Covid Update and Need

Many have asked what is covid situation in SE Asia. Our homes are safe and well. Programs are been more challenging but continue. The needs among the poor are great! We are working through our Church and govt partners to help provide food and supplies to many. If you can help it can be done safely on line www.givingitbacktokids.org

 

Todays note on conditions is written by the one and only and newly appointed VP of GIBTK Tam Tong, as always if you'd like to send a reply I will forward it.

 

 

 

Vietnam has been in the midst of the fourth wave of COVID-19 infections since April which is much more serious than any before it. Many new cases are found each day in many provinces, especially in Ho Chi Minh city. In Ho Chi Minh, hospitals there are full and do not have the capacity to receive more patients. Due to the healthcare system overload, home quarantine for cases with light illness or asymptomatic has been piloted in Ho Chi Minh City. 

Also, there are not enough facilities to quarantine those who are in direct contact with contracted patients so they are required to do self-quarantine at home too. We have been in tight restrictions in traveling. There are many doctors and nurses from other provinces flying in to support. Curfew from 6 pm to 6am the next morning has been applied there. If people go out during these hours without a reasonable cause, they will get charged. The government predicted that it would takes months to be able to put this outbreak under control.  

 

 

A series of drastic actions such as schools and workplace shutdown, cancellation of public events, tight quarantine, social distancing, and overnight curfew have been imposed in badly hit provinces. Non-essential businesses and public transportation have been suspended from operation. All activities have suspended except for emergencies and pandemic-related operations. 

 

 

 

People from other provinces coming to Ho Chi Minh city to work as workers in factories, brick layers or in some other work, are finding their ways home because so many people lost their job. They are facing difficulty in meeting the basic need of their family, not including rent. Our partners have done relief in several areas in the south but the need is huge. They and their teams have worked hard to bring people rice, groceries and supplies each day. 

There are restrictions in traveling between provinces too. Health declaration stations between provinces were set up to control who get in and get out. There are stops where the police will check why you are out on the street. The government is working hard to keep the people safe and to control the situation. Till the 1st of Aug, Viet Nam has recorded 146.198 cases positive with Covid19 and 630 deaths, in which, Da Nang has recorded 1.449 cases and 34 deaths. 

 

In Da Nang, the number of infections recorded in the city has increased quickly in every single day associated with more clusters. Following that, strong actions have been taken by the municipal authorities such as lockdowns, curfew, temporary closure order on many markets and the biggest fishing port, social distancing…Covid- 19 has caused massive impacts on different areas of life especially tourism industry and its workforces.

 

Ninety percent of around 5.000 tourism entrepreneurs in the city are closed. A large number of hotels have shut down. Thousands of workers are unemployed due to transmission happening in the industrial zones, stallholders have suffered from interrupted business… The situation is not easy for everyone. We are going through an uncertain time that we haven’t gone through before. 

 

Talking to our team mate in Battambang, Cambodia, the Covid19 situation there is worse too. Battambang has been in a lockdown. There are workers coming home in Battambang from Thailand. They have no job and need food to survive too. 

Sincerely with Love and appreciation;

Tam Tong

 

If your one who prays please pray for wisdom in how best gibtk can be there for the hurting. if you can help financially sure be appreciated as well. no gift to small. we can and do a lot with just little. 

Hope you and your families are safe and "ok"

 

 

Robert Kalatschan

Giving it Back to Kids

www.gibtk.org

robert@gibtk.org