Nghe An tightens border to prevent epidemic

Steel shield

Affected by the climate of Laos, the 468km long border between Nghe An (Vietnam) and Laos has now entered the rainy season. In the morning and at noon, the sun can be scorching hot; but in the afternoon and at night, thunderstorms and tornadoes are very likely to occur. The harsh weather has been making the work of protecting border security and sovereignty and preventing and fighting the Covid-19 epidemic of the functional forces more difficult. Patrol roads are more slippery, landslides, and there are many leeches; streams are muddy, clean water for daily life of officers and soldiers at border posts is even more scarce...

Checkpoint 3, Thong Thu Border Post (Que Phong district) is located in the middle of a rugged mountainous area. Photo: Thanh Cuong

Despite the difficulties and hardships, at any border post or station on the border, one can clearly see the will and determination of the officers and soldiers to maintain sovereignty and prevent the danger of the pandemic. Post 3, Thong Thu Border Post (Que Phong district) is one of them. The post was established in early 2020, carrying out the task of protecting border security and sovereignty and preventing the risk of Covid-19 epidemic from illegal entry.

Lieutenant Colonel Phan Van Quang - Head of Post 3 shared: "The post is located in the middle of a very rugged mountainous area; responsible for managing a long border section with many trails and openings. Despite many difficulties and hardships, the officers and soldiers are always steadfast, trying to "overcome the sun and rain", and successfully completing the assigned tasks."

Border Guard forces patrol, detect and prevent illegal entry. Photo: Thanh Cuong

According to Lieutenant Colonel Quang: These days, checkpoint 3 as well as many other checkpoints, points, and border posts along the entire Vietnam border are struggling to fight the Covid-19 epidemic. In Laos, there are currently more than 1,400 cases of Covid-19 infection, an average of 49 new cases per day; 66 Vietnamese people in Laos are currently infected, 1 person has died. Many Vietnamese people in Laos were found to be infected when entering the country. And there have also been people who illegally entered from Laos and infected the community, such as patient 3051 in Hai Duong... In that situation, the border guard force must concentrate highly, increase patrolling, control, checkpoints, and professional measures to stop the risk of the epidemic entering.

Border guards must be highly concentrated to prevent the risk of disease intrusion. Photo: Thanh Cuong

Amidst the stressful task, in early May, checkpoint 3 had more joy, which was to welcome 3 more young officers and soldiers of the Provincial Military Command to strengthen the work of ensuring border security and sovereignty and preventing and fighting the Covid-19 epidemic.

Although the new life and new working conditions have many difficulties, with the spirit of "fighting the epidemic like fighting the enemy", everyone is determined and tries to adapt to work with peace of mind, ready to stay for a long time. I myself clearly identify this as a combat mission in peacetime.

Senior Lieutenant Trinh Van Hung - officer of the Quy Chau District Military Command

Not only checkpoint 3 but all 5 border checkpoints (4 fixed and 1 mobile) of Thong Thu Border Guard Station were reinforced with additional officers and soldiers from the Provincial Military Command.

Lieutenant Colonel Hoang Van Huy - Political Commissar of Thong Thu Border Guard Station said: "This time, the station was reinforced by 10 more officers from the Provincial Military Command. Before organizing the assignment of tasks, the Party Committee and the Command Board of the Station sent officers and soldiers to the District Medical Center to get vaccinated against Covid-19; organized meetings to encourage and exchange information related to the area, border situation, immigration and exit; organized professional training. The station assigned responsibilities to the checkpoints to create all favorable conditions to help the military officers to be reinforced to quickly integrate and adapt to complete the task well."

Lieutenant Colonel Hoang Van Huy affirmed: For more than a year, since the Covid-19 epidemic appeared and spread, the Border Guard has maintained frontline teams, checkpoints, and stations to prevent and fight the Covid-19 epidemic. Many officers and soldiers on duty at the checkpoints have temporarily put aside personal work such as postponing weddings and not returning home for Tet to prevent illegal entry. The policy of increasing the number of military officers at the border is a timely addition, adding strength to the border guards, creating a "steel shield" on the border.

