DAILY LIFE IN VIETNAM DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC 2020-2021

I just read that the government says there will be no discrimination against foreigners during this vaccination drive.  Apparently they've already given it to members of foreign diplomatic missions, UN officials and their family members and 50 members of the foreign press.

So when they eventually get to your area, you will be able to receive one, but that will likely take a long time.  Japan just said they will send another million AstraZeneca shots to Vietnam.

https://en.vietnamplus.vn/no-discrimina … 203594.vnphttps://en.vietnamplus.vn/japan-to-dona … 203637.vnp

ckitanoand paulmsn:  I expect the efforts of the two senators is an in response to the current policy.  Hopefully political pressure on the administration will make them change.  They do tend to listen to those who control their pursestrings.

So thats the super big AEON MALL Tan Phu all sealed off tight as of yesterday & that's barely 200 mtrs down the road so suppose its only a matter of time now. Got my 6 months old crashed ACER laptop back from the ACER place minus all my data etc & everything in Vietnamese (understandably really I suppose) Thank you YouTube for all your tutorials & up running now in English. Now figured out what this One Cloud is all about so hopefully Mr Stupid goodolboy has learned a lesson this time. Got a Crash Bandicoot disc delivered via Lazada for PS2 from a Vietnamese shop quite near by. Talked to the guy via Zalo text & phone to make sure it would be ready to run on PS2 & he assured me 100% good. Well I suppose it was good cos it loaded up OK, problem was it was all in Japanese so that one ended up in the bin.

You busted your laptop again?

One cloud is online storage.. good to keep things safe from dead laptops or pcs.. google drive work adjust the same, depends how safe the password is..

Crash bandicoot in English is available form bit torrents but you will need a CD burner to create a disc. But far the easier way is to connect the PS2 to the internet and use playstation digital download. The game gets store your HDD instead of using optical discs. I haven't tried it for a long time, last one I used was the PS4 pro

Jlgarbutt wrote:

You busted your laptop again?

One cloud is online storage.. good to keep things safe from dead laptops or pcs.. google drive work adjust the same, depends how safe the password is..

Crash bandicoot in English is available form bit torrents but you will need a CD burner to create a disc. But far the easier way is to connect the PS2 to the internet and use playstation digital download. The game gets store your HDD instead of using optical discs. I haven't tried it for a long time, last one I used was the PS4 pro

WOW great info on PS2 games. Managed to get The Simpsons Game & a free Crash game (in English) from the supplier all for 30k incl delivery so cant complain.

The laptop you know & fixed (thanks) gave up the ghost about 6 months back when I forgot to close the window  beside my desk & balcony when I went to bed. Forgot the balcony garden auto sprinkler system comes on at 11.30 pm for 5 minutes & again at 4.30 am & deluges the balcony & this time also the laptop so that was the end of it! (old age is a curse) So splashed out & bought a new laptop & clean out of the blue one morning it decided first off to say........"no bootable device" & after following advice on YouTube that said 100% fix for that problem it wrapped its hand in completely.

If its windows 10 google how to create a bootable recovery usb... so if the problem happens again its an easy fix.

If your haptop has  cd drive then definatrly look into bit torrent, i found crash bsndicoot ps2 in multi  in english quite easily.

Old age or beer 🤪

So here we go Thursday already & plan a dash to the supermarket to top up. Decided to drop in past AEON Mall to see what the score was & actually surprise surprise the supermarket bit is open, only Mall bit is sealed off & only the main entry door is open. So did the sign in & temp check etc & went in but did not stay cos although the supermarket was open the bakery was not. Headed off to Big C at Pandora & took a rout past 3 open markets & all closed sealed off & empty. Still quite a lot of small shops & supermarkets open though including some Pho places doing take away. Big C was busy even at 9.30 & no shortages of produce evident & by the time we got to check outs the lines were all 4 or 5 trolleys long & stacked full. One lady had 3 trolleys full of 1 dozen egg boxes I kid you not 3 trolleys not baskets!! She checked out & then must have been her daughter arrived with another trolley full of eggs & proceeded to try to jump the queue & yours truly was having none of that & told her to join the line at the back. Then some management people arrived & put a limit of 4 boxes of 1 dozen eggs per person so the lady got her 3 trolley loads through but the daughter was restricted to 4 boxes. She was lets say.....not happy! 
Anyways thats enough excitement for one day for me & its relax time & this afternoon see if I can progress to level 2 on Crash Bandicoot.

