Hai Duong residents overjoyed as social distancing ends

By Giang Huy March 3, 2021 | 12:15 am PT

People in Hai Duong Province came out to celebrate with national flags and fireworks the end of social distancing on Wednesday.

Several hours before the province-wide social distancing ends, local authorities work restlessly at Covid-19 checkpoints in Chi Linh Town’s Sao Do Square.

A few hours before the lifting of the province-wide social distancing, local officials work at Covid-19 checkpoints in Chi Linh Town’s Sao Do Square. Social distancing and lockdowns ended on Wednesday.

Those passing the checkpoints must fill in health declaration forms and have their body temperatures checked.

Those crossing checkpoints have to fill a health declaration form and have their temperature measured.

Nguyen Duong Thai, Chairman of Hai Duong Peoples Committee, hands the decision of halting the social distancing to leaders of Chi Linh Town.

Nguyen Duong Thai, chairman of the Hai Duong People's Committee, hands the formal order to end social distancing to Chi Linh Town leaders.

Midnight Tuesday, as local authorities announce their decision to halt the social distancing, officials start removing Covid-19 checkpoints in the square, which were set up when the new wave of infection resurfaced in Hai Duong on Jan. 28, 2021.

At midnight on Tuesday, after local authorities announced the end of social distancing, officials start dismantling checkpoints in Sao Do Square which were set up when the new wave of infections began on January 28, 2021.

After 15 days of province-wide social distancing and 34 days of locking down in Chi Linh Town, nearly 1,000 checkpoints have been recently removed in early Wednesday morning.

After 15 days of province-wide social distancing and 34 days of locking down Chi Linh Town, nearly 1,000 checkpoints have been removed.

With the termination of the province-wide social distancing, residents from seven localities, including Binh Giang, Gia Loc, Nam Sach, Ninh Giang, Thanh Ha, Thanh Mien, Tu Ky districts, and Chi Linh Town, are not allowed to gather more than 30 people at public places. Four other localities, including Cam Giang, Kinh Thanh districts, Kinh Mon, and Hai Duong towns, mandate the social distancing rules until March 17, 2021.A commune in Kim Thanh District, with a population of around 7,400, was placed under 14-day lockdown starting Monday after new cases emerged in the area.

However, in seven localities, Binh Giang, Gia Loc, Nam Sach, Ninh Giang, Thanh Ha, Thanh Mien, and Tu Ky districts and Chi Linh Town, more than 30 people are still not allowed to gather in public.
In Cam Giang and Kim Thanh districts and Kinh Mon and Hai Duong towns, social distancing will continue until March 17.
A commune in Kim Thanh District with a population of around 7,400 was placed under a 14-day lockdown starting Monday after new cases emerged.

Residents of Chi Linh Town wave national flags and praise their hometown for winning the Covid-19 outbreak.

In Chi Linh Town people wave national flags and hail their hometown for defeating Covid.

Some others light fireworks, celebrating a new day when they can travel freely in their hometowns without any Covid-19 checkpoints.

Some let off fireworks to celebrate the fact they can again move freely.

Tuan, Chi Linh resident, live streams his celebration on Facebook for his families and friends to watch.

Tuan of Chi Linh live-streams his celebrations on Facebook for his family and friends to watch.

Youngsters, wearing protective clothes, celebrating the end of the 34-day social distancing period in Hai Duong.Northern Hai Duong Province, currently Vietnam’s biggest coronavirus hotspot with 684 cases, was the epicenter of a new Covid-19 wave that has swept 13 cities and provinces since Jan. 28. Over a month later, Hai Duong is still detecting new transmissions every day, though the number of infections has markedly dropped.

In Chi Linh Town, youngsters wearing protective clothes celebrate the end of the 34-day social distancing.
With 684 cases, Hai Duong was the epicenter of the new Covid-19 wave that swept 13 towns and provinces. A month after it began, the province is still finding new cases every day though numbers have dropped markedly.