Shanghai’s ‘Covid coaches’ step up to take some of the stress out of lockdown

Name: Shanghai neighbours scream in unison to release lockdown stress
Uploaded: 2022-04-16T04:00:20.000Z
Duration: 2 min 2 s
Description: Shanghai neighbours scream in unison to release lockdown stress

A group of volunteers is helping residents to cope mentally with the frustrations and tensions induced by the pandemic restrictions

Dozens of people have signed up for the services hosted by Community Centre Shanghai

Reading Time:4 minutes

Why you can trust SCMP

Shanghai’s lockdown has left many feeling isolated and frustrated. Photo: Reuters

Mia Castagnone

Published: 12:00pm, 16 Apr 2022Updated: 9:12am, 17 Apr 2022

Shanghai-based life coach Colin Thompson noticed the stress around him and wanted to do something.

As the city went into lockdown, Thompson, who has lived in China for 12 years, saw that his clients were under extra pressure.

“For the first time in most people’s lives, we were now working from home, kids are home from school, and it’s turned people’s lives upside down,” he said.

“A lot of my clients say I cannot concentrate on coaching right now because I’m going stir crazy at home.”

It is a feeling reported across the city, with residents expressing anger, frustration and helplessness, with no end in sight.

The megacity of 25 million people has been in lockdown for over two weeks and reports have emerged of some residents screaming from windows and others sneaking out in the middle of the night to barter for food. The city’s elderly have also reported to have been left forgotten and gone days without enough food.

02:02

Shanghai neighbours scream in unison to release lockdown stress