Grassroots heroes aid HK's pandemic fight

Growing bonds

In addition to goods crossing the border, human flow through the checkpoints is another key area of the battle against the pandemic.

Customs officials, medical workers and numerous helpers are working in shifts day and night to help hundreds of travelers from Hong Kong every day and also to prevent self-infection.

Wang Yeqing has worked at the Shenzhen Bay checkpoint since March 2020. He helps escort inbound travelers to their quarantine hotels. Last year, the checkpoint introduced a closed-loop system for all staff members, and Wang has been living inside the loop ever since.

Dressed in a protective suit every day, he arrives at the checkpoint at 11 am and works until 2 am or 3 am next day. "We can't leave until there are no travelers left at the checkpoint," he said.

Most of Wang's daily work involves helping arrange shuttle buses, carrying luggage and taking care of pregnant travelers and the elderly.

"There are people in wheelchairs every day. It is difficult for them to get on or off transfer vehicles, so we initially carried them to the shuttle buses," he said, adding that wheelchair-accessible buses and cars were later assigned to make such transfers safer.

Wang said there have been some misunderstandings about long waiting times, but apart from this these travelers are extremely cooperative, and he feels "greatly moved" and rewarded by his work.

"The children are very friendly－constantly thanking us and giving us the thumbs-up," he said.

"Once, very early in the morning－about 1 am－a girl from Hong Kong slipped a bag of cookies to me, saying she was worried about me not eating at such an hour. At that moment, I felt the warmth and was very happy that I was accepted by Hong Kong residents.

"One difficulty for me is that I don't understand or speak Cantonese, as I grew up in Hunan province, and most elderly people from Hong Kong only speak Cantonese," he said. "So I am very grateful that there are always warmhearted travelers to help me translate."

Wang, who has become well-known to some frequent travelers, told the story of a Hong Kong couple.

"The husband was ill and in a wheelchair, and he and his wife had to travel between Hong Kong and Shenzhen for medical treatment," he said.

In May 2020, the first time the couple arrived at the checkpoint, Wang helped them arrange a vehicle to their quarantine hotel as quickly as possible.

Since then, the couple always greet him when they see him at the checkpoint. Wang said that just a few days ago, he met them again and they both said, "You are the young guy who helped us before."

Wang also said that rules have to be made to prevent infections spreading, but customs officers do their best to explain them and also make journeys more comfortable by providing bread, canned porridge and water for free.

According to current regulations, travelers from Hong Kong must show their quarantine hotel reservations in order to cross the border, but after an agreement reached with the city's immigration authorities, exceptions are made for urgent cases.