necessities.

After 76 days of lockdown, lives gradually returned to normal.

When Xi returned to Wuhan for an inspection tour on June 29, he commended the city's epidemic prevention and control efforts, saying that although there had been several outbreaks since Wuhan won its battle against the virus in 2020, the city had managed to get them under control quickly, preventing a massive resurgence.

Practice has demonstrated that the principle and policy adopted by the CPC Central Committee are correct and effective and must be upheld, Xi said during a visit to the Zhiyuan community.

Wen Xiuping, a Zhiyuan resident, said that she felt Xi's care for vulnerable groups.

"He told us that it is better to temporarily halt economic development than put lives and health in danger, particularly the elderly and children. I was moved by his words," she said.

Hu Yun, Zhiyuan Party secretary, said that communities are the cells of a city.
"We will take action to safeguard the hard-won results of the epidemic response and will not allow our residents to suffer again," he said.

From China Daily