“Don't be shy, just hold me tight…”, said a military officer in Da Nang to an elderly woman infected with COVID-19 at a centralised quarantine facility whilst he was carrying her onto a specialised vehicle bounding for a hospital her treatment.  His good deed attracted high public attention and praise, showing the fact that humanitarian love surpasses any fears over the deadly virus.

Senior Lieutenant Nguyen Thanh Binh carries the elderly COVID-19 patient from the 4th floor of the concentrated quarantine area. PHOTO: TONG KHIEM

The aforementioned affectionate words made by Senior Lieutenant Nguyen Thanh Binh from the Da Nang Border Guard High Command when carrying the infected woman from the 4^th floor of the concentrated quarantine area at the Da Nang Economic Planning Junior College at 143 Nguyen Luong Bang, Hoa Khanh Bac Ward, Lien Chieu District to an ambulance to on July 28.

Because of her thin and weak status, the elderly patient found it very hard to move around since the first day of the quarantine area. However, the only thing made hẻ worry so much is that Binh may catch the infectious disease when holding her in his arms.

According to Binh, since he and his 17 colleagues  were sent to this quarantine area, they have all showed the greatest efforts and highest determination to fight against the pandemic as well as to encourage the optimistic spirit amongst the quarantined.

During their missions, he and his teammates both remind the quarantined to strictly comply with mandatory regulations on COVID-19 prevention and control, while creating an atmosphere of optimism and trust for everyone here.

“Despite working in a high-risk environment, we have to stay positive and calm to ensure a sense of peace of mind in the quarantined, in tandem with following  the pandemic prevention and control procedures to protect ourselves from contracting the virus" said Binh.

The Da Nang Border Guard High Command leaders encourage officers and soldiers to fufill their COVID-19 prevention and control tasks. PHOTO: BA VINH

According to Colonel Nguyen Thanh Dinh, Deputy Commander of the Da Nang Border Guard High Command, his unit has continued to seriously maintain the operation of 31 COVID-19 prevention and control groups with a combined total of 204 officers and soldiers rotating on duty.

Since the pandemic situation became complicated on July 20, the Da Nang Border Guard High Command has increased the number of officers and soldiers to 30 for 8 concentrated quarantine areas and protected the outside of three hotels which are temporarily used to quarantine arrivals from other nationwide COVID-19 hotspots.

In addition, a total of 40 officers and men have been assigned to southern Vietnamese provinces for COVID-19 prevent and control in land border areas.

Reporting by S.TRUNG - Translating by T. VY