Zhong Nanshan, the 85-year-old expert, went to fight against the outbreak of COVID-19 without hesitation. What he did touched people in the whole nation and he won the Medal of the Republic(共和国勋章) in September, 2020.
Dr. Zhong was born in 1936 into a doctor family. Following the family tradition, he studied in medical school in Peking University. When he was in the university, Zhong broke the national record of 400meter hurdle, so he was even chosen to be a professional athlete. But he decided to teach in the university after he graduated in 1960. He started his career as a doctor in Guangzhou in 1971.
During the SARS outbreak in 2003, Zhong was the first one to admit that the epidemic(疫情)was "not under control". When there was a mass panic(恐慌)among medical staff, Zhong risked his life and treated all the seriously ill patients in person. Finally, he developed the treating method for SARS.
When facing the COVID19 outbreak, Zhong tried his best to seek useful ways to control the spread of new coronavirus(新型冠状病毒)and treat the infected patients. He also taught the public how to avoid being infected to stop the panic among people. After the epidemic was under control in April 2020, he joined in the vaccine(疫苗)development.
"You need to bear in mind that the most important thing is not treating the disease, but treating the patient, " said Zhong during an interview. "We need to heal their hearts and treat the disease. " Zhong's life has always been closely connected with his patients and the development of the nation. He is a caring doctor, a virus fighter, and a guardian of the nation.
