With Hanoi put under social distancing regulations to contain Covid-19, residents find themselves stuck in traffic jams at checkpoints set up to manage people flow. 

Dao Tan Street suffers a tailback of 200 meters at 7 a.m. Wednesday.

A task force of police and volunteers screen commuters to determine whether they had violated Covid-19 social distancing measures on Dao Tan, which connects Cau Giay and Ba Dinh districts.

Hanoi is currently implementing Directive 16, which requires people to only leave home for emergencies, buying food and medicine, and working in factories, production facilities and businesses that involve "essential" goods and services.

In order to pass a checkpoint, commuters have to show documents issued and authorized by their companies or agencies.

A checkpoint on Lang Ha Street in Thanh Cong Ward of Ba Dinh District has a signboard listing the punishments one would face if violating the social distancing rule.

It states anyone out on the street for "non-essential" purposes would be fined VND1-3 million ($43-130).

The checkpoint on De La Thanh Street in Giang Vo Ward of Ba Dinh District.

Cars line up on Nguyen Chi Thanh Street in Dong Da District.

Police inspect commuters by Sword Lake in the heart of Hanoi.

Three months into Vietnam’s new Covid-19 community wave, the infection tally in the capital crossed 1,000 Tuesday night.

A woman turns around at a checkpoint.

A police officer fines a social distancing violator.

Since July 24, Hanoi has imposed total fine of VND3 billion (130,530) on invididuals and businesses that violated Directive 16.