Oh just saw on BBC that Gap are closing all their UK high street stores & completely online...........sign of the times for good or for bad.....who knows

So surprise surprise, as of 0800 this morning my apartment block is all taped off & in lock down. answered the door bell & opened the door to find about 10 people in Green uniforms & 3 very formal looking officials Still to find out the extent of the situation & how it will pan out. Lucky got some grub in stock as of yesterday.

Not clear yet if its all Celadon City Emerald complex or just our block or even just our level.

goodolboy wrote:

So surprise surprise, as of 0800 this morning my apartment block is all taped off & in lock down. answered the door bell & opened the door to find about 10 people in Green uniforms & 3 very formal looking officials Still to find out the extent of the situation & how it will pan out. Lucky got some grub in stock as of yesterday.

Not clear yet if its all Celadon City Emerald complex or just our block or even just our level.

Yikes!

Hang in there.

I'm glad you were at home and not in some Market or office somewhere

Thats bad news...

Crikey its worse than I thought.....Alan not lucky.......its the apartment down a bit & opposite. Lots of comings & goings from what I can see through the door peep hole

Best keep doors closed.. and get cracking on Crash Bandicoot .

Don't take any chances

Jlgarbutt wrote:

Best keep doors closed.. and get cracking on Crash Bandicoot .

Don't take any chances

1.30 the team arrived with Blue plastic suits & a back pack petrol duster & disinfected the lobby & the apartment where the Covid is suspected. 3 PM all the residents level F 9 had to go get tested again. Still same no individual testing with samples sealed individually it was the 10 samples in a bottle again. That bit I really dont understand yet. OK first mass testing I can understand the batches of 10 but now with a known case in the apartment opposite & still testing in batches of 10, I just dont get it.
Perhaps there is a simple answer & I am missing something. Still not sure how long we are in isolation for, suppose next thing will be to wait for test results.

Worries me now that after your first test and short period you get locked down if that will be the case here also. Especially considering most people gave up waiting and went home

Friends in Jamila development got tested today, same block testing..but they were told to arrived at 10am... Test team arrived just gone midday.

Might have to order some beers in just to be safe

so my final update for today before beddie time, just got a letter shoved under the door to explain the situation here at Block F. Basically I am told it says that 49 people have tested positive for Covid & not restricted to my floor 9, it covers most of the 15 floors in various degrees.
We managed to get a delivery (not easy) of drinking water & going by the reaction when trying to get the delivery getting anything delivered is not going to be easy for a couple of days until the dust settles anyways.
Just gotta hope we dont get it & get taken to hospital........thinking ahead who is gonna take care of Bubbles the gold fish, hummmmmmmmm.

goodolboy wrote:

so my final update for today before beddie time, just got a letter shoved under the door to explain the situation here at Block F. Basically I am told it says that 49 people have tested positive for Covid & not restricted to my floor 9, it covers most of the 15 floors in various degrees.
We managed to get a delivery (not easy) of drinking water & going by the reaction when trying to get the delivery getting anything delivered is not going to be easy for a couple of days until the dust settles anyways.
Just gotta hope we dont get it & get taken to hospital........thinking ahead who is gonna take care of Bubbles the gold fish, hummmmmmmmm.

It won't come to that I'm sure.. but fish are usually good for 10 days without food.. bit that usually means plants in the tank or bowl to munch on

goodolboy wrote:

Just gotta hope we dont get it & get taken to hospital........thinking ahead who is gonna take care of Bubbles the gold fish, hummmmmmmmm.

Poor Bubbles.   

