People in Dien Chau are indifferent to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Phu Dien Market, located in Dien Thanh commune, is the largest local market.Dien Chau districtEvery day, it attracts tens of thousands of people from the communes of Dien Thanh, Dien Bich, Dien Ngoc, Dien Trung, Dien Kim, Dien An, etc., who come to buy, sell, and exchange goods.

This is a high-risk period for a Covid-19 outbreak in Dien Chau district, due to a case involving a citizen of Dien Bich commune currently in quarantine in Laos.

At the entrance to Phu Dien market, there were no hand sanitizer dispensers to encourage people to wash their hands before and after entering the market. Photo: XH

However, observations at Phu Dien market on the morning of May 27th showed that, in addition to those wearing masks...face maskWhen buying and selling goods, many people still do not wear masks, or wear them only as a formality. Notably, at the market entrances, there are no hand sanitizer dispensers and no market management staff reminding people to follow the "5K" guidelines for COVID-19 prevention.

Reportedly, on May 26th, the People's Committee of Dien Thanh commune sent a document to the management boards of tourist areas and markets in the commune to implement urgent measures to prevent and control the Covid-19 epidemic in light of the situation related to patient PVL in Dien Bich commune.

Specifically, it should be noted that market and tourist area management boards regularly disseminate information to encourage residents and tourists to raise their sense of responsibility in strictly adhering to the "5K" recommendations for disease prevention.Covid-19 pandemicWe must not be complacent or negligent…

Many people at Phu Dien market were not wearing masks, or were wearing them only as a formality (photo taken on the morning of May 27). Photo: XH

Mr. Phan Dinh Bay, Head of the Phu Dien Market Management Board, stated that the board had received the directive from the commune, but admitted to still being negligent and complacent in implementing COVID-19 prevention measures in the market area under his management. This has led to a situation where many people still do not wear masks while conducting transactions at the market; and hand sanitizer dispensers have not been placed at the market entrances.

InLach Van Fishing PortIn Dien Ngoc commune, a locality close to Dien Bich commune, on the afternoon of May 27th, many fishermen and traders were still not wearing masks, while the fishing port was always crowded with people buying and selling seafood. The fishermen said that they forgot to bring masks onto the boat, or thought that since they were fishing at sea, they were careless and didn't wear them when the boat docked.

Many fishermen in Dien Chau district were not wearing face masks when their boats docked at Lach Van fishing port (photo taken at noon on May 27). Photo: XH

Lach Van fishing port is a gathering place for people from the communes of Dien Ngoc, Dien Bich, Dien Kim, etc., who buy and sell seafood every midday when boats return to port. Therefore, the failure of some people to wear masks poses a high risk of infection.

Meanwhile, Dien Bich commune is the locality receiving the most attention regarding the Covid-19 situation in Nghe An province at present; this commune is currently under social distancing measures according to Directive 15 of the Prime Minister.