Completing the task of preventing epidemics at the gateway

Setting up many traffic checkpoints

The authorized forces on duty at the checkpoint of Dong Nai Bridge area (National Highway 1, the section through Long Binh Tan Ward, Bien Hoa City)​

Previous, in order to control the Covid-19 epidemic at the traffic gateway points come in, come out the province, from the beginning of June 2021, Dong Nai has decided to set up traffic checkpoints with the participation of forces: public security, traffic inspectors, military, medical personnel. Despite of the working pressures, uncomfortable working conditions, and temporary accommodation, etc., these forces have well cooperated to achieve the highest efficiency at the request of the Provincial People's Committee on the control, prevention and control of Covid-19 on the road networks.

At the checkpoint area of Dong Nai Bridge (National Highway 1, Long Binh Tan Ward, Bien Hoa City, Major Tran Quoc Viet, Traffic Police Team No. 1, Division of Traffic Police, Provincial Public Security said that every day more than 5,000 people go by the checkpoint into the province. The inspection of people and vehicles here is very stressful, everyone's sweat is drenched when they have to work continuously in the hot weather.

Along with Dong Nai Bridge checkpoint, checkpoint on National Highway 1K (via Hoa An Ward Bien Hoa, City) is also one of the places with a heavy density of vehicles. Traffic inspector (Department of Transport) Bui Hai Anh said that in June 2021, when Dong Nai and some localities have not implemented social distancing measures, the inspection of medical declarations of people returning from the epidemic area is very difficult. Even so, the authorized forces at the checkpoint and the interagency force still take turns to guard 24 hours a day.  

"For more than 5 months of participating in traffic is a huge challenge. Uncomfortable weather, the number of vehicles from Ho Chi Minh City and Binh Duong Province travel a lot, so the officers working at the checkpoint had to work very hard. The datum, information issues, travel schedules of vehicles passing here are always updated and well recorded to ensure the control of people entering and leaving and the health declaration are conducted in the most effective manner" - Mr. Hai Anh confided.   Not only roads but also the waterway was also set up by Dong Nai with 2 checkpoints to control, prevent and combat the epidemic in the 4th Covid-19 outbreak that broke out from the end of April 2021. With the characteristics of inland waterways, the arrangement of checkpoints on the river has many specific characteristics and complexities compared to the road. Ho Thanh Truc - Lieutenant Colonel, Deputy Captain of the Water Police Team (Division of Traffic Police) shared, the selection of placing the checkpoints and the method of vehicle inspection as well as ensuring the safety of the participating forces at the checkpoint have performed very carefully and scientifically. With the spirit of proactivity, implementing the motto "4 on the spot", the water police force has coordinated the military control force, the waterway traffic inspectors to ensure strict control, not missing, and minimize the risk of spreading disease on the traffic route.

Mission completed

According to statistics of the authorities, from the time of establishing the epidemic control checkpoint to mid-September 2021, the competent force on the national highway has implemented control for more than 702,000 vehicles, over 805,000 people from provinces and cities with epidemics, requested health declaration of 306,000 people. Thereby, detecting 10 people having signs of Covid-19 infection and handing over to health authorities to carry out testing and isolation as prescribed, etc.

Chief of Traffic Inspector (Department of Transport) Nguyen Phan Trong said that the entire number of units is only 62 people but complying with the decision of the Provincial People's Committee on the establishment of epidemic checkpoints, traffic inspectors have arranged 48 officers and inspectors to participate. The participating forces are very serious, close and always in the mood to "fight against the epidemic" at the gateways to the area. According to Mr. Nguyen Phan Trong, along with other forces, officials and inspectors for vehicles lanes control, body temperature measurement, and medical declarations are deployed quickly and conveniently for people but do not allow traffic jams to occur. In addition, although the force is limited, traffic inspectors still maintain and arrange personnel to handle violations, resolve administrative formalities and itinerant anti-epidemic patrols to ensure the good performance of assigned tasks.

Colonel Tran Tien Dat, Deputy Director of Provincial Public Security said that, implementing the direction of the Ministry of Public Security and provincial leaders, the Provincial Public Security has mobilized maximum forces to participate in epidemic prevention and control, which plays an integrity role at traffic control checkpoints. At the epidemic control checkpoints on national highways and gateways to the province, many officials and soldiers had to put aside private tasks to ensure public tasks. Recently, the Provincial Directorate of Public Security have regularly checked, visited and encouraged officers and soldiers on duty at these locations. What we have seen during our inspections indicate clearly the high spirit and responsibility of the officers while performing their missions. During the most challenging period of Covid-19 fighting, the checkpoints have been seen as the "shields" to prevent the disease spread.  

Le Binh​