'Fighting the epidemic like fighting the enemy' in Dien Chau district

Timely and decisive direction

Recently, implementing the directive documents of the Central Government, the province and the District Party Committee, the District People's Committee - the Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control of Dien Chau district has promptly issued many directive documents, directed and deployed working tasks.Covid-19 prevention and controlon the site

Associate Professor, Dr. Duong Dinh Chinh directs epidemic prevention and control work at the epidemic center of Dien Chau. Photo courtesy of Thanh Cuong

In particular, as soon as there was information about the F1 case related to the case announced in Vinh city, that same night,Dien Chau districthas activated, implemented synchronously, promptly, and drastically measures to prevent and fight the epidemic with lightning determination, making the most of the time to implement measures to trace, isolate, and suppress the epidemic with the determination to suppress the epidemic in the shortest time. In addition, the district also pays great attention to finding solutions, guiding, and supporting businesses and people in developing production and consuming agricultural products and goods...

The Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control of Nghe An province and Dien Chau district inspected Minh Chau commune. Photo courtesy of Thanh Chung

Since June 16, 2021, the District People's Committee - the District Steering Committee for Epidemic Prevention and Control has issued dozens of documents guiding the implementation of epidemic prevention and control measures, maintaining production and business (for essential production, business and service types, not requiring temporary suspension of operations) such as official dispatches on the implementation of urgent epidemic prevention and control measures; epidemic prevention and control work in religious activities, in the field of transportation, in the field of industry and trade; perfecting tracing teams, epidemic prevention and control support teams in the community in the district; temporary suspension of operations of specialized clinics and private general clinics in the district to prevent and control the epidemic; instructions on quarantine and epidemic prevention; strengthening control of epidemic prevention and control at markets in the district; implementing epidemic prevention and control measures in the district in the new situation...

Chemical forces of Military Region 4 spray disinfectant in areas related to Covid-19 patients in Dien Chau. Photo courtesy of Le Thang

The Standing Committee of the District Party Committee issued Decision No. 162-QD/HU dated June 19, 2021 on the assignment of tasks to direct the work of epidemic prevention and control, assigning comrades in the Standing Committee of the District Party Committee, members of the District Party Committee to be responsible for directing the work of epidemic prevention and control in communes to implement Directive 16; thoroughly grasping and assigning responsibilities to comrades of the Standing Committee, members of the Party Committee in charge of communes and towns to be responsible for directing the assigned communes. The District People's Committee also assigned 9 specialized departments to be directly in charge of 37 communes and towns (each department is responsible for directing 4-5 commune-level units).

Taking samples for testing at the headquarters of the People's Committee of Dien Thinh commune. Photo courtesy of Thanh Cuong

The propaganda work on epidemic prevention and control in the district has been raised to a higher level. Agencies, departments, branches, communes and towns have been proactive and flexible in information and communication work, especially promoting the application of information technology in propaganda, promoting the "strength" and effectiveness of information dissemination of the social network community such as the pages "Dien Chau District Youth Union", "Dien Chau Front", "Dien Chau News", "Dien Chau Palace", "Dien Chau District Police" and many organizations, unions at the commune level, cadres, civil servants, agencies and units in the district have also actively shared and posted official information on epidemic prevention and control, encouraging people to be active, united and join hands in epidemic prevention and control.

Unity

The Covid-19 outbreak in Dien Chau district has forced the entire political system to join in with the utmost effort. Thousands of people are quarantined, and many forces have to work hard to fight the epidemic. In the midst of difficulties, the spirit of “mutual love and support” and “helping each other” of Dien Chau people has been promoted, creating a united strength to defeat the epidemic.

Volunteers participate in cooking and serving at the quarantine area in Dien Chau district. Photo: Mai Giang

From 12 noon on August 19, Dien Chau is one of 14 localities in the province implementing social distancing according to Directive 16/CT-TTg on urgent measures to prevent and control the Covid-19 epidemic. In the first days of implementing Directive 16, all 37 communes and towns in Dien Chau established 210 checkpoints to control people entering and leaving the area. Tightening management at quarantine areas, at the same time strictly handling cases of violating anti-epidemic regulations. Most people in the district strictly complied, stores that do not sell essential goods were closed. Businesses selling essential goods were allowed to operate but had to strictly follow the "5K" instructions.