You don't just get taken to hospital if you're tested positive.  When you're vaccinated, you must have it done at hospital due to your age, and if you run a fever, they'll keep you there until they're certain you're fine to go home (sometimes it would be days later).

Jlgarbutt wrote:

goodolboy wrote:

so my final update for today before beddie time, just got a letter shoved under the door to explain the situation here at Block F. Basically I am told it says that 49 people have tested positive for Covid & not restricted to my floor 9, it covers most of the 15 floors in various degrees.
We managed to get a delivery (not easy) of drinking water & going by the reaction when trying to get the delivery getting anything delivered is not going to be easy for a couple of days until the dust settles anyways.
Just gotta hope we dont get it & get taken to hospital........thinking ahead who is gonna take care of Bubbles the gold fish, hummmmmmmmm.

It won't come to that I'm sure.. but fish are usually good for 10 days without food.. bit that usually means plants in the tank or bowl to munch on

Do you think he/she will eat plastic?

Ciambella wrote:

goodolboy wrote:

Just gotta hope we dont get it & get taken to hospital........thinking ahead who is gonna take care of Bubbles the gold fish, hummmmmmmmm.

Poor Bubbles.   

You don't just get taken to hospital if you're tested positive.  When you're vaccinated, you must have it done at hospital due to your age.

Ahhhhhhh old age can be a curse 

goodolboy wrote:

Ahhhhhhh old age can be a curse 

You're not alone.  I'll have to do the same thing, and so will my husband, and so have many people.

goodolboy wrote:

Jlgarbutt wrote:

goodolboy wrote:

so my final update for today before beddie time, just got a letter shoved under the door to explain the situation here at Block F. Basically I am told it says that 49 people have tested positive for Covid & not restricted to my floor 9, it covers most of the 15 floors in various degrees.
We managed to get a delivery (not easy) of drinking water & going by the reaction when trying to get the delivery getting anything delivered is not going to be easy for a couple of days until the dust settles anyways.
Just gotta hope we dont get it & get taken to hospital........thinking ahead who is gonna take care of Bubbles the gold fish, hummmmmmmmm.

It won't come to that I'm sure.. but fish are usually good for 10 days without food.. bit that usually means plants in the tank or bowl to munch on

Do you think he/she will eat plastic?

Umm no hopefully not... You could in a worse case scenario transplant some basic greenery from the balcony garden..

Ciambella wrote:

goodolboy wrote:

Just gotta hope we dont get it & get taken to hospital........thinking ahead who is gonna take care of Bubbles the gold fish, hummmmmmmmm.

Poor Bubbles.   

You don't just get taken to hospital if you're tested positive.  When you're vaccinated, you must have it done at hospital due to your age, and if you run a fever, they'll keep you there until they're certain you're fine to go home (sometimes it would be days later).

I have taken both the doses of Astra Zeneca vaccine, second dose 45 days after the first. I am 54. I felt a moderate headache the next day of vaccination after the first dose. There weren't any issues after the second. In general, from opinion of around 30-35 people who got vaccinated in our complex (tentative age group of 45-85, some having comorbidity issues), few had issues like headache, drowsy feeling, vomiting, slight body pain, etc after the first. No issues reported from anybody after the second dose.

andidips wrote:

Ciambella wrote:

goodolboy wrote:

Just gotta hope we dont get it & get taken to hospital........thinking ahead who is gonna take care of Bubbles the gold fish, hummmmmmmmm.

Poor Bubbles.   

You don't just get taken to hospital if you're tested positive.  When you're vaccinated, you must have it done at hospital due to your age, and if you run a fever, they'll keep you there until they're certain you're fine to go home (sometimes it would be days later).

I have taken both the doses of Astra Zeneca vaccine, second dose 45 days after the first. I am 54. I felt a moderate headache the next day of vaccination after the first dose. There weren't any issues after the second. In general, from opinion of around 30-35 people who got vaccinated in our complex (tentative age group of 45-85, some having comorbidity issues), few had issues like headache, drowsy feeling, vomiting, slight body pain, etc after the first. No issues reported from anybody after the second dose.

