Following the New Year celebrations at the start of 2020, the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has caused serious disruption across the globe. Hong Kong was no exception and the city went into partial lockdown. In response to the multiple challenges brought about by this crisis, HKBU students, alumni and staff immediately joined hands with the community to provide much-needed support to society through the "Beat the Virus, BU&I" campaign, which was launched in March.
The campaign, which integrated the University's creative and caring DNA, introduced initiatives that empowered the community in a variety of areas, including healthcare, mental wellbeing and care for the community. Academics from across the University also contributed their professional expertise to produce some important research.
Strengthening citizens' health
With the support of donors and a variety of organisations, the School of Chinese Medicine gave more than 40,000 doses of the Chinese Medicine Immunity Enhancement Remedy to the elderly, frontline medical staff as well as to others in need to strengthen their immunity to viral infection. The Remedy was produced with herbal medicine ingredients free of contaminants such as pesticides and heavy metals.
In addition, the Hong Kong Baptist University - Jockey Club Chinese Medicine Disease Prevention and Health Management Centre launched a free online video service for the public. After arranging an appointment with lecturers from the Centre, the public could use a video communication platform to enquire about health information, health protection tips and standard Chinese medicine knowledge. The Centre also established a Doctor's Mailbox online platform providing the latest health and Chinese medicine information to the community.
Making hand sanitiser for the needy
An HKBU volunteer team comprising students and staff donated hand sanitiser produced by the Department of Chemistry to elderly people living alone and to grassroots families, helping the most vulnerable fight the COVID-19 pandemic. Together with representatives from partnering non-governmental organisations (NGOs), students and staff delivered the sanitiser to the homes of the needy.
Collecting masks for the needy
When the pandemic broke out and there was an acute shortage of masks, the Centre for Innovative Service- Learning, the Alumni Affairs Office and the General Education Office partnered with students, staff, alumni and the general public to collect thousands of masks, which were distributed to the Hong Kong Blind Union and other worthy causes.
Exercising at home
To encourage people to exercise regularly while staying at home during the lockdown, Professor Chung Pak- kwong and Dr Lobo Louie, together with students of the Department of Sport, Physical Education and Health, demonstrated a series of home exercises on videos.
Offering broth recipes for strengthening immunity
To help the public fight the virus, the School of Chinese Medicine introduced three recipes for a broth that can help improve people's immunity. In addition, the School gave tips on acupressure for different acupuncture points to strengthen the immune system.
Relieving stress with music
During times of high stress, music can act as a refuge for people and bring them calm and peace. Dr Ben Koen, a medical ethnomusicologist of the Department of Music, helped people reduce stress and improve wellbeing with the Three Breath Meditation.
Music videos thank frontline workers
Utilising the University's creative strengths, students, alumni and staff banded together to produce music videos dedicated to frontline workers including nurses, transportation professionals and security guards, who all worked hard to keep us safe during the pandemic. The videos featured songs with lyrics based on student projects in the lyric-writing class of Dr Chow Yiu-fai of the Department of Humanities and Creative Writing.
Music channel supports the community
With many concert performances cancelled as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak, the Department of Music launched Live from HKBU, a new YouTube channel and digital concert platform, where the public can enjoy a wide range of classical music performed by student musicians of the HKBU Symphony Orchestra and the Collegium Musicum Hong Kong.
Encouraging students to showcase creativity
Organised by the Department of Music and the Centre for Innovative Service-Learning, the Listen to Yourself: Wonder from home creative expression competition invited secondary school students to listen to one of five pieces of uplifting music composed by HKBU students and alumni. The students then came up with a drawing, pieces of creative writing or photographs that reflected their thoughts on fighting the virus.
The Academy of Film organised the Love in the Time of a Quiet Earth short mobile phone film and animation competition and invited secondary and post-secondary school students to come up with creative expressions that registered and reflected their thoughts, emotions, and observations about the coronavirus threat. Nine outstanding student works that touched on a variety of topics – including caring for the underprivileged, having fun while being confined to home, and reminding the public to maintain personal hygiene – were named winners.
Students from the School of Communication developed multiple projects using their professional creative design and video production skills to support the campaign, such as WhatsApp stickers about e-Learning and social distancing practices, and job interview skills videos to enhance HKBU students' employability. The campaign logo design was also the creation of a student from the School.