They Work on Vaccination Frontline

More than 760 medical staffs in Hongkou insist on the frontline of vaccination. Photo by Qian Chao

By Qian Chao

At present, the vaccination against Covid-19 in the whole district is being carried out orderly. The medical staff of each vaccination station work overtime to vaccinate the masses, and build a life line of defense for the masses with spirits of dedication and responsibility.

"Today, I had the second injection from the same nurse that injected me last time." Zhang Zhenzhen, who works in Xingwang International Clothing Market, said that she met Mao Wei, a nurse, in the two vaccinations. She met the same person at the same seat three weeks ago. “Mao Wei always explains the tips carefully, and her injection doesn't hurt."

Since the North Bund Sub-district set up a vaccination station at Qipu Road, the 50-year-old nurse Mao Wei from the Community Health Service Center of the North Bund Sub-district has worked alternatively at the vaccination station and the Community Health Service Center. "I live near Jinjiang Amusement Park, leave home at 06:30 a.m. and go back at 11:00 p.m. every day. I fall asleep once touching pillow." According to Mao Wei, they work at vaccination point on night shift in turns in addition to the daytime vaccination under the circumstance that the daily clinic is not closed. Work routines of "day plus night" and "workdays plus weekend" have become their daily life. "It is common to sit down without standing up since we start to work at 08:00 a.m. We are too busy to go to toilet and don't have lunch till 01:00 p.m. from time to time". Mao Wei introduced that some her colleges go home to prepare food and hurry back to continuously work because their aged parent could not live on their own due to illness. She stressed that all of them sacrifice for the society and have insisted for over three months.

At this juncture, the development and construction of the North Bund is in full swing, and there are many construction sites and land lots of old houses to be overhauled in Hongkou District. Therefore, builders and the aged are the main force of vaccination. "Some builders claim they are illiterate and ask for help. Others had the first vaccination outside Shanghai, which requires our checking provincial-, municipal- and town-level information step by step to cautiously have the second vaccination for the migrant workers." Mao Wei and her colleagues explain the tips after the vaccination again and again to them. This work is not as simple as injection because the communication cost bulges.

Mao Wei has periarthritis in her right shoulder and a long-term repeated movement can worsen her. Her coping strategy is to stick three plasters before work and use her right hand only for injection to rest it as much as possible. Once on her duty, she vaccinated for 336 times so that her arm failed to lift at night. Her family had already prepared physical therapy equipment for her to relieve the pain. Although Mao Wei's husband stayed in bed due to fracture some time ago and child faced examination, she overcame difficulties for vaccination work, counterbalanced between work and family, went to work every day, and fulfilled the vaccination in last phase. Mao Wei said: "Predecessors are supposed to exert exemplary influence. The juniors are seeing what we are doing."

It is learnt that there are over 760 medicine staff insisting on the frontline of vaccination to continuously provide vaccination service and ensure the safety for the mass.