The forces of the Ministry of Defense will be the first to withdraw from the city, followed by the forces of Military Zone 7, which is scheduled to complete on October 15.

The forces of the Ministry of Defense will be the first to withdraw from the city, followed by the forces of Military Zone 7, which is scheduled to complete on October 15. The withdrawal of the military forces will be taken step by step. The military medical force will stay to assist the city until the end of November.

According to a report by the Department of Health of Ho Chi Minh City, during the stressful days of the 4th Covid-19 outbreak, nearly 28,000 people from 132 units including hospitals, the Departments of Health, medical universities of provinces and cities throughout the country, agencies of the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of Defense and other forces came to the city to participate in epidemic prevention and control activities.

Since late August, the military had mobilised around 34,000 soldiers and 98,000 militia members, along with around 2,000 health workers to support the virus fight during the peak of the fourth Covid-19 outbreak in the city.

The soldiers helped set up Covid-19 checkpoints, field hospitals, mobile medical stations, and participate in the food distribution, as well as in large-scale vaccination and testing campaigns.

Ho Chi Minh City's workforce involved in epidemic prevention and control totals more than 158,000 people.

The army is determined to use all means and forces, within and even beyond its ability to wipe out the pandemic and bring people’s life to normal, Minister of National Defence Gen. Phan Van Giang affirmed at a ceremony at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi on August 23 to bid farewell to a delegation of the Military Medical University, including 1,096 officers and students, who headed to support the southern provinces and city to fight the pandemic.

The army has donated 510 billion VND (22.1 million USD) to the national COVID-19 vaccine fund, deployed thousands of vehicles carrying vaccines to localities, sprayed disinfectants in affected areas. Many units also joined in voluntary blood donation, set up stalls to sell goods at zero Vietnamese dong, and help farmers harvest farm produce.

Ho Van

Soldiers help HCM City residents in coronavirus battle

Images of soldiers helping local citizens in their daily life have become familiar as HCM City tightens restrictions on movement amid an increasing surge of coronavirus cases. 

Images of dedicated frontline forces against Covid-19 epidemic

Health workers, police officers and soldiers have fully supported the people day and night, caring for and treating patients with Covid-19.