COVID-19 affected people in Hanoi receive essential goods. (Photo: qdnd.vn)

On September 21 Hanoi began relaxing social distancing and allowing business to resume operation – at 50% capacity – in accordance with Government Directive 15.

Social distancing has disrupted life in the capital city, especially for self-employed workers, many of whom have become unemployed and in dire financial difficulty.

Support programs have been deployed across Hanoi to help these people.

In the outlying district of Nam Tu Liem, for example, each migrant worker and student has received a welfare package worth 18 USD that contains rice, fish sauce, and vegetables.

This support demonstrates the government's care for the city’s disadvantaged residents.

Many of them said they were moved to receive the relief package, considering it a life-saver, and  hoped the program will help as many disadvantaged people as possible. 

To make sure it leaves no one behind, Hanoi has flexibly adapted Government resolutions to the situation in each locality in order to maximize support, said Nguyen Quoc Khanh, Deputy Director of the municipal Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs.

“Since some groups affected by the epidemic haven’t been mentioned in Government policies, the Hanoi administration has promulgated its own regulations and flexibly applied the announced policies to help individuals in difficult circumstances survive the crisis,” said Khanh.

Hoang Mai district's leaders and Youth Union representatives present online learning devices to local disadvantaged students. (Photo: tuoitrethudo.com.vn)

During the pandemic, students have been particularly affected. In Hoang Mai district, a program has been launched to help disadvantaged students continue their studies.

Nguyen Quynh Trang, Secretary of the district’s Youth Union, says the program has given those students the devices they need for studying online.

“We’ve compiled a list of local students who lack any online learning device and given them a tablet or desktop computer. We’ve asked for donations of old but still usable computers and have found many donors. We’ve purchased 20 new tablets and will continue to find used computers for students who need them,” she said.

Restoring production and stabilizing lives in the post-pandemic period are priorities for Hanoi.

The city’s People's Council recently passed a resolution to waive or reduce fees at all levels of education and to supplement social allowances.

These policies have received high praise from Hanoi’s deputies and voters.