At alley 287 Nguyen Dinh Chieu (District 3), people help the shop to rescue food. In the Sunview Town apartment building (Thu Duc city), families share each gourd and egg.
On the morning of May 20, like every day, Minh Man and his wife (residering at alley 287 Nguyen Dinh Chieu Street, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City) woke up at 5am. Both of them prepared boiled meat and a large pot of broth to open a noodle shop at noon.
However, before he had time to prepare the ingredients, Man heard from his neighbors that the alley in front of the house had been blocked off after a person living here was positive for SARS-CoV-2. “At that time, everyone was surprised, did not understand what happened. However, knowing that the epidemic situation is complicated, all of them strictly follow the instructions of local officials and medical staff.” Like Mr. Man’s family, most of the households in alley 287 are trading and trading in food. At the time of the blockade, many households had prepared cooking ingredients, and breakfast shops that had just moved out had to be cleaned up immediately. “A few stalls of ready-made rice, porridge, and soup cakes that can’t be sold are shared by everyone in the neighborhood, each family taking a few portions to eat. They’re all neighbors, and they both work as wholesalers, so they all try to support each other,” Mr. Man said Zing . 
Alley 287, Nguyen Dinh Chieu Street, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City was blocked on the morning of May 20. Photo: Chi Hung. “Rescuing” food in the blockade area During the outbreak from April 27 to now, Ho Chi Minh City has recorded 6 positive cases of SARS-CoV-2 and is blocking 9 areas in Go Vap District, District 10, District 3, District 7, Binh Tan district and Thu Duc city. Although quite surprised by the blockade information, people living in these areas remained calm and complied with epidemic prevention measures. Especially for business and trading households, despite facing many disadvantages, they still show their concern and help the community when they switch to distributing food and free food to people in isolated areas. Alley 287 Nguyen Dinh Chieu connects with alley 270 Vo Van Tan about 500 m long with 70 households living. In addition to the large concentration of business households, shops, and restaurants, this alley is the place where Ve Chai market is held every morning. Ms. Linh, a fish seller in the market, said that on the morning of May 20, when her family and many other people had finished packing, the ward officials announced the disbandment, no market meeting and quickly erected a fence to blockade the surrounding area. around the alley. 
People in the blockade area share food with each other. Photo: Nguyen Nhuong, Trang Anh. Both domestic and foreign, fresh food traders like Ms. Linh choose to give free vegetables, fruits, meat and fish to neighbors to bring home to store refrigerators and gradually eat them during the quarantine days. However, what surprised Ms. Linh was that everyone who visited her shop also offered to pay instead of receiving free items. “Many people say that when they sell, people buy to support them, but when they give, they don’t dare to accept them,” she said. Similarly, Mr. Man’s beef noodle shop was also “rescued” by many familiar neighbors. However, because he did not prepare much and did not suffer much damage, Mr. Man refused. “The first day, everyone in the neighborhood kept ‘rescuing’ from one shop to another. Everyone hopes no one gets hurt much. Like my family, we also run to the market to support the sisters selling fish, selling vegetables and at the same time having food for the coming days.” “Health comes first, money comes second” Ms. Pham Minh lives in block A1, Sunview Town apartment building (Hiep Binh Phuoc ward, Thu Duc city, Ho Chi Minh City) – a place under lockdown after recording a Covid-19 case on May 18. Previously, Ms. Minh sold fruit and some drinks online. However, after the block was blocked, she switched to making smoothies and juices to cheer up her neighbors who were quarantined like her. “Every day, I make about 20-30 glasses of juice and smoothies to distribute for free to neighboring households. It’s not much, but it’s also a way to spread positive energy and optimism to everyone around,” Minh said. On each glass of juice, Ms. Minh sticks sticky notes with words of encouragement and encouragement for the recipient. “The epidemic has also affected my business a lot. However, for now, health is still first, money can be earned later.” 
Parts of bread and sticky rice were distributed free of charge by Mr. Bui Hoai Thanh’s group to people in the blockade area in Thu Duc City. Photo: Bui Hoai Thanh. Although he does not live in Sunview Town apartment building, Mr. Bui Hoai Thanh still regularly delivers food to people in the blockade area for the past 3 days. On the first day, Mr. Thanh’s group distributed 100 servings of sticky rice, on the second day 180 loaves of bread and on the third day 150 portions of spicy rice cakes. “I have a bakery near the apartment building and have been in business since 1992. Many of my regular customers are living in this apartment, so when I heard the news of the blockade, I immediately thought of helping people,” Mr. Thanh said. know. In the past few days, temporarily putting aside the business, every day Mr. Thanh and his group of friends prepare ingredients and make dishes from morning to 5 pm to deliver to the apartment. “We are planning to make 100 more jars of braised fish sauce to support people to bring home to eat with white rice. Everyone is affected by the epidemic season, but I believe that with the spirit of solidarity and the efforts of each individual, we will all win the pandemic together again,” Thanh shared.
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