Mr Michael Finn, who recently underwent a 14-day mandatory isolation period in a designated quarantine facility in Hoa Hiep Nam Ward, Lien Chieu District, Da Nang, has sent a handwritten thank-you note to staff working here to express his appreciation. His thank-you message says “Thank you for doing such a wonderful job. I am honoured to experience the people of Viet Nam. Joining together, supporting one another in overcoming the coronavirus’.  

Handwritten thank-you notes from Michael Finn (left) and Uyen

This facility is used to quarantine close contacts of Da Nang's coronavirus carriers. After finishing their quarantine period, Michael Finn and many others, who had been placed into isolation here, wrote their  thank-you notes to show their gratitude and thanks to medical workers and military personnel working at this facility.

Mr Michael Finn said, “In this place, no matter whether you are Vietnamese nationals or not, there are only mutual assistance and support so as to together overcome the difficult times during the coronavirus crisis”.  

He added he couldnot express in any words how grateful he was for great care, love and support he had received from kind-hearted and devoted staff working at this quarantine site. The foreign man also extended his best wishes for them and hoped that they would be more resilient and undaunted to win the coronavirus fight.

In a similar vein, another thank-you note, wrote by a quarantined woman named Uyen, was also filled with words of sincere gratitude. Noticeably, her thank-you note looks more eye-catching with some lovely small drawings and illustrations of dedicated Covid-19 task force at this place.

Uyen said, initially she fell into the state of anxiety as she had been in a close contact with a Covid-19 patient. But then, she was regularly reassured by dedicated staff at this quarantine site . 

The woman said, during her 14-day isolation period here, she received active and kind support from the staff at any time, even in odd hours.

Like other quarantined people here, she was served with 3 meals/ day. Meal menus are changed daily to ensure good nutrition in order to help increase resistance against infections. 

Some thank-you notes decorated with lovely drawings and illustrations

In particular, medical workers enthusiastically gave useful advices to the isolated on how to protect themselves from Covid-19. For instance, the sequestered are encouraged to gargle with salt water, along with keeping their hands, foot and face clean to keep them healthy and prevent the spread of the virus.

“Under face masks, people here are still friendly, trustworthy and deserving of help. At this time of hardship, people can still feel each other’s warmth even though they can’t be close physically”, said Uyen.

Medical workers, police and military officers and men who are on duty at this quarantine facility decided to leave behind their beloved families to work hard supporting the isolated, indeed, made Uyen extremely touched with high appreciation and strong admiration.

Uyen’s roommate, a woman named Thuy also sent her thank-you note to military officer and men who are on duty around the clock.  “I am very grateful to be born in Viet Nam- a wonderful land which is profoundly rich in humanitarian love.  For the time being, I hope nothing more than Viet Nam’s victory against the deadly virus, so such coronavirus heroes on the frontline can return to reunite with their beloved families”, Thuy said in deep emotions.

A scene of the quarantine and isolation site in the western part of the city which is used to quarantine close contacts of laboratory-confirmed Covid-19 cases.

Colonel Do Van Dong, Political Commissar of the Da Nang Border Guard High Command said all officers and men from his unit have always strived to fulfill their assigned tasks in the quarantine site, regardless of the hardship and potential risks of catching the deadly virus.

Encouragingly, as they received sincere thanks from the quarantined for their dedication, all fatigue seemed to disappear, and they felt very proud of what they have done for the sake of the community at this very stressful times sparked by the Covid-19 outbreak.

By XUAN SON – Translated by A.T