In Ky Son, 21 people returned from Binh Duong by motorbike.

The vehicles used to avoid the epidemic.

On the morning of July 20th, a group of eight people, including five adults and three children, came to the District Health Center to declare their health status.Ky SonAccording to their statements, on July 18th, this group of people traveled from Binh Duong to Ky Son by bus. On July 19th, they got off the bus at Deo Ca Tunnel and boarded another bus to continue their journey. Along the way, the bus stopped to refuel in Quang Ngai and Quang Tri, and bought food near the Ha Tinh bypass.

Nine citizens returning from Binh Duong by motorbike are stopped at the COVID-19 control checkpoint in Hong Tien village, Chieu Luu commune. Photo: Thanh Cuong.

At approximately 5:00 AM on July 20th, the bus stopped for breakfast at a restaurant near Con Cuong town market and returned to Ky Son at 8:00 AM on July 20th. Immediately after getting off the bus, the eight people mentioned above went tohealth declarationAt the District Health Center, a rapid SARS-CoV-2 test was conducted, and one sample tested positive.

Immediately afterwards, authorities organized isolation and contact tracing, identifying 14 close contacts. Of these, 8 tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 antigen using rapid tests.Take a sample for testing.Suspected cases are sent to the Provincial Center for Disease Control for RT-PCR testing. Disinfectant spraying is carried out at the District Health Center.

At 8:30 AM the following day, July 21st, nine other citizens arrived at the disease control checkpoint in Hong Tien village, Chieu Luu commune, to declare their health status. These nine people, consisting of seven adults and two children, traveled by motorbike from Binh Duong province on July 18th, following the Ho Chi Minh Highway back to their hometown in Ky Son. Among them was Mr. LBC and his wife and two young children from Nam Can commune. Before leaving, these nine people had prepared food and drinks. They stopped to eat and rest along the way when they were hungry or tired. They did not enter any restaurants or guesthouses.

Authorities record health declarations from citizens returning from Binh Duong. Photo: Thanh Cuong.

Later that afternoon, the Covid-19 checkpoint in Hong Tien village received another 12 people returning from Binh Duong by motorbike. These citizens were from the communes of Nam Can, Na Ngoi, Ta Ca, Tay Son, Dooc May, etc., who had been working as laborers in the South. With the Covid-19 outbreak and the implementation of Directive 16 in 19 southern provinces and cities, they lost their jobs and income, so they decided to return home by motorbike. It is predicted that the number of laborers returning from southern provinces will continue to increase in the coming days.

Promoting the "4 on-the-spot" principle.

According to statistics from the Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs, Ky Son district has more than 2,000 workers currently employed in southern provinces. With the outbreak of the pandemic and resulting job losses, most of these people want to return home to avoid the virus. Many have rented cars or traveled by motorbike from southern provinces back to Nghe An.

Rapid testing is being conducted on individuals returning from localities implementing Directive 16. Photo: Thanh Cuong

In just two days, Ky Son district recorded 29 cases of people returning from Binh Duong. Of these, 8 were transported by rented car and 21 by motorbike. Upon detection, the checkpoint team immediately reported to the district's Covid-19 prevention and control steering committee, and simultaneously deployed disinfection spraying, temperature checks, health declarations, rapid testing, and then handed them over to the communes for isolation.

"One advantage of Ky Son district is that most communes have boarding schools that meet the necessary conditions such as electricity and water systems, sanitary facilities, rest rooms, etc., to establish centralized quarantine areas, ready to receive citizens returning home from epidemic areas," said Mr. Le Hong Lap, Head of the Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs Department of Ky Son district.

Increased checkpoints and inspections of people and vehicles at the entrances to Ky Son district. Photo: Thanh Cuong.

To prepare for the arrival of workers from the southern provinces in particular, and areas implementing Directive 16 in general, the People's Committee of Ky Son district has assigned specific tasks to the Police, Military, Health, and Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs to develop detailed plans to avoid the risk of disease spread in the area. At the same time, they have activated centralized quarantine areas at the commune level, leveraging the role of security, military, and local health forces; implementing the "four on-the-spot" principle to combat the epidemic.

“Returning citizens will be screened, classified, and quarantined at designated centralized quarantine facilities or paid quarantine facilities if needed; testing procedures will be carried out according to the regulations on epidemic prevention and control of the Ministry of Health, the National Steering Committee on Covid-19 prevention and control, and the Steering Committee on Covid-19 prevention and control of Nghe An province,” said Mr. Nguyen Huu Minh, Head of the Covid-19 Prevention and Control Steering Committee and Chairman of the People's Committee of Ky Son district.

Leaders of Ky Son district inspect the centralized quarantine area in Chieu Luu commune. Photo: Thanh Cuong.

According to the plan, all citizens of Ky Son returning from southern provinces and areas implementing Directive 16 will be quarantined for 14 days at designated quarantine facilities. Citizens will be quarantined in their respective communes. Simultaneously, citizens in the quarantine facilities will be strictly managed according to COVID-19 prevention and control regulations. Logistical support such as food, accommodation, and living arrangements will be ensured for citizens in the quarantine facilities. Security, order, and fire safety will be maintained at the quarantine facilities and at the receiving families' homes.

On July 20th, the People's Committee of Nghe An province issued Plan No. 396 regarding the repatriation of citizens affected by the Covid-19 pandemic from Ho Chi Minh City and other southern provinces and cities who have an urgent need to return to Nghe An. The target group includes the elderly, children, pregnant women, self-employed individuals, those who have lost their jobs, those stranded due to visiting relatives or work, students, etc. According to the plan, upon returning to Nghe An, citizens will be quarantined at designated quarantine facilities in Nghe An province managed by the Provincial Military Command; or at quarantine facilities managed by the People's Committees of districts, cities, and towns.