Isolated but not separated

At around 8pm on June 18, the familiar radio call of Mr. Sinh - Party cell secretary and block leader rang out, the loud and soft whispers of the neighbors outside the alley grew louder and louder...

So our once peaceful alley has been officially blocked off due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Authorities and people donate necessities to the quarantine area of ​​Hung Dung ward (Vinh city). Photo: Tien Dong

In the words of today's youth, this was the "first time doing it", the first time the whole neighborhood was locked down due to the pandemic; so many worries, so many restlessnesses, sobs poured in and were all concentrated on the first night of the lockdown. Combined with the urgent screening test at midnight, no one in my neighborhood could sleep.

Besides the fear of spreading the disease, almost everyone is worried about life in the following days in the lockdown area, because almost no one has had time to buy much to prepare for the "campaign" of isolating the whole family in the residential area "no one can go in or out".

But up to now, after 8 days of living in a locked-down residential area, all thoughts and worries of the people in my neighborhood have completely changed, because we have received wonderful warm feelings, that is the feelings between people in the place where we have lived for so long, "village love, neighborhood love", the attention of political and social organizations (Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee, Women's Association, Youth Union...) and especially, we are truly touched when all the people in the locality are turning to us with noble hearts of kindness.

Right after the blockade was set up, the sound of phone messages continuously poured in, the zalo group named "Beautiful Neighborhood" of the sisters in my neighborhood was established by Ms. Ngoc - a member of the ward's Women's Union, which had been quiet for a long time, now suddenly became fully active. Like everyone else, I read all the messages one by one, and was really touched, all of them were messages of sharing, encouragement and reassurance from the sisters to each other, mainly with the contents: "Stay calm", "Rest assured", "Share"...

People of Hung Dung ward wait in order to get their samples tested. Photo: Thanh Cuong

That night, without anyone telling us to, we all liked, turned off our phones and rested peacefully before Nhung's message full of confidence: "Let's stay calm and encourage our families, because we have the consensus of the whole neighborhood and certainly the Party, the State and the people of other regions will not abandon us."
Just as Ms. Nhung said, our village and neighborhood relationships have become "stronger" than ever. Before the lockdown, everyone had their own jobs and circumstances; after a hard day's work, everyone went home and occasionally when neighbors met, they would just say a few words and then go home. But now, every afternoon, the men in the neighborhood prepare masks and anti-droplet glasses, bring out chairs, sit at their own gates and "chat" from afar. Moreover, if some houses lack something, need something (even the smallest things), their neighbors will promptly share it with them.

In the 4.0 era, if anyone needs something or wants to share something with someone else, they just exchange information over the phone. After a while, they see neighbors wearing masks and coats hanging things at their gate and then going home by themselves; sometimes it's just a bunch of vegetables, a bowl of pickled mustard greens, a couple of tomatoes... but it's big enough to make up for the missing parts in each family's meal.

Medical staff work overnight to collect samples for people in the quarantine area of ​​Hung Dung ward (Vinh city). Photo: Thanh Cuong

Then every time necessities were sent to support, the women in the neighborhood were always ready to give to each other, whoever needed it first took it first, whoever needed more took more, some did not take their share to give it to other families in greater need. Never before had I seen people in the neighborhood exchange warm looks from afar, small actions with such great meaning; that was sharing, taking care of each other in times of difficulty and adversity; it was making up for the shortcomings in our village and neighborhood relationships for so long.

The past 8 days of quarantine have been regular days when we have been "supplied" with a lot of food and essential items by agencies, organizations and people in neighboring villages. From bundles of water spinach, amaranth, squash, bananas, packages of dried shrimp, or packages of nutritious porridge for children... all show the great care of the Party, the State and the people outside the blockade area. Some neighbors even humorously said: "Quarantine like this is not as difficult or miserable as you think, right guys?"

Not only were we given food, drinks, and essential items, but we were even more moved when most of the families in the neighborhood, especially those in difficult circumstances, received cash support from philanthropists and donors from all over the area. We deeply appreciate the affection that everyone has given us during these days. Although we are in the locked-down area, we are not hungry and do not feel abandoned. We feel that "isolation but not isolation".

Isolation and lockdown are things that no one wants; but if anyone is in the same situation as us now, please rest assured to do so; because humanity is always around us, extremely warm and precious. I hope we all do well in "5K" to quickly push back the epidemic.

Red Hue