Staying up all night at the checkpoint in Vinh city

"4 ON-SITE" WITH LOCAL AUTHORITIES

Vinh city’s nights have been unusually quiet these past few days. After 7pm, there are hardly any people on the main roads. Occasionally, there are only a few officials, employees, medical staff, doctors, and those doing essential work returning home late after a long day.

Checking vehicles passing through the checkpoint. Photo: Tien Dong

On the roads that normally have two lanes of traffic, half of them are now barricaded, leaving only one path open, and there is always a police officer on duty. Whenever a car's headlights shine from afar, he will immediately signal to stop for inspection.

The streets were strangely peaceful, but filled with so much worry. The rows of shops and businesses that used to be bustling with activity until late at night were half-closed or had their lights off and doors closed. No one wanted to go out when the epidemic was raging like this.

Major Le Ba Nhan - officer of the Party and Political Affairs Department (PX03), in charge of Vice Chairman of the Nghe An Provincial Police Union, Team Leader at checkpoint 64 in front of Coi market gate, Hung Loc commune shared: When the whole city strictly implemented Directive 16 of the Prime Minister, in the spirit of "wherever you are, stay there", following the command of the Provincial Police Director, he and his teammates immediately arrived at the location from 10:00 p.m. on August 22 tobuild a pinand arrange and assign forces to perform tasks.

Officers and soldiers on duty at the checkpoint record license plates and information of vehicles passing through the checkpoint so they can be traced when necessary. Photo: Tien Dong

Because the construction of the checkpoints was carried out suddenly and in a short time, after receiving the assignment, Major Nhan and the Covid-19 Prevention and Control Steering Committee of Hung Loc commune discussed a coordination plan to ensure "4 on-site" measures in epidemic prevention and control work.

Checkpoint 64 has 9 officers and soldiers from PX03 Department, arranged into 3 shifts a day, each shift has 3 comrades, lasting 8 hours. Senior Lieutenant Le Minh Khoi - an officer of PX03 Department on duty at this checkpoint shared that in the early days when the checkpoint was first set up, the plans and guidance documents were not issued in time, so some people were still out on the streets, some did not know if they were eligible to go out to work or not. We had to explain and guide people to clearly understand the regulations on epidemic prevention and control, this is not "lockdown" people but setting up a checkpoint, "wherever you are, stay there" to trace F0 cases in the community in a short time, break the chains of disease transmission, only then can the epidemic be stopped.

Late at night, sometimes only essential workers return home late after a long day. Photo: Tien Dong

Mr. Nguyen Dang Thanh - Chairman of the People's Committee, Head of the Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control in Hung Loc Commune said: Currently, the commune has 3 checkpoints arranged by the Provincial Police along Le Viet Thuat Street from Kenh Bac Bridge to the intersection of Nghe An Pedagogical College. This is a route that normally has a large number of people passing through. After these checkpoints were established, the commune also arranged forces to coordinate and strengthen patrols and control of small roads and alleys, and at the same time arranged separate checkpoints on the inter-commune road at Bo Bridge, connecting to Nghi Thai Commune (Nghi Loc), to avoid the situation where the checkpoints are strictly blocked outside the main road, but people move freely in the alleys and alleys.

In addition, the commune's Covid-19 prevention and control steering committee also regularly exchanges information and coordinates on-site logistics for on-duty forces when required. "With a force of about 30 people from the commune, along with checkpoints strengthened by the provincial police, they have contributed to protecting green areas and safe areas in the area," Mr. Thanh emphasized.

READY TO GO FOR PEACE IN THE CITY

Among the 630 officers and soldiers of Nghe An Provincial Police who reinforced Vinh City to set up 70 checkpoints, there are people on the list of 100.officers and soldiersjust went to reinforce Dien Chau and Quynh Luu districts to fight the epidemic for more than 3 weeks, from the time the epidemic broke out in the second half of June to the beginning of July 2021. They had just brought their backpacks back to their units not long ago, had just finished their quarantine period and had not had time to visit home before they immediately set off again. Major Le Ba Nhan is also one of those who just returned from Dien Chau, he said: "Since the epidemic broke out, we have always been ready. The backpack at the head of the bed in the unit always has a few sets of clothes and personal belongings ready, when there is an order, we will immediately set off."

Checking documents of vehicles picking up and dropping off workers on the road. Photo: Tien Dong

At the checkpoint right at the Kenh Bac bridge intersection, the intersection of Nguyen Sy Sach, Ha Huy Tap, Nguyen Van Cu streets - staffed by officers and soldiers of the Fire Prevention and Rescue Police Department (PC07). This is the intersection of 3 major roads, so many vehicles still pass by. Here, 4 officers and soldiers in a shift stand at 4 intersections, an iron barrier is erected to separate 1 lane, leaving only 1 path.

Taking advantage of the absence of people, Lieutenant Nguyen Duy Bao - Staff Team - PC07, from Nam Hung Commune (Nam Dan), shared: The unit is about 20 km away, but he has not been home since June. Bao just returned from reinforcing the control post in Dien Thinh Commune (Dien Chau) not long ago, after 2 weeks of quarantine at the unit as prescribed, he went back to the post to perform duties with his teammates.

There was one special thing that I encountered at night, which was the appearance of many female officers and soldiers on duty at the checkpoint. Among the 630 officers and soldiers mobilized by the Provincial Police this time, there were more than100 female officers and soldiers. They also stick to the post, stick to the road like many other male comrades. There are husbands in one place, wives in another in two different units, for a whole month only seeing each other through the phone screen. Some have to send their children to their grandparents and rush to the post. The new school year is near but they still haven't had time to buy books for their children.

Senior Lieutenant Nguyen Thi Phuong - officer of PX03 checks the vehicle's documents when passing through the checkpoint. Photo: Tien Dong

Senior Lieutenant Nguyen Thi Phuong - PX03 officer on duty at the checkpoint at the intersection near Nghe An Pedagogical College only smiled when I implied the difficulties and hardships of the women when going to the checkpoint. She said that it is a task that every People's Police soldier feels proud of and is always ready to complete in the best way.

Although her male teammates gave her priority to go on the first shift so she could go home early, I noticed that by the time she changed shifts, the sun had already changed. Leaving the checkpoint, Ms. Phuong was not allowed to go home but had to concentrate on her unit. The road from the checkpoint to the unit was deserted, with only the yellow lights flickering through the rows of trees on the roadside. But she felt happier when passing each checkpoint and seeing the image of her teammates on duty, for the peace of her beloved city. She secretly hoped that the epidemic would be controlled quickly so that daily life could return, and the streets would be bustling again as before...

Tien Dong Song - Diep Thanh Technique