Voters discharge duty at Hanoi's locked down hospitals

"Many people have been quarantined for the last 17 days, but we still do our civic duty despite being in a coronavirus hotspot," said Chinh.

The Sunday election to choose members for the National Assembly and People's Councils on all levels for the 2021-2026 term is happening nationwide from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and the K Hospital is no exception.

Despite being locked down as a coronavirus hotspot, election day has been a lively event for over 2,200 patients, their family members and hospital staff.

To prevent cross-infection, the hospital has poll stations in different locations working in different time frames. Patients in severe condition who cannot move are allowed to vote right at their hospital beds.

Pham Van Binh, deputy director of the hospital, said every voter in the hospital is wearing a protective suit and maintain a distance of at least three meters from another.

"The hospital has also prepared 20 ballot boxes wrapped in nylon, sealed and frequently disinfected," he added.

Over 700 medical workers and patients quarantined at the capital's National Hospital for Tropical Disease, which has also been locked down after it turned out to be a coronavirus hotspot, are also casting their votes.

Nguyen Trung Cap, the hospital's deputy director, said the hospital has three ballot boxes and all coronavirus prevention measures are being complied with.

Hanoi has recorded 283 cases in the latest Covid-19 wave, of which 137 have been detected at the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases and the K Hospital.

Nationwide, 2,089 Covid-19 cases have been recorded in 30 cities and provinces in the new wave.