I had a non-professional person at the local veterans administration medical center tell me, "The sicker you get from a vaccine, the better the immunity you get".

So it stands to reason, if the vaccine kills you, you will definitely never get COVID-19...

OceanBeach92107 wrote:

I had a non-professional person at the local veterans administration medical center tell me, "The sicker you get from a vaccine, the better the immunity you get".

So it stands to reason, if the vaccine kills you, you will definitely never get COVID-19...

Thank you for giving us all hope.

So this morning looks like we will be in lock down/quarantine for at least 2 weeks. From my understanding the risk is rated like this.

F.0..............CONFIRMED HAVE COVID
F.1.............HAS CLOSE INTERACTION WITH F.0
F.2............. HAS CLOSE INTERACTION WITH F.1

Being that we live right opposite the apartment that is F.0 I can only presume that we are F.1 but not sure as no official confirmation as yet. Talking my Relationship Manager yesterday at VIB who lives at another place she is classed as F.2 & has been in lockdown/quarantine for 2 weeks & has not been to work cos her job means she is in close contact with customers at her bank.

On another point I just cant believe the generosity we are seeing from our neighbours  at Celadon City Emerald. This morning the door bell has rang twice this morning & hanging there is gifts of food from Block A residents. What a wonderful gesture really makes you feel so grateful that people & thinking about us all at block F.

On the PA now this morning all resident Celadon City Tan Phu that is Emerald, Ruby & Topaz must report at specific times tomorrow Sunday for further testing & thats a whole bunch of people I can tell you, at least 8,000 people at a guess.
Might be wrong but only a matter of time now before the main gates for the whole of Celadon City complex are locked down in my opinion.

goodolboy wrote:

So this morning looks like we will be in lock down/quarantine for at least 2 weeks. From my understanding the risk is rated like this.

F.0..............CONFIRMED HAVE COVID
F.1.............HAS CLOSE INTERACTION WITH F.0
F.2............. HAS CLOSE INTERACTION WITH F.1

Being that we live right opposite the apartment that is F.0 I can only presume that we are F.1 but not sure as no official confirmation as yet. Talking my Relationship Manager yesterday at VIB who lives at another place she is classed as F.2 & has been in lockdown/quarantine for 2 weeks & has not been to work cos her job means she is in close contact with customers at her bank.

On another point I just cant believe the generosity we are seeing from our neighbours  at Celadon City Emerald. This morning the door bell has rang twice this morning & hanging there is gifts of food from Block A residents. What a wonderful gesture really makes you feel so grateful that people & thinking about us all at block F.

On the PA now this morning all resident Celadon City Tan Phu that is Emerald, Ruby & Topaz must report at specific times tomorrow Sunday for further testing & thats a whole bunch of people I can tell you, at least 8,000 people at a guess.
Might be wrong but only a matter of time now before the main gates for the whole of Celadon City complex are locked down in my opinion.

Good that locals are taking time and effort to provide for those in lockdown .

Two weeks will fly past and you'll barely notice it

Jlgarbutt wrote:

Good that locals are taking time and effort to provide for those in lockdown .

The community takes care of its own and reaches out to other areas in need is something that happens in South Vietnam every time disaster strikes.  Zero-dong markets, rice ATMs,  fresh food fridges (and during this pandemic, meals dispensed from tubes) are popped up everywhere in Saigon now because it has become *the* COVID hot spot.  For people who cannot leave their homes, there are always groceries and meals being delivered to the door -- no form to fill out, no question asked.

I've seen it over and over and over again.

I with two other expats here in Ben Cat have bankrolled food gifts for more than 300 families this week to the tune of more than $5,000.

As a return gift to me from immigration, by wife on Friday was told to return to the UBND where her family's house book was issued to get a VEC extension for me.  That is in District 1, HCMC, our current CVID hot spot.  Not nice.  Get an extension and COVID at the same time!

Evidently, each province sets its own rules for immigration processes (per immigration HQ in HCMC on a phone call my wife made).  Binh Duong has decided if the sponsor is not permanently registered here, they must return to their original UBND.  Oh, we have been living here for more than 6 years and she is temporarily a resident here.

