Hotline established for children at risk

A daily reporting system on children at risk due to the coronavirus disease outbreak has been established, Shanghai's civil affairs authorities announced on Sunday. 

Shanghai's civil affairs authorities have opened a 24-hour hotline to help children, and anybody who knows of a child left home alone or at risk, or with an absent guardian call 962200, said Jiang Rui, deputy director of the Shanghai Civil Affairs Bureau. 

"Neighborhood or village committees will provide emergency help and assistance once a call is received," she said. 

A 13-year-old boy in the Pudong New Area is under temporary care by subdistrict and neighborhood committee officials after his guardian in Hubei Province could not return to the city and he has no one to rely on in Shanghai, the bureau said. 

Some social service agencies providing care and rehabilitation training are now allowed to provide services at communities if they take strict prevention measures, said Jiang.

The Shanghai Disabled Persons' Federation said it had closed service venues for the disabled across the city since the epidemic. 

Shanghai has 578,000 disabled persons and a daily system on the condition of those who can not take care of themselves has been provided by neighborhood committee officials and volunteers, said the federation. 

Medicine is taken to the doorway for the city's disabled and psychological consultation is offered.