Spreading the "blue volunteer shirt" sentiment in the prevention and fight against Covid-19. Photo: Mai Giang.

During the period of medical isolation and social distancing in Minh Chau commune, there were many beautiful images, meaningful stories, and practical actions that people showed to each other that were truly admirable. These were food, medical masks, disinfectants, etc. and hundreds of millions of dong sent by children far from home, organizations, businesses, and people in the area. The love of people at the front line of epidemic prevention and control has contributed to motivating the forces at the front line of epidemic prevention and control.

Mr. Dam Trung Tuyen - a member of the force on duty at Minh Chau commune shared: The work of the brothers on duty at the checkpoint is hard, but with the attention of all levels, agencies, departments, branches, local authorities, and people, they have supported with milk boxes and gifts. The Youth Union and Women's Union have cooked nutritious meals... to encourage the brothers to do well in their assigned tasks.

Volunteers participate in cooking and serving at the quarantine area in Dien Chau district. Photo: Mai Giang

It can be said that this is a volunteer season filled with beautiful actions and gestures of union members and youth. In localities that are "hot spots" of the epidemic, there are green shirts regardless of day or night. In communes with social distancing according to Directive 16 of Dien Chau, more than 200 union members and youths participated in supporting the fight against the epidemic with activities such as: Green shirt shipper team, making 80 liters of hand sanitizer, 700 anti-droplet glasses. In addition, the Provincial Youth Union also coordinated with the Provincial Youth Union to deploy the "Zero-dong booth" model at 5 locations in the district to provide essential goods and necessities, and at the same time receive resources to support distribution to people in quarantine areas.

Police force blocked the entrance to Dien Yen area. Photo: Mai Giang

Or at the district's centralized quarantine area at the Vocational Training Center, every 5 a.m., the "foster brothers" in the quarantine area urgently prepare breakfast for the citizens being quarantined here.

Mr. Hoang Minh Dao - Commander of Dien Chau District Military Command said: "Following the instructions of superiors, we have developed a menu for meals and it has been approved. The kitchen area is arranged separately from the isolation area, airy, ensuring good hygiene conditions. Equipment, tools for preliminary processing, processing, cooking, and eating ensure the requirements and eating utensils for each person separately. For food inputs such as meat, fish, ham, sausage... are imported from reputable establishments, with strict contracts, controlled and supervised by 3 parties: commander, on duty, and unit manager. Food processors are carefully selected, fully equipped and in accordance with regulations on labor protection clothing, ensuring safety during the process of processing and dividing food. Food preservation and sample storage are carried out in accordance with regulations".

Militia forces prepare quarantine areas for Covid-19 patients in Dien Chau. Photo courtesy of Duy Dong

Sharing with the Party Committee and the government in the fight against the epidemic, in the past time, there have appeared good models and ways of doing things in the spirit of love, sharing, and helping each other to overcome difficulties. Wherever there are isolation points, blockades, and checkpoints, there are beautiful actions and good gestures, spreading and multiplying to form a beautiful community, supporting each other with essential items such as masks, disinfectants, splash shields, bundles of vegetables, rice, fresh food...

Mr. Ngo Sy Thanh - Head of the Mass Mobilization Committee, Chairman of the Fatherland Front Committee of Dien Chau district said: As of August 15, 2021, people have donated 7,735,516,000 VND, of which cash: 5,609,036,000 VND; goods: 2,126,480,000 VND. The human and financial support of organizations and individuals is helping Dien Chau district control the Covid-19 epidemic well.

The Covid-19 epidemic has had many complicated developments, but the affection and sharing of the people, local authorities, philanthropists... for people in the epidemic area, as well as the frontline forces against the epidemic is the driving force for Dien Chau district and the whole country to be determined to defeat the epidemic.