On 18 October 2021, another Covid-19 outbreak resulted in a lockdown in Ningxia. Overnight, early 2020 seemed to have returned, but in contrast to then, many people are leaving their homes, staying at work, and helping fight the spread of infection. Ningxia Open University (Ningxia OU) students have been unanimous in joining them.

Shizuishan Branch School, Ningxia OU

Li Songtao, a 2019 Law undergraduate at the Ningxia OU Shizuishan Branch School, was assigned a checkpoint on National Highway 244, and was so dedicated to helping build a first line of defense for Shizuishan that he was unable even to grab lunch before 4 pm.

Meanwhile, Yuan Yuan, a spring 2020 Administration undergraduate at the Shizuishan Branch School, provided night-time monitoring and management for community residents, delivering vegetables and dairy, undertaking disinfection, buying medicine, and offering other services – and not least her warm care - to those under home quarantine.

Lei Junjun, a junior-college Legal Affairs students (autumn 2019), as well as an assistant in the Dawukou Traffic-police Brigade (part of the Traffic-police Branch of the Shizuishan Public-security Bureau), worked with police at a checkpoint on the North Shahu Expressway, inspecting personnel and vehicles, registering their information, and communicating infection-control measures.

Zhang Changjiang, a Law undergraduate (autumn 2020), organised 20 young volunteers who had just finished training in the Sub-bureau of Public Security in Dawukou District to help public-security officers at an inspection station on the Shiyin Expressway, and its checkpoints.

Qingtongxia Radio and TV Branch

Wang Hong, a Business Administration undergraduate (autumn 2020) and Party member of Yuejinqiao Station in Tanglaiqu, said that his responsibility as a Party member was to take the lead and contribute all his strength to combating the epidemic and restoring normalcy.

Yang Chaowei is a top junior-college Law student (spring 2019) at the Qingtongxia Radio and TV University Branch, and an auxiliary in the Qingtongxia Traffic-police Brigade. In 2020, he volunteered to man a checkpoint at Machangtan in Qingtongxia City, and in October 2021, with Covid-19 returning in Qingtongxia city, resumed the struggle rather than be with his wife in the hospital, where she was giving birth. In his view, his responsibility to one person could not exceed that of helping protect thousands of families. He is just one example of how the students of Ningxia OU are devoting themselves to protecting the city.  

By Luo Jianhong, Ningxia OU