HANOI (UCAN): Caritas in northern Vietnam provided food aid for tens of thousands of people who have been badly affected by anti-Covid-19 coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) measures in Hai Duong province, which has become the epicentre of the third wave of the pandemic in the country.
The province has recorded 701 infections since January 28, when the first cases were detected.
Hai Duong, with its 100,000 factory workers began isolation measures on February 16 to contain the outbreak.
Many places are still under quarantine with farmers throwing away produce that could not be transported elsewhere while companies and factories have been closed.
On March 6, Health minister, Nguyen Thanh Long, said that frontline healthcare staff at Covid-19 facilities in Hai Duong would be the first to receive the Covid-19 vaccine. The province is expected to receive 35,000 doses.
Nguyen said the country was scheduled to begin the first phase of vaccinations in 13 Covid-hit areas on March 8.
Caritas in Hai Phong offered 100 tonnes of rice worth 1.45 billion dong ($489,293), but could not approach people due to Covid-19 precautions and had send these through local authorities to distribute.
Father Joseph Duong Huu Tinh, a parish priest in Hai Duong, and Father Anthony Vu Ngoc Thach, head of Caritas in Hai Duong, provided 30 tonnes of rice for those isolated in Cam Giang, which is one of the worst-hit districts and home to many industrial zones.
They gave 50 tonnes of rice to families in public quarantine places in the isolated district of Kim Thanh. On March 2, they visited farmers and workers in Hai Duong City and other neighbouring districts.
The local Caritas launched a campaign called Catholic Church towards Hai Duong: Supply 100 Tonnes of Rice and received donations from Caritas Vietnam, Caritas in Hanoi, Hung Hoa and benefactors.
