Hanoi park still teeming despite public gatherings ban

A large number of people still visit Thong Nhat Park and the Red River for exercises in Hanoi without face masks.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc issued a ban on public gatherings in Vietnam and ordered everyone to wear a face mask when going outside starting from March 16. However, many people were seen without face masks when visiting and playing sports at Thong Nhat Park.

73-year-old Cuong from Hai Ba Trung District, said, “I exercise in this park every day. When the outbreak started, I told some of my friends to go to exercise would be more healthy and we all wear face masks.”

He went on to say that thousands of people go to the park in the evening but not all wear face masks. Some were breathing heavily during their run amid the crowd of people.

During the weekends, hundreds of people went out to picnic under the Vinh Tuy Bridge, by the Red River. Most of them are young people and didn’t wear face masks.

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“This area is huge, people stay far away from each group so we can’t be infected,” a man said.

The local police had to go to the site and urged people to go home but some people refused to leave. The picnic-goers also left behind rubbish.

Under new regulations issued by the government, people who do not wear face masks at public places will be fined VND200,000 (USD8.5).

Source: Dtinews