If you live in Binh Duong and your sponsor is NOT a permanent resident here, be warned of this situation.

Travelfar wrote:

I with two other expats here in Ben Cat have bankrolled food gifts for more than 300 families this week to the tune of more than $5,000.

As a return gift to me from immigration, by wife on Friday was told to return to the UBND where her family's house book was issued to get a VEC extension for me.  That is in District 1, HCMC, our current CVID hot spot.  Not nice.  Get an extension and COVID at the same time!

Evidently, each province sets its own rules for immigration processes (per immigration HQ in HCMC on a phone call my wife made).  Binh Duong has decided if the sponsor is not permanently registered here, they must return to their original UBND.  Oh, we have been living here for more than 6 years and she is temporarily a resident here.

If you live in Binh Duong and your sponsor is NOT a permanent resident here, be warned of this situation.

Yes, your wife would need to apply for permanent residence in Binh Duong.

Hopefully, if it ever gets off the ground, the new system will make it easier.

A reprieve!

Here is what I just found which may help some people (but not me):

[A partial translation - perhaps Ciambella can complete it]
1. CONTINUE to implement “automatic stay extension” for foreign nationals until July 31th, 2021 (eligible foreigners: who entered VN on the basis of visa exemption or entry on e-visas or tourist visas). During “automatic stay extension” period, foreigners are required to complete temporary residence and health status declaration.
2. Those foreign nationals who are not eligible for “automatic stay extension” or violate Vietnamese laws will be treated according to applicable laws of Vietnam.
This Notice is officially issued by the Immigration Department on their official website below as of 2nd of July 2021 below:

https://xuatnhapcanh[dot]gov[dot]vn/vi/tin-tuc/tự-động-gia-hạn-tạm-trú-cho-người-nước-ngoài-bị-ảnh-hưởng-bởi-dịch-covid-19-3
   
Tự động gia hạn tạm trú cho người nước ngoài bị ảnh hưởng bởi dịch Covid-19 | Cục xuất nhập cảnh Việt Nam

Travelfar wrote:

I with two other expats here in Ben Cat have bankrolled food gifts for more than 300 families this week to the tune of more than $5,000.

As a return gift to me from immigration, by wife on Friday was told to return to the UBND where her family's house book was issued to get a VEC extension for me.  That is in District 1, HCMC, our current CVID hot spot.  Not nice.  Get an extension and COVID at the same time!

Evidently, each province sets its own rules for immigration processes (per immigration HQ in HCMC on a phone call my wife made).  Binh Duong has decided if the sponsor is not permanently registered here, they must return to their original UBND.  Oh, we have been living here for more than 6 years and she is temporarily a resident here.

If you live in Binh Duong and your sponsor is NOT a permanent resident here, be warned of this situation.

Am I missing something here, whats you bankrolling gifts for poor families here got to do with your wife having to go back to here family home to get your VEC extension? Or is it just you are looking for self gratification by telling us all how great a guy you are. 

Travelfar wrote:

A reprieve!

Here is what I just found which may help some people (but not me):...

My agent posted a notice of that on 02 July.  I guess I should have posted it here.

"🅽🅴🆆🆂 | CONTINUE AUTOMATIC VISA EXTENSION FOR FOREIGNERS IN VIETNAM UNTIL July 31st, 2021
🇦 Foreigners who entered Vietnam on visa waivers, e-visas or tourist visas from March 1st, 2020 are entitled to automatic stay extension until July 31st, 2021 and can depart from Vietnam without having apply for stay extension. For those who entered Vietnam before March 1st, 2020, the same automatic stay extension until July 31st, 2021 can be considered, subject to provision of proof that the person was stranded in Vietnam due to Covid-19, accompanied by a diplomatic Note (with Vietnamese translation) from relevant diplomatic missions, or a written document from relevant Vietnamese authorities confirming that the person was required to undergo mandatory quarantine or treatment for Covid-19, or advice of other force majeure. The person is required to present the diplomatic Note or written document on departure from Vietnam.
🇧 During “automatic stay extension” period, foreigners are required to complete temporary residence and health status declaration.
🇨 Foreigners who are not subject to Paragraph 1 or violate Vietnamese laws will be treated according to applicable laws of Vietnam."

goodolboy wrote:

Am I missing something here, whats you bankrolling gifts for poor families here got to do with your wife having to go back to here family home to get your VEC extension? Or is it just you are looking for self gratification by telling us all how great a guy you are. 

