A student's perspective: Fighting the scourge, the talk and walk that saved lives. A case of Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua.

Abstract

In 2019, China was regarded as a hotspot where noone didnt want to go due to the outbreak of Coronavirus in one of its cities. Like wise, receiving persons from the Asia nation was considered a health risk and suicidal. The first known infections from SARS-CoV-2 were discovered in Wuhan, China although the original source of viral transmission to humans was unclear. Wuhan is approximately 645 kilometers from Jinhua, a town that houses Zhejiang Normal University. This proximity to the source of origin of the virus made everyone vulnerable and drastic measures had to be taken fast. The university started testing for the virus to all the students both those that stayed on and off campus. This screening exercise was done with the help of the police andmedical personnel of Jinhua city. Due to the discomfort of the nasal testing swab, it was logical for school authorities to incorporate police officers to ensure total compliance. Students can be a handful lot, even when situations dire; demanding their cooperation, somehow they always end up doing the opposite of whats expected of them. Yuksel (2006) postulates that typically, student resistance takes the form of passive or active non-compliance with roles and outputs expected of them as students. City health personnel worked together with University medical staff to ensure the right thing was done. The novel Coronavirus demanded extreme caution always. This was a safety precaution for both, students and university health personnel. Consequently, the institution sealed off its entrance and exit points as a measure to avoid infections from the outside. This was in line with national guidelines to initiate a lockdown. Lectures continued virtually, thanks to the university's efficient online learning platform. 2020 examinations and the graduation ceremony were done online. In as much as the safety of students had to be upheld, learning had to continue. The university fared well during the height of CoVID-19. This article will tentatively look at the talk and walk that served lives at Zhejiang Normal University during the era of COVID-19 from a student's perspective.