Quarantine facility staff conditions in Vietnam
The living conditions in Vietnam’s COVID-19 quarantine facilities isn’t some huge mystery – people are free to take photos and post them online. Three meals per day, strong Wi-Fi, free masks, and complimentary toiletries are some of the things you can expect if you’re quarantined in Vietnam.
But when it comes to the living conditions for facility staff, that’s another story. Most people were in the dark about how they were living until recently, when a series of photos capturing the living conditions of staff working in quarantine facilities was widely circulated on the Internet.
Waking up at 3AM and having meager meals
Image credit: Quận 9 Của Tôi
The living conditions of quarantine facility staff, including soldiers, doctors, and nurses, are in stark contrast to those of facility guests.
Compared to the sumptuous meals with meat, vegetables, soup, and fruits provided for quarantined people, the meals staff get are much simpler.
Soldiers eating instant noodles outdoors for breakfast
Image credit: Quận 9 Của Tôi
These photos touched the hearts of many netizens.
Image credit: Quận 9 Của Tôi
“My heart broke seeing you all like this. Take care! Our country needs people like you,” Hoang Truong commented.
Sleeping on makeshift beds
Image credit: @bobbychinn
As the proper beds in facilities are reserved for guests, most quarantine staff can only sleep on makeshift beds. A popular Instagram post by chef Bobby Chinn showed a group of doctors and nurses sleeping on thin mats, without blankets and pillows, outside of the quarantine facility where his father was being held.
Image credit: @bobbychinn
In his caption, Bobby Chinn showed his respect and praised the dedication of the staff.
Working round the clock
Image credit: Đào Văn Nguyễn
Another viral COVID-19 comment comes from Facebook user Ho Tran, who claims to be a 45-year-old quarantine facility staff member. In response to complaints from residents about subpar conditions of their quarantine facilities, he made his case by sharing his daily routine.
Apart from waking up early, he has to run errands and help quarantined residents buy what they need, such as milk powder for babies or SIM cards. He also states that making meals for hundreds of people is not an easy task, and it’s inevitable that the meals fall below expectations sometimes.
And what many might not know is that quarantine facility staff are working for 28 days straight. That means that staff first serve residents for their 14-day quarantine period, and after the residents are discharged, the staff themselves are then quarantined for another 14 days before they can finally go home.
Quarantine facility staff delivering a teddy bear to its quarantined owner
Image credit: Beatvn
Despite many difficulties, the quarantine staff are doing their best to cater to the needs of those being quarantined. Two staff even went as far as to deliver a teddy bear to its 19-year-old owner who couldn’t sleep without it.
That said, the government has urged families of quarantined residents not to send them supplies. Not only does it cause extra work for the staff who have to sort these deliveries out, but it can also speed up the transmission of COVID-19.
Also check out:
- We interviewed 17 Vietnamese people from all walks of life about how COVID-19 affects them
- Man in HCMC devises rope-and-pulley system to fetch his lunch delivery order
- 10 things visitors in Vietnam during the COVID-19 pandemic need to know
Cover image adapted from: Quận 9 Của Tôi
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