He was simply being ironic, and also referencing Ciambella's post directly above his.

Ciambella wrote:

Jlgarbutt wrote:

Good that locals are taking time and effort to provide for those in lockdown .

The community takes care of its own and reaches out to other areas in need is something that happens in South Vietnam every time disaster strikes.  Zero-dong markets, rice ATMs,  fresh food fridges (and during this pandemic, meals dispensed from tubes) are popped up everywhere in Saigon now because it has become *the* COVID hot spot.  For people who cannot leave their homes, there are always groceries and meals being delivered to the door -- no form to fill out, no question asked.

I've seen it over and over and over again.

Again today we have had noodle soup, tofu, fresh vegetables, bread rolls , fruit & its still only 11.30, I have never seen or experienced such kindness & as you say, no forms, no details of the giver, just pure giving from the heart & pulling together under hard & difficult times.

goodolboy wrote:

Again today we have had noodle soup, tofu, fresh vegetables, bread rolls , fruit & its still only 11.30, I have never seen or experienced such kindness & as you say, no forms, no details of the giver, just pure giving from the heart & pulling together under hard & difficult times.

I hope you are able to fit out the door once the lockdown is over.

well not really much to say today, lock down dont give you much options. Mind you there is Wimbledon & the ERURO's, good ol England, bad luck plucky Scotland hahahahaha



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_L3piXMypQ


More food anonymously arrives every morning at the door so certainly not short of grub. Management company phones to say they would deliver some gifts (I presume food etc) today too. Can hardly believe the difference here between management of Celadon City Emerald & my last place at Moscow Tower. At Moscow Tower took them all their time just to clean the place!!
If Ms Ciambella reads this I wonder if she can check something, I uploaded a photo to my "pictures album" 2 days back & nothing has been done about it so far

goodolboy wrote:

If Ms Ciambella reads this I wonder if she can check something, I uploaded a photo to my "pictures album" 2 days back & nothing has been done about it so far

I have personally had to wait for two weeks or so for some photos to be uploaded and posted.

I'm guessing it's not a high priority task for admin and they do it when they get to it.

Maybe...

goodolboy wrote:

If Ms Ciambella reads this I wonder if she can check something, I uploaded a photo to my "pictures album" 2 days back & nothing has been done about it so far

I've sent your question to one of the mods.  But I share OB's thought that it's not one of the top priorities.  There are all kinds of things that need to be done yesterday or 3 months ago.  One thing I'm sure of: I wouldn't want to be part of the moderators, the admins, or the IT team for love or money.  From what I see, they all have stressful jobs.

So nearly end day 5 lockdown/quarentine & again I just can not believe the generosity of the Vietnamese people giving food & support, in fact now its just too much & a lot going to waste really. Looks like another 9 days & it will be done as there has been no one taken away or more tests after the second test. Suppose there will be one more test before they remove our restrictions. Anyways what with Wimbledon, watching a really funny movie called "Identity Thief" & coming to grips with paying bills online the day went by really fast.

Some news updates from Ms My today another big wholesale market called Binh Dien has been locked down it was on VTV 1 news.

Opposite our old apartment block at Moscow Tower Q12 there is an empty apartment block, really nice place too but never had people in it. It was built by the government to house people displaced for some road project but the people refused to go in (well that's what the story was) anyways its now been turned into an emergency Covid hospital & that's 100% Ms My showed me the photos she had been sent of it.

Just been reading there could be stricter controls coming soon. With growing numbers if cases reported all over the city
Oddly yesterday they go ahead with a mass testing center in D8 that reportedly had thousands  people turn up to