The National Health Commission recently issued a document requesting local authorities to take care of elderly relatives of medical workers who are on the front line fighting the spread of the novel coronavirus outbreak.

The document states that local authorities should look into the difficulties they face and actively help solve their problems.

The authorities have been asked to provide health services to senior citizens, ensure they get checkups, purchase their medication and help with hospitalization if required, especially those with chronic ailments such as diabetes and hypertension or who have difficulties moving around easily.

Senior citizens who are alone because their adult children have left for the front line to fight the epidemic are the key group that local authorities, social workers and volunteers should help.

Nursing homes have been asked to admit elderly citizens when necessary, and strictly implement the novel coronavirus prevention and control measures to safeguard their health.

Such measures that take care of responsibilities that medical workers might have at home have won wide public acclaim.

Since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, medical workers at various levels and in various regions have rushed to the front line to take up the fight against the novel coronavirus, regardless of personal safety. Being the first line of defense shielding people from the epidemic, some of them have even lost their lives.

These medical workers are responsible for saving lives at work, but they also have responsibilities back home, where they have to care for their parents and in-laws.

Therefore, while they are away on the front line, the authorities should take good care of the elderly relatives who no longer enjoy their filial care.

This will not only show society's gratitude for the medical workers but also take one worry out of their minds as they focus wholeheartedly on fighting the virus.