Amid a Covid-19 surge in Hanoi, the municipal authorities are administering vaccine to the elderly, the disabled or those with underlying conditions and treated Covid-19 patients at home.

Currently, Hanoi has recorded around 25,000 Covid-19 patients being treated at home and this number is forecast to keep increasing in the coming days. Facing the serious evolution of the pandemic, Hanoi has taken action to improve the capacity of the healthcare system, made efforts to deploy home vaccination and treat Covid-19 patients in the most efficient way.

In the past few days, the downtown districts of Ba Dinh and Hoan Kiem have sent medics to people's homes to inject Covid-19 vaccine to the elderly, those who have underlying conditions or ill-suited to go out.

Medics in Hoan Kiem District distribute drugs to Covid-19 patient for home treatment. Photo: Thanh Binh

“Being old and weak, I thought I can't show up at health centers to get vaccinated, but Hanoi’s medical staff came to my house to give the injection and advice. I am very happy and touched," said Dam Thi Thuyen, a resident from Ham Tu Quan Street, Phuc Tan Ward, Hoan Kiem District.

Chairman of the Phuc Tan ward People's Committee Tran Xuan Ha said that under the direction of Hoan Kiem District People's Committee, Phuc Tan ward established a mobile vaccination group to inject vaccine to old citizens at home.

“The ward is densely-populated and many elderly and weak people cannot show up at vaccination points, but the we are determined to deploy home vaccination in accordance with the procedures and instructions of the Hanoi Department of Health,” Ha stressed.

Director of the Hanoi Department of Health Tran Thi Nhi Ha suggested that Hoan Kiem District should focus on early detecting Covid-19 patients for home treatment, providing enough drugs and essential conditions to minimize mortality.

“Currently, it is necessary to focus on three main solutions, which are boosting vaccination, providing adequate and timely drugs to patients, and strictly managing patients treated at home. Hanoi faces no shortage of drugs to treat Covid-19 patients and the city will be allocated another 200,000 doses of Molnupiravir for coronavirus treatment in the time ahead,” the director told The Hanoi Times.

Some areas in Hanoi's downtown districts of Hoan Kiem, Tay Ho and Hai Ba Trung will allow sit-down table service seeing their Covid-19 situation improves.

A restaurant on Ton Duc Thang Street (Dong Da District) installs a droplet partition to prevent the Covid-19 pandemic. Photo: Quang Thai

Hoan Kiem District's authorities said that five of its wards including Phan Chu Trinh, Tran Hung Dao, Hang Trong, Trang Tien and Hang Bac, saw their coronavirus risk levels drop to medium.

Therefore, these wards can reopen food and beverage establishments and allow in-person service again starting January 10 noon. In-house sports and physical exercises are also given permission to resume, albeit at limited capacity.

Tay Ho District also saw its coronavirus risk level drop to medium, allowing it to resume in-person service at eateries and cafes starting January 9 noon. Three of its wards, including Buoi, Xuan La and Yen Phu, are still at high coronavirus risk however, meaning they cannot resume on-site service just yet.

Meanwhile, Cau Giay District, saw its coronavirus risk aggravated at weekends. The district has announced that in-person service will be suspended starting January 10 morning, along with wet markets and the likes.

Hanoi as a whole is still at medium coronavirus risk. Twenty of its districts are at medium coronavirus risk and eight, at high risk.