How China Keeps Working Amid COVID-19 Lockdowns

When COVID-19 lockdowns swept through the Chinese mainland, international observers like Ryan, a foreign teacher at a Chinese university, wondered: How does work continue? Spoiler: It’s not just Zoom calls and sweatpants.

Ryan’s viral videos reveal a mix of remote work innovation and on-site grit. Many white-collar workers shifted to platforms like Tencent Meeting and DingTalk, while factories adopted “closed-loop” systems where employees live temporarily at work sites. Imagine 24/7 shifts with dorm-style accommodations – it’s productivity meets pandemic survival.

Meanwhile, delivery drivers became lifelines, navigating apps like Meituan to keep essentials flowing. \"It’s like a real-life video game,\" Ryan quipped in one clip, showing riders dodging roadblocks while balancing groceries.

But it’s not all smooth sailing. Workers in lockdown areas face weeks away from family, and small businesses pivot daily to stay afloat. Still, as Ryan puts it: \"Every masked smile here says ‘keep going.’\"

From tech-savvy remote setups to factory \"bubbles,\" China’s workforce is rewriting the rulebook on pandemic resilience – one adaptation at a time.

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How do people in China work during the coronavirus outbreak?

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