That spirit and virtue is like a shimmering torch lighting up great hopes amid the arduous fight against the pandemic towards overcoming the difficulties and challenges to return to a normal situation and continue the cause of national construction and development.

In response to Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong’s call and under the leadership of the Party and State, the Party committees, authorities, fatherland fronts, social and political organisations, and people around the country have united to make their best efforts to prevent and control COVID-19 pandemic.

Vietnamese people have always felt touched in witnessing the spirit of the thousands of doctors, nurses, medical workers and army and public security soldiers who were not afraid of difficulties and hardship to support Ho Chi Minh City and southern provinces and cities. The frontline forces have actively joined the anti-epidemic activities have become strong spiritual fulcrum for the people.

Most recently, a few days before the National Day holiday (September 2), the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee chaired consultations and reached agreement with the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour, Vietnam Farmers’ Association, Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union Central Committee, Vietnam Women’s Union, Vietnam Veterans’ Association and Vietnam Red Cross Society to carry out the “millions of gifts of great unity to support southern people to overcome COVID-19 pandemic” programme.

This is a humane and benevolent programme aiming to promptly contribute to ensuring the lives of disadvantaged people, towards the goal of leaving no one deprived of food, clothing or necessities. The gifts are being granted directly to people who are living in difficult circumstances, especially the poor and disadvantaged people. In previous months, the headquarters of Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committees and its branches in 63 provinces and cities had been busy gathering donations from thousands of individuals and organisations in the country and abroad towardst COVID-19 prevention and control and the COVID-19 vaccine fund.

The assistance for the fight against the pandemic has increased, demonstrating the trust, the willingness to share difficulties with the nation, and the determination to defeat the epidemic. Many localities facing complicated developments of COVID-19 have donated a large amount of resources to provinces and cities in greater difficulty such as Hai Phong, Da Nang, Bac Giang, Binh Duong and Ho Chi Minh City. A large amount of funds and equipment for epidemic prevention were promptly delivered to Hai Duong, Bac Giang, Nghe An, Ha Tinh and other localities. Recently, many provinces and cities have given priority to supporting people who are facing difficulties caused by the pandemic in Ho Chi Minh City.

Meanwhile, as soon as the epidemic situation was under control in the locality, Bac Giang Province immediately sent many delegations of medical workers and modern equipment to the south where the COVID-19 storm is still posing negative impacts. The “white-shirt warriors" have carried a very noble mission.

Necessities are transported to people in the blockade area of Van Mieu Ward in Dong Da District, Hanoi. (Photo: NDO)

Over the past years, social welfare has been always one of major tasks that trade unions at all levels paid much attention to. That has become an important foundation in the country’s socio-economic and the profound humane significance of trade unions.

This has been shown most clearly over the past two years since COVID-19 pandemic began, especially during the fourth outbreak that has spread to 62 of the 63 provinces and cities and attacked many export processing and industrial zones. According to incomplete statistics, over 36,000 workers around the country have been infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus; meanwhile, over 600,000 have become F1 and F2 cases due to having close contact with those infected or living in blockaded areas. The dangerous and prolonged epidemic has caused over 4,300 enterprises to suspend their operations. As a result, millions of workers were forced to stop working, quit and lose their jobs and suspend their labour contracts.

Right from the first days, trade unions have worked with other frontline forces to promptly assist and encourage their members and workers to overcome difficulties. With many practical, creative and effective activities such as COVID-19 safety team, emergency relief group, “zero-dong market”, “zero-dong market bus” and “kitchen of love”. The trade unions’ staff have also mobilised owners of boarding houses to reduce and exempt workers from rent. Thousands of free meals, gifts and welfare bags have been granted to workers and employees. Recently, Can Tho City’s relevant agencies have also given donations of VND50,000 per person per day to mobile lottery ticket sellers. Receiving the grant from authorities, Le Van Rot from Qui Lan 5 Hamlet, Thanh Quoi Commune, Vinh Thanh District, shared: “I and many other lottery ticket sellers are facing numerous difficulties. The welfare will help us resist these difficulties. I want to give my sincere thanks to local leaders for helping my family be fully confident in life.”

Da Nang has twice extended the most stringent and unprecedented epidemic prevention and control measures in the country, starting from August 16. The pioneering implementation of strong measures has demonstrated the determination and spirit of daring to do and daring to take responsibility from the city’s leaders in critical conditions. As a result, although the number of infections has increased, many areas and wards have passed 14 days without COVID-19 cases to become safe zones.

In order to ensure the dual goal, Da Nang has also allowed factories and production facilities to arrange a maximum of 30% of employees while strictly implementing epidemic prevention and control regulations. According to Chairman of Da Nang City People’s Committee Le Trung chinh, the “green zones” have been protected and expanded.

Meanwhile, following over two months of persistently implementing the epidemic prevention and control goals, Bac Giang Province has not only controlled the epidemic but also gained many achievements in economic development. As of August 18, 157,355 workers have been working at 370 enterprises in six industrial zones in the locality.

During the historical days of August, the bustling manufacturing atmosphere has been maintained at Vicem Hai Phong Cement Company, which is the "red address" of Vietnam's revolutionary history, and in Hai Phong City, one of the cradles of the Vietnamese revolutionary workers movement and the beginning place of Vietnam’s cement industry. General Director Tran Van Toan announced the good news that during the outbreak of pandemic, the company has still completed the major repairs, renovations and upgrading of the drying tower, towards bringing practical efficiency. The company has conducted the “3 on-site” mode to ensure labour safety and epidemic prevention for its workers as well as over 400 workers of contractors and foreign experts, with the priority given to the central operating area to maintain continuous production even when infections are detected.

Nhan Dan Newspaper's political-social reportersTranslated by NDO