Zhang Jie, a policeman, is on duty in a vocational college, one of the checkpoints for epidemic prevention in Tongling, Anhui Province, on Saturday. (Photos: People's Daily)

For civilians, 15 minutes might be a brief break surfing short video platforms on a mobile phone, whereas for Zhang, this is a rare and precious break from a long working day.

Zhang graduated from a police academy and started work in January. His mission has been on the frontline of epidemic prevention since March 16. He is in charge of a vocational college under closed management due to the epidemic. There are about 4,000 teachers and students on campus.

"For those aged citizens, when they are keen to get out of the community, I receive an alert and get to the spot as soon as possible," Zhang says.

Each day Zhang has to handle more than 10 such situations. He is learning to talk people down and tamp down the stress. Zhang also patrols the teaching building, canteen, dormitory and campus supermarket on foot twice a day: more than 30,000 steps. (Compiled by Dong Feng)