Staying up all night without leaving the position at the Yen Thanh epidemic checkpoint

Present at Covid-19 checkpoints in the areaYen Thanh districtLate at night on August 21, it was shown that all localities arranged for functional forces to perform their duties seriously and not leave their positions.

One of three checkpoints in Yen Thanh town. Photo: Xuan Hoang

Mr. Phan Van Dong, a police officer of Yen Thanh town, shared: The weather is hot these days, working all day on the street is tiring, at night I want to lie down and rest, but because of the assigned task, I try to stay up all night to fulfill my duty, contributing to the preventionCovid-19 epidemicon the site. Although the electricity grid has been pulled out to the tent, at night it is only used to plug in the electric fan, and the light bulb is not turned on because mosquitoes and other insects will fly in and find the light very annoying.

Even though it was late at night, the authorities did not leave their posts. Photo: Xuan Hoang

"Since the checkpoint was set up, people have basically complied well when passing through the checkpoint. There has not been any case of intentionally passing through the checkpoint without permission from the task force," said Mr. Phan Van Dong.

At a checkpoint in Trung Thanh commune, it was seen that the force on duty did not leave their post for a minute. Mr. Nguyen Duc Tung, a member of the commune's military force, said that in rural areas at night, there were very few vehicles entering and exiting. Whenever a person wanted to pass through the checkpoint, the force on duty asked specifically where they were going, what they were doing... only if it was legitimate would they let them pass. "Usually, people who leave their homes late at night are going to buy medicine because someone in the house is sick," Mr. Tung shared.

On-duty checkpoint in Trung Thanh commune on the night of August 21. Photo: Xuan Hoang

It is known that in Trung Thanh commune, there are 5 main checkpoints and dozens of sub-checkpoints. At the main checkpoints, tents are arranged, electricity is brought to the place, there are people on duty 24/24 hours/day, people can go back and forth when necessary; the sub-checkpoints are blocked off with poles.

At checkpoints, beds, hammocks and fans are arranged for the guards to take turns resting and eating on the spot. Photo: Xuan Hoang

Arriving at a checkpoint in Tay Ho hamlet, Nam Thanh commune late at night, although this checkpoint is carefully fenced, vehicles cannot pass through, but there are still people on duty regularly. Mr. Nguyen Tho Bien, a member on duty at the checkpoint, said that the hamlet set up the checkpoint right after the whole district implemented social distancing according toGovernment Directive 16The checkpoint is barricaded and does not allow vehicles to pass through, so people's goods are delivered and received at the checkpoint, or if necessary, they have to walk through.

According to Mr. Hoang Van Sam - Chairman of Nam Thanh Commune People's Committee, with the motto of communes isolating from communes, hamlets are isolating from hamlets, the commune has set up 7 commune-level checkpoints and 27 hamlet-level checkpoints. At each checkpoint, a force is arranged to be on duty 24/24 hours a day.

The force on duty at the checkpoint in Tay Ho hamlet, Nam Thanh commune stayed up all night to manage passersby. Photo: Xuan Hoang

After issuing a decision to implement social distancing in the entire district according to Directive 16 of the Government, Yen Thanh district directed all communes and towns in the district to set up checkpoints around the area to control people passing through.

Accordingly, the district has established 281key pointDistrict, commune and hamlet levels. At checkpoints, district and commune police and military forces are deployed; in addition, there is the participation of the Youth Union, Women's Union, police officers, militia, commune health workers... on duty 24/7. Citizens passing through checkpoints must have the correct documents and goods on the permitted list.

As of this morning, August 22, Yen Thanh district has recorded 97 cases of Covid-19. Given the complicated developments of the epidemic, the number of Covid-19 cases is continuously increasing, the serious patrolling of functional forces will contribute significantly to the prevention of the epidemic in Yen Thanh./.