Coronavirus shutdown leaves Hanoi construction workers stranded

Ten workers live in this hut in Duong Noi Ward, Ha Dong District.
Hailing from provinces like Dien Bien, Son La, Nam Dinh, Thanh Hoa, and Thai Binh, they have been out of work since the capital mandated social distancing to contain the coronavirus. Many could not go home because of the semi-lockdown, expensive bus tickets and quarantine rules.

Amid a heatwave in the city, their fans are always on and at maximum speed.

A misting system has been installed by their employer.

Vu Van Nghiep, 53, is a worker from the northern province of Nam Dinh.
He says before the semi-lockdown began two people in his group, including a 60-year-old man, paid VND400,000 ($17.44) for a bicycle and pedaled 160 kilometers to Nam Dinh, their hometown.
Those staying back in Hanoi "have stayed put because they are afraid of being fined if they venture out."
A worker could earn VND250,000 per day if they work, he adds.

They cut each other’s hair since barbershops are closed.

Lo Van Thuan of Dien Bien Province shaves his head "to save soap and water."

Vang A Tong, 24, of Yen Bai Province says: "It is the harvest season at home, but I cannot return. My wife and one-year-old child live there, and I do not know how I can go home if the social distancing continues."

They shower and wash clothes in front of their huts in the afternoon, the only time of the day they go out.

"I felt okay when I was going to work, but now eating and lying here make me feel tired," one worker says.
Their employers provide each worker with up to VND40,000 for their food.

Giang A Pha, 21, calls his family in Son La Province.
Pha, who arrived in Hanoi just several days before the semi-lockdown, says: "A bus in My Dinh Bus Station can take me home, but the fare is VND1.5 million. Then I will have to spend VND800,000 for the Covid test. I would rather stay here to save money."

Living in these huts, workers must get electricity from neighbors. Local authorities provide them with eggs, rice and shopping vouchers.
Hanoi began its 15-day social distancing order starting July 24, 2021, amid rising coronavirus threats in the capital. The local authorities last week decided to extend the order until August 22.
As of Monday, the city has recorded 2,005 Covid cases in the current outbreak beginning late April.