Duc Giang General Hospital in Hanoi.
Pedestrian access with notice boards reminding people to keep a safe distance.
Mandatory health declarations.
Hand sanitiser is readily accessible.
Health workers equipped with face shields and surgical masks.
Patients not exhibiting symptoms such as coughing and fever are told to go upstairs for a medical check-up. Medical staff still wear face shields and surgical masks to prevent infection from any asymptomatic cases.
Medical staff make appointments beforehand for those with chronic diseases, to reduce patient density.
Similar protocols have been made mandatory in hospitals around Vietnam since the first COVID-19 outbreak, to mitigate the risk of infection and protect medical staff who have direct contact with many people every day.
Someone falling through the cracks could result in a massive outbreak. Bitter lessons can be learned from Bach Mai Hospital or, more recently, Da Nang Hospital C, where dozens of medical staff were infected and entire health facilities were quarantined. Hospitals remain vigilant, and implementing directions from the Ministry of Health plays an important role in the country’s fight against COVID-19./.
