fredag 13. november 2020

To Fight the Next Pandemic, the World Needs Chinese Activists

“Do any doctors or nurses need a ride today?” Thus ran a typical text message sent out by a group of volunteers in Wuhan, the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak. After the city’s bus system shut down in January, exhausted medical staff – some working 24-hour shifts to conserve their limited supplies of protective equipment – were left without rides to work. 

Han Yue, the head of a local charity, organized an impromptu group of drivers. Hundreds of people volunteered to ferry frontline medical workers and supplies day and night. By late January, there were more than 4,000 volunteer drivers in the group. The group was later shut down by the authorities, in favor of a private company offering ride-sharing services for a fee.