Nghe An people unite to fight the epidemic at the front line

12,500 union members join in supporting the fight against the epidemic

The first days after detecting the caseCovid-19in the community in Ha Huy Tap ward, Hung Dung ward and finally on June 19, the entire Vinh city had to be isolated from society. The tense atmosphere covered everything.

In offices, hospitals, residential areas, everywhere people talk about Covid-19 with so much anxiety, when the number of infected patients, suspected cases, and close contacts keeps increasing. There are soldiers in white shirts exhausted from fighting the epidemic, many police officers and soldiers have red skin from working hard at checkpoints in harsh weather.

Youth Union members of Thanh Chuong district donated goods and necessities to Vinh city to build "zero-dong stalls" in locked-down areas. Photo: Tien Dong

However, seeing the green shirts persistently accompanying the forces at the checkpoints; the images of volunteer teachers rushing into the epidemic area to support the medical team in testing and screening; or mothers and sisters diligently cooking delicious dishes to send to the front lines further affirms the spirit of solidarity and unanimity of the entire people in the fight against the Covid-19 epidemic.

Youth Union members of Dong Son commune (Do Luong) make protective equipment to send to epidemic areas. Photo: PV

On June 14, whenHa Huy Tap ward(Vinh City) discovered the first case of Covid-19, the authorities were urgently setting up checkpoints, isolating, tracing and suppressing the epidemic, Nghe An Provincial Youth Union launched the "Green Shirt Shipper" model to support the people and officers and soldiers on duty at the blockade checkpoints. The presence of 20 union members in Ha Huy Tap and Hong Son wards as shippers helped people in the blockaded area ease their worries about food shortages during the quarantine.

Shippers in blue shirts support people in the locked-down area in Ha Huy Tap ward (Vinh city). Photo: Thanh Cuong

When the quarantine and blockade spread throughout the city with nearly 100 checkpoints inside and outside the city, the members of the Youth Union immediately set out. At each checkpoint, there were always 2 members of the Youth Union, sometimes checking body temperature, sometimes guiding people to fill out health declarations from early morning until late at night. Not to mention, there were members of the Youth Union who shuttled between the checkpoints to receive and distribute support resources in a timely manner to people in the blockaded areas.

Young volunteers stay at checkpoints to support epidemic prevention work. Photo: Tien Dong

The outbreak of the epidemic was also the time when all levels of the provincial Youth Union were simultaneously responding to the summer youth volunteer campaign. With the enthusiasm of youth, the Youth Union members quickly headed to the epidemic areas, volunteering to go to the checkpoints to support logistics and medical control. In places where there was no epidemic, "love trips" were organized to promptly support essential supplies for the people as well as the forces on duty on the front lines.

Comrade Le Van Luong - Secretary of Nghe An Provincial Youth Union

The "zero-dong stalls" built in the locked-down areas have contributed to sharing the difficulties that people in the epidemic areas are going through. Photo: Tien Dong

Warm meal of love

We visited the commune.Nghi An, where there are up to 9 checkpoints, of which 2 are set up by the city, the rest are arranged by the commune. Today is the day that Nghi An Primary School registered to cook for the officers and soldiers on duty at the checkpoint. In the school's neatly arranged kitchen, teachers are preparing food in boxes to prepare to bring to the checkpoint.

Teachers at Nghi An Primary School prepare meals to bring to the forces on duty at the checkpoint. Photo: Tien Dong

Ms. Pham Thu Hien - Principal of Nghi An Primary School said: After the whole city had to be quarantined, realizing that the Women's Union was too hard to cook for the checkpoints, the school proposed to support. Although it was summer vacation, many teachers of the school enthusiastically participated, some brought rice, some brought vegetables, and food to cook together. In addition, the school also mobilized more than 5.7 million VND to contribute to the cost of cooking and serving the checkpoints.

Ms. Luong Quynh Trang - President of Nghi An Commune Women's Union shared more: Initially, the Women's Union was responsible for serving meals to the checkpoint forces, then 13 more branches and agencies and organizations joined in. Usually, each meal, the teams in charge will cook 35-40 meals for the checkpoints from morning, noon, and evening. Many teams also cook late-night meals and bring them to the checkpoints, helping the checkpoint forces have the health to perform their duties.

In addition to organizations, many individuals have also organized shipments of necessities to support locked-down areas. Photo: Tien Dong

In the fierce and tense fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, the warm sharing of local people still shines brightly. From Trung Do, Vinh Tan, Hung Chinh, Nghi Lien, Hung Loc, Nghi Duc... everywhere, at any time, there are individuals and organizations willing to spend their efforts and time to care for and provide logistical support for the forces on duty.

Reduce summer vacation time to fight the epidemic

At this time, teachers in Vinh city should be on summer vacation, but when the fight against the epidemic in the whole city is in a tense situation, 130 teachers put aside their personal work to participate in the fight against the epidemic.

Mr. Dinh Viet Duc, a teacher at Vinh Tan Secondary School, has joined the anti-epidemic force since June 23 and is currently stationed at Tran Dinh San Street. He shared: The task of the teachers' group to strengthen epidemic prevention is to stay at the checkpoints, help the authorities control passing vehicles, and at the same time guide people to make medical declarations, measure body temperature, and disinfect according to regulations.

Mr. Dinh Viet Duc (in white shirt) guides people to fill out health declaration forms at checkpoint No. 5 on Tran Dinh San Street in Vinh Tan Ward. Photo: Tien Dong

Joining the checkpoint since June 23, the teachers have experienced some of the hardships that the officers and soldiers have gone through since the first days of setting up the checkpoint. However, for Mr. Duc, the teachers themselves still get to go home every day, which is nothing compared to the hardships that other forces on the front line face.

Currently, in addition to the 30 school health workers who have been on duty since the beginning, 100 teachers from Vinh City who were newly recruited on June 23 have been assigned to work at 13 checkpoints. Each checkpoint has 7-8 teachers divided into 2 shifts, working day and night.

Ms. Hoang Thi Phuong Thao - Head of the City's Department of Education and Training said: The fact that 130 teachers and staff from schools in Vinh City volunteered to participate in the fight against the epidemic is very valuable. Although the road to fight the epidemic ahead is still full of obstacles, whenever needed, the Department can continue to mobilize more forces to rotate and support localities in preventing the Covid - 19 epidemic.

"Only after experiencing a pandemic can we know how great the spirit of solidarity and unity of officials and people is. Immediately after the entire city was placed under social isolation, through the Fatherland Front channel, we received more than 4.1 billion VND in support from individuals and organizations, not to mention hundreds of tons of goods of all kinds continuously sent to support the city in fighting the epidemic.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Anh Tuyet - Chairwoman of Vinh City Fatherland Front