The first lockdown in Saigon was well subscribed, with most locals ‘doing the right thing’ which to this day has resulted in a disproportionately low number of infections and deaths for this city. Vietnam in general has been a model nation on how to do it right. For this I feel oddly patriotic (I have lived here 10 years), and uncharacteristically proud of the people here. There are a few exceptions, though…
A man gives his son a haircut on the lawn beside the canal. As in the west, hairdressers were forced to shut shop during the recent lockdown due to Covid-19. Scenes like this were not uncommon.
A woman exercises on the canal near my house, defying all the tape designed to warn people off the equipment.
A lottery ticket seller snoozes beside the canal on Hoang Sa St. in District3, HCMC. Like many disabled people in this city, he derives his livelihood from the sale of the tickets. During the lockdown, lottery sales were banned- hence the empty clipboard. God only knows how these people got by. Whilst there are a few charities which cater to the needs of those with disabilities, there really is no specific program set up for them as exists in the global north. My son has cerebral palsy, and thankfully lives in Australia, where such work programs are government funded and his needs are well-met. I often wonder what his life would have been like had he been born here.