The COVID-19 situation remains complicated in Da Nang. Hence, individual responsibility and voluntary compliance with the 5K recommendations among local residents play a core role in the fight against COVID-19.

Patrons are required to use a QR code for COVID-19 safe check-in to the Tam Thuan Wet Market in Thanh Khe District, and disinfect their hands before entering this venue. Photo: XUAN DUNG

We have observed that many people in the city were seen not wearing face masks and not keeping a safe distance from others during the morning and evening hours while in crowded places like restaurants, cafes and public entertainment venues.

Districts with much higher numbers of food and drinking establishments, including Hai Chau, Thanh Khe, Son Tra have seen many people pulling down their face masks when talking to others, smoking, taking photos, and recording video clips. Meanwhile, some food and drinking establishments, especially morning coffee shops are crowded with customers but ignore social distancing and QR code check-in rules.

In the evening, restaurants and bistros in the city-centre and public places along the banks of the Han River are usually crowded with people. Especially, APEC Sculpture Garden daily welcomes hundreds of local people and tourists, especially young people, who come to admire sculptures and take photos. Functional forces are always on duty in an attempt to ensure the security, social order, and traffic safety but they find it very hard to ensure good practice of social distancing rules and the 5K recommendations of the Health Ministry among local residents. Therefore, the municipal government is urging the public to take personal responsibility to protect themselves and their wider community from COVID-19 as functional forces cannot follow up with them and remind them about COVID-19 protocols in a timely manner.

Supermarkets and traditional markets across the city are seen following QR code check-in and face mask rules. These venues are using loudspeakers to remind their shoppers to comply with COVID-19 precautionary measures. However, there is not enough space for social distancing during the peak shopping hours at these venues due to a large number of shoppers.

Authorities at local level highlighted the need to deploy police patrol units to respond timely to offenders of COVID-19 rules in addition to promoting voluntary compliance among local residents. They remarked that increasing the certainty of punishment, potential offenders will be deterred by the risk of apprehension.

Doctor Ton That Thanh, the Director of the Da Nang Center for Disease Control and Prevention raised the concern when many people show subjective attitudes after having fully vaccinated against COVID-19. They believe that they will not get COVID-19 after being vaccinated, thereby ignoring the 5K recommendations of the Health Ministry. Mr Thanh remarked that vaccination has been shown to contribute to reducing deaths and severe illness from COVID-19, and to reduce the transmission of COVID-19. Hence, the most important thing to keep you healthy and safe during the pandemic is to follow  the 5K recommendations of the Health Ministry in addition to getting vaccinated against COVID-19, Mr Thanh emphasized.

Mr Thanh underlined the need for functional forces to take action against offenders of COVID-19 rules across the city, especially at food service establishments.

Government participation and voluntary compliance of local residents play a key role in successfully containing the COVID-19 pandemic. Each individual across Da Nang is urged to have a part to play in the city’s fight against COVID-19.

Reporting by XUAN DUNG – TRI DUNG – Translating by H.L