Lin Yue once again gathered the villagers in the village's open space, holding a blackboard in her hand (brought by the educated youth from school, unexpectedly coming in handy at this time). She placed the blackboard in a conspicuous position, then picked up a piece of chalk and drew some simple yet vivid patterns on it, beginning to explain to the villagers the dangers of infectious diseases and the principles of disease prevention.
“Look, everyone, these little circles represent germs. They are so tiny that we can’t see them with the naked eye. When someone gets infected, if we don’t take precautions, these germs will spread quietly from that person to those around them, like this…” Lin Yue said, drawing lines on the blackboard with chalk to demonstrate the transmission route of germs. Her eyes were focused and serious, as if she were telling a story about life and death, and the protagonists of this story were every villager present.
“The disinfection and isolation we are doing now are to interrupt the transmission routes of these germs, build a solid defense for everyone, and protect more people from infection. The masks we wear may look simple, but they can effectively block germs from entering our mouths and noses; disinfectant can kill germs in the surrounding environment, leaving them nowhere to hide. Therefore, everyone must take these epidemic prevention measures seriously and not be careless in the slightest. This is to protect ourselves and everyone around us.” Lin Yue’s eyes swept over each villager. She saw some villagers with expressions of sudden realization, as if they had seen a glimmer of light in the darkness; while others still looked worried, their brows furrowed, and the fear in their eyes was like an inescapable gloom.
At this moment, an elderly villager stepped forward. Leaning on a cane, his body trembled slightly, and the wrinkles on his face were as deep as ravines. His eyes were filled with doubt and unease: "Lin Yue, this germ is so powerful, can we really defend against it? I've lived so long, and I've never seen such a terrible disease. It's like a nightmare; I don't know if we can get through it." Lin Yue looked at the old man, her eyes filled with respect and warmth. She smiled and said, "Grandpa, I know it's difficult. This disaster is a huge challenge for each of us. But as long as we unite and do things the right way, we will definitely have a chance. We can't give up. We've already made many preparations. As long as we persevere, there is hope. Just like the difficulties we've overcome before, we can definitely do it this time too." The old man nodded slightly, a hint of determination appearing in his eyes.
The epidemic prevention efforts were not without their challenges, and some dissenting voices emerged. Some villagers felt the prevention measures were too cumbersome, and they were blindly confident that they were physically strong and wouldn't be unlucky enough to contract the disease, thus resisting measures such as disinfection and wearing masks.
A middle-aged villager muttered, "This is so annoying, all the time. I'm perfectly healthy, I wouldn't get sick. I think this is making a mountain out of a molehill." As he spoke, he impatiently took off his mask and tossed it aside. Captain Li saw this and immediately frowned, his face turning stern. He strode over, his eyes filled with authority: "Old Wang, you're playing with your own life and everyone else's. This disease doesn't care if you're healthy or not; once you get it, the consequences are unimaginable. We're racing against death right now; everyone must follow the rules and not take any chances. Think about your family; if they get sick because of your negligence, you'll regret it for the rest of your life." Under Captain Li's stern reprimand, the middle-aged villager's face flushed red and then paled. He reluctantly picked up his mask, put it back on, and muttered under his breath, but dared not openly disobey any longer.
As time went on, the disinfection work proceeded in an orderly manner. The village was filled with the pungent smell of lime water and the distinctive aroma of burning mugwort. The mixture of these smells, while somewhat unpleasant, gave the villagers a strange sense of security, as if the smells were their weapons against the disease. Inside the isolation area, Lin Yue and several villagers with nursing knowledge were carefully caring for the patients. Like guardian angels, they fed the patients medication, wiped their bodies with damp towels, and took their temperatures; every action was filled with love and tenderness.
Chen Yu, along with some other educated youth, patrolled the village. They acted as guardians, checking the disinfection status of various areas and the villagers' protective measures. The sun rose higher, and the weather became increasingly sweltering. The scorching sun beat down on the earth, as if trying to bake everything. Chen Yu's forehead was covered in sweat, his clothes soaked through, but he continued his patrol meticulously. He noticed a villager not wearing a mask correctly in his yard and quickly went over to remind him, "Uncle, your mask should cover your nose as well; that's how you protect yourself. If you only cover your mouth, germs can still get in." The villager scratched his head sheepishly and adjusted his mask, saying, "Thank you, Chen Yu. I was careless just now; I almost made a mistake." Chen Yu smiled and said, "It's alright, Uncle. Everyone's tense right now, and it's easy to make mistakes, but we must remind each other and not give germs a chance to get in."
In the afternoon, the sun hung high in the sky, scorching the earth, making the epidemic prevention work even more difficult. The villagers toiled under the high temperatures, sweat pouring down their faces like rain, soaking their clothes and making them sticky and uncomfortable, but no one complained. They knew they were fighting for their own lives and the safety of their families, and every drop of sweat was a testament to their determination to fight the disease.
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