During the recent COVID-19 outbreak in Shenzhen, volunteers have contributed tremendously to the city’s efforts to contain the spread of the virus. Among the volunteers, some are from international communities in the city.

Joan Brillas Graells from Spain and Pietro Mincuzzi are both entrepreneurs living and working at Huaqiangbei Subdistrict. On March 7, they worked as volunteers to send out stickers to residents who had finished nucleic acid tests at a nucleic acid sample collection site near the CEC Difu Building in Fuqiang Community of the subdistrict.

Joan Brillas Graells gives a sticker to a resident who has finished taking a nucleic acid test. Photos courtesy of the Foreign Affairs Office of Futian District

Graells, president of Sunrise HK International Corp Ltd., came to Shenzhen from Barcelona in 2002 and has settled down in the city since then. Mincuzzi is an industrial automation engineer as well as founder of an industrial automation firm who has been in Shenzhen for 23 years.

Pietro Mincuzzi gives a sticker to a resident who has finished taking a nucleic acid test.

The location where they served as volunteers is also where they get their regular nucleic acid testing. According to them, being volunteers in the time of COVID is not only a special experience, but also an action to say thank you to the community workers who have been helpful in their regular nucleic tests.

Bruno Bohl (3rd L) listens to community workers talking about epidemic prevention measures.

Bruno Bohl, general manager of Sheraton Shenzhen Futian Hotel, is also one of the volunteers in Futian. On March, 5, he joined the community workers at Fu’an Community in Futian Subdistrict to visit apartment buildings and remind the residents to take nucleic acid tests.

Wilshire Nicholas James (C) and two community workers pose for a photo.

Wilshire Nicholas James, an Australian national, has lived at the Kou’an Community in Futian Subdistrict for more than 10 years. On March 5, he joined community workers at a housing compound to help guide the residents to show their health codes while entering the compound.