Implementing the direction of the Ministry of National Defense and Military Region 4, on May 2, the Provincial Military Command mobilized and handed over 66 officers to reinforce the Covid-19 prevention and control posts at the border. These reinforced officers will be temporarily assigned to the Provincial Border Guard Command, mobilized to teams and posts to coordinate with local forces to manage and protect the border and participate in Covid-19 prevention and control.

Multi-layer anti-epidemic

The force has been strengthened, but that does not mean that the work of preventing and fighting the Covid-19 epidemic on the border can be peaceful. According to officers and soldiers of Thong Thu Border Guard Station (Que Phong): The work of preventing and fighting the Covid-19 epidemic in the area still has many complicated developments. In the border communes, people's lives still face many difficulties, low education, and many social evils. To maintain their lives, people in the communes, especially young workers, often leave their hometowns and go to work far away. In the context of the epidemic, these people return and are very likely to bring the disease with them.

Covid-19 prevention and control work in the area still has many complicated developments. Photo: Thanh Cuong

According to the understanding of Thong Thu Border Guard Station: On the other side of the border is Hua Phan province (Laos), the number of Vietnamese citizens living and working is very large. Sam To district alone, bordering Que Phong district, has about 500 people, the majority of whom are hydropower workers and freelance workers. At this time, the Covid-19 epidemic broke out in Laos, making work difficult, these workers have been away from home for a long time, so they will have the need to return. It is worth mentioning that due to the geographical distance from Sam To to Nam Can International Border Gate (Nghe An), Na Meo (Thanh Hoa) is very far, not favorable, so these workers who want to return are willing to "risk their lives" "win five times, lose five times" to enter the country illegally. Since the beginning of the year, the Station has caught 6 cases, 15 illegal immigrants, administratively fined, and sent to medical quarantine according to regulations.

Lieutenant Colonel Hoang Van Huy added: The Station has actively coordinated with departments, branches, and localities to grasp and propagate to those who have returned from working far away to make health declarations, check their health, and instruct them to quarantine at home and at medical facilities; propagate to people to actively denounce illegal immigrants. Not only going to every alley, knocking on every door, propagating to every person in the area, but the Station also coordinated with the management boards of the neighboring country's villages to propagate not to assist or guide illegal immigrants... Therefore, there have been cases of illegal entry discovered and denounced by the people for the Station to arrest. With the whole people's posture, Thong Thu Border Guard Station has not let any illegal immigrants "slip through the net".

Preventing and fighting Covid-19 has become a common task of the entire army and people. Currently, Nghe An Border Guard is on duty with 100% of its troops, maintaining more than 600 officers and soldiers at 101 fixed and mobile checkpoints and control stations to participate in controlling, protecting the border and preventing and fighting the epidemic. In addition to the 66 professional soldiers mobilized and reinforced this time, Nghe An Provincial Military Command has reported to Military Region IV to prepare nearly 200 more officers and soldiers ready to continue going to the border to carry out management work when required. Districts, communes and towns in the border area have also been and are continuing to promote the building of a national anti-epidemic posture, thickening the anti-epidemic "belt" with many layers.

66 professional soldiers of the Provincial Military Command were mobilized to reinforce the border. Photo: Thanh Cuong

Mr. Duong Hoang Vu - Chairman of Que Phong District People's Committee said: "To prevent the risk of the epidemic entering from the border, many "layers" of anti-epidemic measures have been formed. The first layer is the checkpoints along the border route, staffed by military officers; the second layer is located in the rear belt area, patrolled and controlled by Border Guard officers, commune police, and local militia; the third layer is the checkpoint teams set up by the police and the Military Command on the roads, controlling people traveling... In addition to forming layers of anti-epidemic defense lines, the district directs departments, functional units, commune and town authorities to strengthen propaganda about the 5K recommendations, conduct inspections and sanctions; and require medical declarations for all people returning to the locality from other places".