Amid the highly concerning fact that more new locally transmitted coronavirus infections have been confirmed in some northern Vietnamese localities over recent days, Da Nang has re-activated strict measures against COVID-19 at the highest level in a bid to prevent another resurgence of the deadly virus. The imposition of hefty fines on those who donot wear masks in public and the accelerating of the coronavirus ‘test, track and trace’ strategy in a prompt yet effective manner are amongst the drastic measures to keep Da Nang free of the coronavirus.

Visitors to the Da Nang-based Con Market are seen having their body temperatures measured and washing their hands with the use of sanitizer gel before their entry

Raising public awareness of complying with the face mask rules

On Tuesday, the Da Nang government has just issued an official dispatch which stipulates administrative fines of 1 - 3 million VND on those who donot wear masks in public places across the city. Since the adoption of such hefty penalties, most of Da Nang dwellers have strictly obeyed the mandatory face mask rules.

Encouragingly, those to such crowded public places as parks, supermarkets, traditional markets and bus stations are seen wear face masks in roper manner.

Most of clothes shops along the downtown streets of Le Duan, Hung Vuong and Nguyen Van Linh demand that their customers wear face masks and wash their hands with alcohol-based hand sanitizer available there before entering the inside for purchases. Even, masks are also available at the entrance to some of these venues for their handover to those leave theirs at home unintentionally.

In a similar vein, staff working at bookstores, restaurants, eateries and cafes also comply with the face mask rules.

Ms Tran Thi Thu, a female resident from Xuan Ha Ward, Thanh Khe District said, “The imposition of such hefty fines on those who flout the face mask rules is completely necessary. When you wear a mask, you protect others as well as yourself”.

In addition, such some downtown markets as Han and Con, have seen the strict practice of the pandemic prevention solutions.

All market stallholders and market-goers, plus workforce staffing the traditional markets must ensure good practices of preventive measures by wearing face coverings, using sanitizer gel, maintaining safe distance from others, and undergoing compulsory body temperature measurements.

Clean water, soap bars and hand sanitizer gel are always available in these traditional markets.

Promoting COVID-19 contact tracing and testing

Da Nang has set a closer eye on those who have left from coronavirus-stricken northern Vietnamese localities over recent days.

According to the Da Nang Steering Committee for COVID-19 prevention and Control, as of 2 February, the city had quarantined 399 arrivals from coronavirus-hit localities. Of them, 35 people were from Chi Linh Town of Hai Duong Province, the epicenter of Viet Nam's new Covid-19 outbreak that began last week, 198 others from the remaining parts of this northern province, 161 from Quang Ninh Province, another major COVID-19 cluster, and the rest from other relevant localities.

The Da Nang Centre for Disease Control (CDC) is working closely with district-level health centres to conduct the taking of nose and throat swab samples for coronavirus testing from arrivals from Hai Duong Province’s Chi Linh City from 1 January and those aboard all flights from the Quang Ninh Province-based Van Don International Airport from 5 January.

Meanwhile, those who left Hai Duong and Quang Ninh for Da Nang since 13 and 18 January, respectively, to proactively limit their contact with others, and self-isolate for 21 days at their place of residence upon arrival in Da Nang, and all of them must have their samples taken for coronavirus testing for 3 times.

In detail, the 1^st test is taken on the day of discovery, the second on the 14^th day and the third on the 21^st day since contact with the direct source of transmission. 

Meanwhile, people returning from such localities as Ha Noi, Hai Phong, Bac Ninh, Hoa Binh, Gia Lai and other high-risk areas as notified by the Ministry of Health, plus the suspected F1 and F2, are required to make reports to the Da Nang functional bodies.

For the time being, the Da Nang healthcare sector, in which CDC Da Nang plays a key role, proactively regularly is making updates on the latest developments of the pandemic and blockaded areas nationwide, and urging other relevant local medical units to take preventive measures and apply appropriate medical interventions to eliminate the risk of coronavirus infection.

Viet Nam documented nine locally-transmitted COVID-19 infections, and no imported cases in the past 12 hours as of 6am on 3 February, according to the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control.

The country has recorded 1,891 SARS-CoV-2 infections so far. Of the total, 1,003 were locally-transmitted cases, including 310 linked to Hai Duong since the latest coronavirus outbreak hit the province on  27 January.

By PHAN CHUNG, XUAN DUNG- Translated by A.T