Editor's note: In the battle with the COVID-19 epidemic, more and more fighters are coming to its front lines, including students and former students of the Open University of China (OUC). Like other fighters, no matter how ordinary, they are contributing what they can. Let's take a close look at some of their stories.

Wang Tao is a student in the School of Continuing Education at the Hebei Branch, and secretary of the first sub-branch of the Caijue Community Party branch in Zhangjiakou, Hebei province. When the COVID-19 epidemic began, he rushed to the front lines despite the difficulty of doing so, keeping in mind his promise as a member of the Communist Party of China to "be ready to sacrifice everything for the Party and the people at any time".

During the outbreak, Wang Tao has been on duty at a checkpoint at the entrance of Guanghuayuan community every day from 7 am to 12 pm alongside its property-management personnel, registering and checking vehicles, monitoring gatherings, and ensuring that visitors were safe to be allowed entry. Wang Tao and the others have been essential to protecting the community. More than 4,500 households live in 90 buildings there; it is a hard task to guard the gate of a community with tens of thousands of people.

He has always been hard-working and conscientious in helping fight covid-19. During the Spring Festival, the peak time for returning migrants, the weather was terrible, making work at the checkpoint particularly difficult. From the second day of the Chinese Lunar New Year, he helped man the checkpoint for more than two months, and never asked for leave, disseminating information about the epidemic and the means of controlling it, and helping to keep the community calm. Even in snow and frigid cold he did not abandon his post.

As a Party member, he has taken the lead in fighting the epidemic, fully cooperating with community staff in undertaking household visits and investigations, disseminating news and other information, and maintaining calm.

To supply residents with daily necessities, Wang Tao volunteered to deliver these, presenting himself personally to Wu Chunmei, secretary of the Caijue Party branch. When the local pharmacy was short of drugs, he drove to a more distant one to obtain these, and even refused payment for them or for his services, hurrying back to work as soon as he had finished.

When he learned that the blood bank was in urgent need, Wang Tao rushed to the South Street donation centre immediately to donate blood for free.
Wang Tao has remained true to the commitment he made in becoming a member of the CPC, and believes that members like himself, who remain strong regardless of difficulties, will ensure our ultimate victory.

By Hebei Branch