Eleven out of 19 cities and provinces in Vietnam’s southern region will impose a curfew from 6:00 PM to 6:00 AM daily as of July 28.
The restrictions will be placed in An Giang, Bac Lieu, Ben Tre, Binh Duong, Dong Nai, Binh Phuoc, Long An, Hau Giang, Kien Giang, Vinh Long, and Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC).
| Deserted road in Hau Giang Province. Photo: Le Lam Anh/VOV |
The southern economic hub of HCMC was the first to have imposed the order from July 26. On the first day, people were complying with the restrictions. Armed forces have increased patrols and fines on violators.
Local authorities said stricter measures will enable them to detect index cases in the community.
Today [July 27], the army said it will increase its presence in southern affected areas to conduct testing, quarantine work, and vaccination.
The army has so far deployed more than 2,700 servicemen to HCMC and other southern localities, equipped nine Covid-19 testing labs and two mobile labs, and built makeshift hospitals against infectious diseases, according to Nguyen Xuan Kien, head of the Ministry of Defense’s Military Medical Department.
Deputy Minister of National Defence Vu Hai San has asked the army as a whole to tighten control over the outbreak in the south-central region, including Danang and the Mekong Delta, and Hanoi.
On July 27, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam worked with HCMC authorities to seek better measures. He said the first and foremost mission is to minimize the fatalities.
To support online treatment of patients and index cases’ first-generation contacts (F1) at home, the Accompanying Doctor Network has operated with the participation of more than 2,500 doctors and nurses nationwide.
In another move, some private hospitals in HCMC have joined the battle by wholly or partly treating Covid-19 patients.
More than 6,000 health workers have been sent to the most populous city for the common mission.
| A nurse at work in Hanoi on July 27. Photo: Khanh Huy/Kinh Te Do Thi |
Hanoi begins massive vaccination
The capital city today started the massive vaccination with three kinds of vaccines Moderna, Pfizer, and AstraZeneca.
Director of the Hanoi Department of Health Tran Thi Nhi Ha has stressed the importance of the implementation of preventive measures in hospitals to protect health workers. Accordingly, clinic institutes have classified and treated patients based on the 5K-measure (masking – disinfection – distance – no gathering – medical declaration) principle.
The city will also tighten control over passenger and goods transport. It has banned shippers of ride-hailing motorbike services but allowed delivery staff from supermarkets and express, post, and communications firms. On July 27, the city’s Department of Transport asked five ride-hailing service providers Grab, Be, Gojek, My Go, and FastGo to stop the services.
In an impressive move, Vietnam’s monks, nuns, and Buddhist followers today chanted prayers to push back Covid-19. The chanting was held following the call by the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha.
Up to 80% of Vietnam’s today coronavirus infections (7,913) were detected in Ho Chi Minh City. As of July 27, the country’s tally hit 114,260, including 20% have recovered. The death toll remains 524.
As of July 27, more than 4.8 million vaccine doses have been administered with more than 423,000 people are fully vaccinated.
| Vietnam's Covid-19 infections. Source: MoH. Chart: Minh Vu |
