MARCH 8 is marked as International Women’s Day, a chance to honor females for their contributions to families and society. And this year, the celebration has taken on special significance.

On what is supposed to be a day to take a break and celebrate, women on the front line of the fight against the novel coronavirus outbreak in China have been busier than ever.

A total of 28,000 female medical workers have been sent to central Hubei Province, including its capital Wuhan, to help battle the COVID-19 disease to date, accounting for two-thirds of the total number, a Chinese health official said yesterday.

They are among the total 42,600 medical workers in 346 medical teams sent to Hubei, according to Guo Yanhong, an official with the National Health Commission.

Meanwhile, Shanghai’s female medical staff working on the epidemic front line received lipstick, tulips and even “love letters” from their male colleagues on International Women’s Day. But for most of them, there couldn’t be a better gift than the ultimate victory in the anti-virus battle.

Having worked at the makeshift Leishenshan Hospital in Wuhan for nearly three weeks, nurse Huang Cuiqin from Shanghai Sixth People’s Hospital is eager to return to normal life.

“When I was asked about my wishes, so many just occurred to me. I want to travel with my family, cook them a simple dinner. I want to take off the mask and hug my loved ones. I want to run around Leishenshan,” she wrote in her diary.

Huang’s college Ni Wei plans to travel to Wuhan with her family, climb up the Yellow Crane Tower and enjoy the hot dry noodles after the epidemic ends.

“Wuhan hasn’t warmed up but I don’t feel cold as good people have donated enough clothes for us,” she wrote in a letter to her mother. “Patients told me the cherry trees along the East Lake will bloom this month. I believe the virus will fade when flowers bloom.”

Huang, Ni and other female medical workers who were sent to Wuhan, received lipsticks and flowers, including red roses, orange tulips and white lilies as special gifts.

Female medical staff from Shanghai Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine were happy to take photos with their bouquets. Nurse Xu Wei compared her nursing uniform to a white armor, and her work as a battle. “It’s my duty and mission to join the fight,” she said.

Male medical staff from Zhongshan Hospital made a special video as a “love letter” to their female colleagues. One especially put on his tie, and another found a guitar and sang a song.

In the video, they said: “You are so beautiful when you are at work. It must be fate that we spend the hard times together in Wuhan, and I will cherish the experiences. Many thanks to your devotion and efforts. Hope we can return in triumph as soon as possible.”

Nine female medics from Renji Hospital who now work at Leishenshan also made videos.

“Next year, let us get together in the Yellow Crane Tower and under the cherry trees at Wuhan University to see Wuhan without masks and recall our efforts,” said nurse Le Ye.

Nurse Yuan Xiuqun hopes her care and companionship helps patients through the dark times. “Love is the best thing we can repay to the world. Salute to every heroine. Let’s wait for the warm spring and flower blossoms.”

Shanghai has 189,700 female medical workers, accounting for more than 73 percent of the city’s total. During the epidemic, 1,649 medical workers rushed to offer help to Wuhan, and 1,088 of them, two-thirds of the total, are female, Zheng Jin, a spokeswoman for the Shanghai Health Commission, told the government’s daily press conference.

Among hospitals, Renji has sent several batches of medical workers. Yesterday, Shanghai Party Secretary Li Qiang visited Renji and talked to some female nurses and doctors.

He also video chatted with the “heroines” working on the front line in Wuhan.

“Thank you,” he said at the beginning. “Women are of irreplaceable importance in economic and social development. In the fight against the epidemic, they firmly hold up half the sky. Night and day, they are fighting bravely on the front line.”

Li described them as “angels in white” and “roses on the battlefield.”

“In life, you are mothers, wives and daughters. In work, you safeguard lives with your profession and skills. Facing the epidemic, you step forward bravely with no hesitation,” he lauded.

Li told them to maintain a fighting spirit and have strong faith in an ultimate victory. He also assured them that the whole of society cares about and supports them and their families.

“All Shanghai people and your families are solicitous about you. Hope you will triumph and be safe as soon as possible.”

On the end of the screen, Fan Xiaohong from Shanghai Sixth People’s Hospital, said: “As medics, we just fulfill our duties.”

She added: “Thanks for the loving care. We will not let you or the people of Shanghai down. Please feel assured that every one of the Shanghai medical workers being sent to Wuhan will be able to return to Shanghai.”

Across the city, various heart-warming campaigns have been held to show care and concern for the female medics working on the front line, Weng Wenlei, deputy chairman of the Shanghai Women’s Federation, said at yesterday’s press conference.

On Valentine’s Day, the federation sent 2,000 gifts, including chocolates and Shanghai specialty pastries, to female medical workers from Ruijin, Huashan and Zhongshan hospitals, Children’s Hospital of Fudan University, and the Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center.

Also, the federation initiated a donation campaign to raise hygiene supplies. Within 48 hours, the federation received 109,400 period panties, which were later distributed to the city’s female medical workers both in Wuhan and Shanghai.

According to the federation, female medical workers working on the front line must wear protective outfits which take 30 minutes to put on and take off. To save both time and the protective gear, many women choose to wear disposable period panties, diaper-size sanitary pads, while menstruating. Like face masks and protective suits, disposable period panties have become an urgently-needed resource for female medical workers.

Besides, women who have been bestowed the title of “Shanghai March 8 Pacesetters,” the highest honor for local career women, have made big contributions to the anti-virus campaign.

They have donated tens of thousands of daily supplies, including towels, medicated soaps, cotton slippers, laundry detergents, electric blankets and down jackets. They have also donated hundreds of boxes of urgently-needed resources for women, including disposable underwear and sanitary pads, according to the federation.