Amid the highly concerning fact that more new locally transmitted coronavirus infections were confirmed in some northern Vietnamese localities over recent days, Da Nang government has taken a series of strict measures against COVID-19 in a bid to prevent another resurgence of the deadly virus. The top priority is being given to the strict practice of the Health Ministry-mandated 5K (in Vietnamese) motto: namely ‘Khau trang’ (Face mask) – ‘Khu khuan’ (Disinfection) – ‘Khoang cach’ ‘Distance’ - ‘Khong tu tap’ (No gatherings) – ‘Khai bao y te’ (Health Declaration) in a bid to prevent the spread of the virus. In particular, focus should be on making the public habit of wearing face masks a social norm.

Market-goers having their temperatures checked before entering the downtown Han Market

Public must-do to wear face masks and regularly wash hands with soap or hand sanitiser

As noted, strict preventive measures against the coronavirus have been re-activated in a trick manner at many restaurants, cafes, and stores across Da Nang over recent days, in an active response to high recommendations from the municipal administration.

In particular, free bottles of alcohol-based hand sanitizer are being placed at the entrances to these venues. All the staff and customers are asked to wash their hands regularly, wear face coverings and maintain a safe distance from others. In particular, owners of many local coffee shops actively set tables and chairs for their customers to sit far apart and exploit their travel information for more secure.

In a similar vein, such some downtown markets as Dong Da, Han and Tam Thuan, 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.

During body temperature screening, anyone who shows Covid-19 infection symptoms (cough, fever and shortness of breath) upon arrival at the market will be separated from others right away, and immediately be reported to local health authorities for further monitoring.

Mr Hoang Cung Thuong Duc, the Deputy Head of the Management Board of Han Market, said that every 30 minutes, his unit publicise via loudspeakers to market stallholders and market-goers about the implementation of precautionary measures, especially the Health Ministry-mandated 5Kmotto.

From 28 January, any stallholders have their trading activities suspended for at least 3 days at the market for having failing to wear face marks. 

Epidemiological investigation and precautionary plans against the coronavirus taken

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

Da Nang government is urging those who left Hai Duong and Quang Ninh for Da Nang, or had links to the already-confirmed COVID-19 patients, to proactively report immediately to the local health authorities for consultancies and the prompt application of necessary medical measures, doctor Ton That Thanh, the Director of Centre for Disease Control (CDC) noted.

CDC Da Nang is urgently coordinating 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 testing for 2 – 3 times.

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. 

According to doctor Ngo Thi Kim Yen, the Director of the Da Nang Department of Health, coping up with the risk of COVID-19 resurgence, each district-level medical establishment across the city has been asked to provide at least 20 patient beds exclusively for close contacts of those who tested positive.

Meanwhile, it is a must-do for the CDC Da Nang, in the fastest and most effective manner, to increase its capacity of testing approximately 100,000 people for the coronavirus.

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