The Da Nang Department of Health sent an official dispatch to the district-level governments on the establishment of a medical isolation area (blockaded area) on the basis of Decision No. 3986/QD-BYT dated September 16 adopted by the Ministry of Health.

As for the scale of the blockade area, it can be a residential cluster, neighborhood, hamlet, residential group/ quarter, hamlet, commune, wards and agency according to the principle of zoning and rapid testing for COVID-19 in order to apply lockdown measures on the narrowest possible scale provided safety measures against COVID-19 are put in place.

When a case of COVID-19 is detected in the community, the risk of spread must be assessed based on the level of the patient’s contact, movement, social activities, the place of work, infection level, number of cases in the chain, vaccination status, those living around his/her place of residence and other factors to decide whether to set up a blockaded area or not.

The size and scope of the locked-down area shall be suitable to the above-mentioned  principles.
It is a need to avoid the situation of the too narrow blockade that may result in a risk of many highly potential infections and contacts being missed in the community.  

In the blockade area, it is necessary to strictly implement medical isolation and management measures according to the regulations.

In the sealed-off area, the principle of each family isolating itself from other families must be strictly practiced with no one leaving their houses.

Food and essential supplies must be put on a table placed in front of the house. Besides the table is a trash can with closed lid.

Also, warning signs must be placed in front of the house where primary and secondary contacts of COVID-19 are undergoing mandatory at-home quarantine.

Community-based COVID-19 teams in the blockade area must notify the local authorities of any urgent issues relating to sequestered people for timely handling.

Reporting by PHAN CHUNG – Translating by A.THU