Authorities in Nai Hien Dong and An Hai Bac wards in Son Tra District on Sunday, November 14 began to put in place enhanced infection prevention and control measures after new restrictions came into effect at 6:00am yesterday. Residents in the two wards were seen scrupulously respecting and strictly comply with the city’s COVID-19 guidelines on the first day of new restrictions applied to them.

The taskforce conducting coronavirus paperwork check on people entering and leaving Nai Hien Dong Ward at the checkpoint at the intersection of Chu Huy Man - Pham Van Xao street.Photo: HOANG HIEP

Since Sunday morning, November 14, the authorities in Nai Hien Dong Ward have taken drastic measures to tighten controls at their local area in attempt to curb the spread of the virus. The taskforces have been deployed to COVID-19 checkpoints at the intersections of Chu Huy Man - Pham Van Xao, Le Duc Tho - Ngo Thi Hieu, Van Don - Vung Thung 6, Tran Hung Dao - Pham Van Dong along with some roadblocks.

Certificates confirming full vaccination or recovery from COVID-19 within the last six months are compulsory for entry into or leaving An Hai Bac and Nai Hien Dong wards.

Nai Hien Dong Ward People's Committee Chairman Cao Dinh Hai highlighted the important role of functional forces and the COVID-19 Community Taskforce in explaining the new restrictions for local resident, and educating them about the city’s guidelines for strict observance of new rules and recommended precautionary measures, including the 5K recommendations of the Ministry of Health, in a bid to keep them safe during the pandemic as well as help the city suppress the virus. He also stressed the need to take action against any violations of the new regulations in order to deter such violations by raising the risk of punishment.

New restrictions are being applied for the areas at alert level 3 in An Hai Bac Ward that cover the parts from the northern side of Song Han Bridge’s approach and the west of Ngo Quyen Street to the border of Nai Hien Dong Ward while the remaining parts of the ward are still at alert level 2. However, the entire Nai HIen Dong Ward has moved from level 2 into level 3 of the city’s four-tier coronavirus alert system.

Mr. Tran Van Hung, the Chairman of the An Hai Bac Ward People's Committee said that COVID-19 checkpoints have been set up at Nguyen Trung Truc and Tran Hung Dao streets in order to enhance surveillance of people entering and leaving the affected areas in line with the current direction from the municipal government.

Mr Hung said that the focus is on monitoring the compliance of COVID-19 protocols among residents in areas at both alert levels 2 and 3, as well as enforcing QR code check-in rules in drinking and eating establishments. Besides, the heed is being paid on conducting regular COVID-19 testing for residents in locked down areas, and asking them to absolutely not move out of their sealed off areas, he emphasized.

A owner of a coffee shop in Nai Hien Dong Ward making a commitment to strictly observe the recommended infection prevention and control measures, and stop providing table service. Photo: VAN HOANG

According to Doctor Nguyen Van Thuyen, the Deputy Director of the Son Tra District Medical Center, COVID-19 testing has been conducting for residents in Nai Hien Dong and An Hai Bac wards. On November 14, more than 10,000 swab samples were collected from An Hai Bac Ward while around 30,000 swab samples were taken across Nai Hien Dong Ward, for COVID-19 testing.

Healthcare workers in the two wards are paying special attention to keeping a close watch on locked down areas, monitoring and conducting COVID-19 testing for all primary close contacts that are required to self- isolate at home. They are also making every effort to conduct thorough investigations into new cases, identify accurately high-risk areas related to confirmed cases in addition to ramping up testing and isolation efforts in an attempt to contain the spread of the virus.  

Currently, 13 residential settings involving 127 families with 570 people in total in An Hai Bac Ward is being placed under full lockdown while 16 other areas involving 120 households with 520 people in total in Nai Hien Dong Ward are under the same situation.

Doctor Tran Thanh Thuy, the Acting Director of the municipal Department of Health, said this is the first time Da Nang has raised its alert level for ward level areas to tackle a rise in infections in line with the guidelines from Viet Nam’s national government and the Ministry of Health.

In its efforts to effectively control the spread of the virus in areas at alert level 3, the health agency will work with authorities at local level to continue to roll out screening program across the city in fast and effective practices to reach those most at risk from infection in an attempt to identify people who have COVID-19 but have no symptoms so that they will be isolated timely, to help curb the spread of the virus. In addition, the city will accelerate the remaining second doses of COVID-19 vaccines to the over 50s and eligible people across the city to give them full protection.

Mrs Thuy highlighted the significance of voluntary compliance with the 5K recommendations of the Ministry of Health and QR code check-in rules for crowded venues among local residents in areas at both alert levels 2 and 3 in helping conduct comprehensive COVID-19 contacts of each confirmed case in order to break the chains of transmission and stop the spread of the virus.

Reporting by PHAN CHUNG – translating by H.L