As Shanghai navigates a recent COVID-19 resurgence, an unexpected hero has emerged in the city’s grassroots response: Michael Oldfield, a British expat who has called China home for nearly a decade. The 35-year-old, who works in education, joined his community’s volunteer team on April 1 after witnessing neighbors banding together under closed-off management measures.
“I saw retirees, students, and working professionals all pitching in – it inspired me to step up,” Oldfield said. His daily tasks range from delivering groceries to coordinating nucleic acid testing queues, offering a cross-cultural perspective on community resilience.
A vlog documenting his experience reveals volunteers working 12-hour shifts, navigating language barriers with a mix of Mandarin and improvised sign language. “We’ve had grandparents teach us Shanghainese phrases while we help them scan health codes,” he shared. The footage highlights unexpected camaraderie, including dance breaks between shifts and neighbors exchanging international recipes.
Social media reactions to Oldfield’s story have surged, with Weibo hashtags related to volunteer efforts amassing over 50 million views this week. The phenomenon underscores how global citizens are reshaping localized pandemic responses through multicultural collaboration.
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A British volunteer in Shanghai community amid COVID-19 resurgence
cgtn.com
