Activities planned

Tian Jialu, a homemaker from Shenyang, Liaoning province, whose three-member family moved to Shanghai in 2018, has drawn up a set of plans for the holiday.

"We will go to the parks if the weather is good and also take our daughter to an art exhibition and a concert," she said.

Having sent clothes and food to older members of the family at home, Tian said she would introduce a "hometown flavor" for their first Spring Festival celebrations in Shanghai.

"Dumplings will be ready by midnight on Thursday, and we will eat them to ring in Chinese New Year," she said.

Wang Suping, 52, from Wuhu, Anhui province, will put aside her housekeeping duties in Shanghai during the holiday. Instead, she and her husband will spend some quality time with their 8-year-old grandson in the city.

"I'm not planning any housekeeping work until the eighth day of the Lunar New Year, as I think that being with our grandson is most important," Wang said.

He Fengqin, from Luzhou, Sichuan province, who also works as a housekeeper in the city, will miss a family reunion at home with her daughter and son this year.

"I will chat to them via video link on Lunar New Year's Eve. At this critical time, I do not want to create any problems for our country," He said.

She added that it usually takes her two days to travel home by bus－a journey that includes three transit stops.

"I will spend Chinese New Year with two friends from my hometown. We will have our traditional Spring Festival breakfast of glutinous rice balls stuffed with lard oil, peanuts, walnuts, sesame seeds, sweet osmanthus and crystal sugar. We will also go shopping," He said.

Shanghai's publicity and film authorities will stage free or low-cost movie screenings during Spring Festival for college students and migrant workers.

Zhang Wenhong, leader of the Shanghai team of experts treating COVID-19 patients, said: "I want to thank people who have decided to stay in the areas where they work for Chinese New Year. Such gestures should be regarded as a sacrifice and contribution to the nation."

He Qi and Wang Youxi contributed to this story.