The 'yellow roses' on the front line against the epidemic

Before the complicated developments ofCovid-19 epidemic, the entire Quynh Luu district has implemented social isolation according to Directive 16 of the Prime Minister.

To control the epidemic, Quynh Luu district has directed 33 communes and towns in the area to establish epidemic control posts; especially for the control posts established at the intersections of National Highway 1A and high-risk areas, the district has directed the increase of district police officers and soldiers to join local forces in strictly controlling people and vehicles passing through. Among the mobilized police force, there are many young female soldiers, who have put aside their personal concerns to volunteer to participate in the control posts.

Captain Tran Thi Nguyen - Traffic Police Team of Quynh Luu Police checks at Provincial Road 537D checkpoint in Quynh Hau commune. Photo: Viet Hung

Standing at the epidemic control checkpoint at Provincial Road 537D in Quynh Hau commune, under the scorching sun of the South Lao wind, the military uniform of Captain Nguyen Thi Nguyen - an officer of the Traffic Police Team, Quynh Luu District Police was soaked with sweat as she had to continuously move to control passing vehicles. As a road with a high volume of traffic, the work intensity of Captain Nguyen and the forces was extremely hard. Having been standing at the epidemic control checkpoint for nearly 2 weeks, despite the hardship, Captain Nguyen has never complained about anything because she understands that the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic will be extremely difficult and wants to contribute her part to repel the epidemic.

In addition to controlling people and vehicles passing through the checkpoint, when seeing people struggling to return home from a long journey, Captain Nguyen brought water and cold towels to help them cool down. Photo: Viet Hung

Captain Nguyen Thi Nguyen shared: “For many days, I have not had a full day with my family. After finishing my shift, I take the opportunity to visit my children for a while. The first child is in 2nd grade, and the other two are twins, just over 1 year old and are breastfeeding. I feel sorry for my children because they are still young and would cry without their mother, but I have to leave them behind and ask their grandmother to take care of them so I can go on duty; meanwhile, my husband, an officer at Quynh Thuan Border Guard Station, cannot come home often because he has to participate in the fight against the epidemic. Although I know the situation, but seeing my teammates working hard day and night, I have to put aside my housework to join the guard duty, contributing to sharing and joining hands to push back the epidemic.”

Senior Lieutenant Pham Thuy Linh said: "The shift lasts for many hours, and it is sunny so we have to divide into small shifts to have time to recharge." Photo: Viet Hung

At the Cau Giat town intersection, it is easy to see the image of Senior Lieutenant Pham Thuy Linh - an officer of the Criminal Enforcement and Judicial Support Team, Quynh Luu District Police, who is also "stretching" day and night to control passing vehicles. As the checkpoint is located in the central area of ​​the district, there is a lot of traffic, so the inspection and control at this checkpoint is carried out strictly and seriously by Senior Lieutenant Linh.

Lieutenant Linh shared that this checkpoint is extremely important because of the heavy traffic volume, so the unit has deployed additional forces to ensure good control. The shift lasts for many hours, and the weather is sunny, so the crew has to divide into small shifts to have time to recharge.

To ensure epidemic prevention and control, many female officers and soldiers of Quynh Luu District Police have volunteered to join the checkpoint to share with their male colleagues. Photo: Viet Hung

“Standing at this intersection, my teammates and I cannot be subjective, absolutely not negligent because there are many positive cases of Covid-19 in the district and especially with National Highway 1A passing through, there are many vehicles from many places pouring into the district, so if not strictly controlled, the risk of spreading the disease is very high. The brothers in the checkpoint team here have repeatedly discovered and handled many cases of intentionally breaking through the checkpoint to enter the area. As for vehicles that cannot present valid documents, we are strictly required to turn back,” said Senior Lieutenant Linh.

Captain Nguyen Thi Nguyen and Senior Lieutenant Pham Thuy Linh are two of the female police officers of Quynh Luu District who volunteered to work at the Covid-19 control checkpoint. In addition, many "beautiful women" are also working at checkpoints in other areas. At this time, in addition to controlling vehicles, many citizens from the southern provinces are returning to the area, so the pressure on each checkpoint is increasing. Officers and soldiers on duty have to work at full capacity, under the sun and rain that change rhythms, regardless of day or night.

The “beautiful women” on duty at the checkpoints include many soldiers with young children and even husband and wife who work in the same unit and participate in the same checkpoint. However, the task of fighting the epidemic is put first, so they have to put aside their privacy. Photo: Viet Hung

Lieutenant Nguyen Linh Thao Nguyen - a traffic police officer of the district police station at Quynh Giang commune said: "When receiving the order from the district police leaders to stay at the checkpoint to control the epidemic, I knew it would be more difficult and tiring than my male teammates, but no matter how difficult and tiring it is, we - the female police officers - will try our best with our teammates to complete the assigned tasks well."

Faced with the complicated developments of the epidemic, the number of Covid-19 cases continuously increasing, the People's Committee of Quynh Luu district has established 9 more epidemic control posts in the district and increased the force for 15 other posts in communes and towns with 170 officers and soldiers participating. Of which, 140 regular district and commune police officers were increased; 15 officers and soldiers of the District Military Command and 15 officers and soldiers of Quynh Thuan Border Guard Station. In addition, the force on duty at the posts in the communes also includes the participation of the Youth Union, Women's Union, Police Officers, Militia, and Health.

Female police officers, along with other forces, are considered a solid "shield" in the work of preventing and fighting the Covid-19 epidemic. Photo: Viet Hung

Major Mai Van Huy - Deputy Head of Quynh Luu District Police said that among the 140 regular district and commune police officers assigned to guard checkpoints, many are female. The fact that female officers and soldiers have joined the frontline forces in controlling the Covid-19 epidemic has not been afraid of difficulties and dangers in performing the task of preventing and fighting the Covid-19 epidemic. They are the strong and important "shields" at the hot spots in the work of preventing and fighting the Covid-19 epidemic.

District leaders visit and give gifts to epidemic control checkpoints. Photo: Viet Hung

To encourage the forces on duty at the epidemic control checkpoints, in recent days, leaders of Quynh Luu district have been regularly present at the checkpoints to visit and share the difficulties and hardships of the frontline forces and hope that they will be united and determined to do their tasks well. In addition, the district Fatherland Front Committee, agencies, units, businesses and individuals in the district always stand side by side, encourage, and give necessities and meals to contribute with the frontline forces to repel the epidemic, soon bringing Quynh Luu district back to a new normal state.