Da Nang, in recent times, has received thousands of Vietnamese citizens from abroad who returned back home by air. The reception and quarantine of the returnees has always been carried out in a strict manner under the guidance of the Vietnamese Ministry of Health. Amid its quarantine overload predicted for the coming time, however, Da Nang government is currently proposing Viet Nam's national government to allow the city to suspend the reception of such commercial repatriation flights bringing home Vietnamese nationals in dire circumstances.

Medical staff receiving basic necessities and goods for quarantined citizens in Son Tra District

Strictly following safety precautions against the coronavirus

In recent days, many flights carrying Vietnamese citizens home from such countries and territories around the world as Korea, Taiwan (China) and Japan) landed at the Da Nang International Airport one by one.

According to doctor Pham Truc Lam, Deputy Director of the Da Nang Centre for Disease Control (CDC), as requested, in-flight safety and preventive measures are rigorously enforced to protect the safety of the passengers and prevent the spread of the virus.

All of the passengers are required to clean their hands, and have their health checked before boarding, as well as wear face masks and personal protective gears, and limit the intake of foods during the flight.

On arrival at the airport, all passengers and flight crew members receive medical check-ups and they are transported by specialized vehicles to the municipal administration- designated temporary quarantine facilities.

After that, all of them are subject to the taking of swab and blood serum samples for COVID-19 testing.

The majority of the Vietnamese returnees have been put under 14-day quarantine at serviced accommodation establishments in Son Tra and Ngu Hanh Son districts.

There are currently 38 hotels serving as temporary quarantine facilities with a combined total of more than 3,200 rooms and over 5,600 beds.

Under the national rules, the aforementioned hotels are not allowed to serve other purposes, and they are required to ensure essential living conditions such as electricity, water, sanitation, bathroom, ventilation, as well as being safe and convenient for accessing.

Checkpoints, security teams and the warning sign “Authorized personnel only” were set up. Unauthorized people were banned from entering these hotels. Besides, these venues had to establish disinfection point for means of transport at the hotel entrance.

All vehicles entering and leaving the hotels were disinfected. In particular, hotel staff were intensively trained to serve the quarantined people.

Medical staff preparing supplies of basic necessities for the quarantined

Risk of quarantine overload

The above-mentioned 31 hotels now serve more than 4,700 Vietnamese arrivals, of whom more than 4,000 citizens stay in Son Tra District.

According to doctor Pham Hong Nam, Director of the Son Tra Medical Centre, this medical establishment usually assigns 2 - 5 medical workers to be on duty at each of the hotels.

“The staffers are responsible for medical supervision, daily health monitoring for the citizens, and giving guidance on collection and treatment of trash and medical waste, and conducting environmental disinfection there. In addition, within 24 hours after they enter Viet Nam, all returnees must have their samples for coronavirus testing. The overwhelmed tasks have put the medical staff under pressure at work, whilst they must performed other professional missions”, said doctor Nam. 

Based on the actual conditions in terms of human resources and isolation facilities, the Da Nang authorities suggested that the national government direct other localities housing airports such as Thua Thien- Hue, Binh Dinh and Can Tho to designate hotels which offer fees-charged lodging to returnees form other foreign countries and tertiaies.

It is concerning that from now until early May, the Da Nang airport is scheduled to receive 19 flights bring home a sum of 5,300 arrivals from overseas.

In fact, if the number of such commercial repatriation flights landing in Da Nang continues to increase in the coming time, the city may face difficulties in imposing mandatory post-entry quarantine procedures on all overseas arrivals, specialties those from pandemic-hit countries and territories all over the world.

Reporting by PHAN CHUNG – Translating by A.T