“Wuhan went into lockdown on January 23rd. Facing something so unknown is terrifying.

In normal times, I’m an ordinary counsellor. During the COVID-19 pandemic, I became a mental health aid worker.

The work we did during the pandemic was to visit the mobile field hospitals and isolation units and talk to patients face-to-face.

I was scared when I went in at the first time, really scared.

I smelled the pungent smell of disinfectant, and every person in the quarantine was wearing masks and glasses, we couldn’t tell them apart.

The first patient I visited was an old lady. She was over 70. She hadn’t been home in a long time. She took my hand, she had a lot she wanted to say to me. She didn’t have anyone to talk with. She took my hand, she was really emotional, and tears were welling up in her eyes.

It made me realize how important this aid work was.

The city was locked down for 70-80 days. Sometimes it drove me crazy too. Day after day – it was really hard to deal with.

Having lived through this pandemic, everyone’s mental state has been hugely changed. No matter if they’ve been directly affected by the virus or not. They’ve all lived through this.

We counsellors bring a little light into people’s lives.

We hope this light can become a beacon of hope that will bring warmth to those who have lived through this pandemic.”