The central city of Da Nang began disbursing its VND75 billion ($3.26 million) package Saturday morning to support more than 80,000 citizens hurt by the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Local veterans with serious illnesses as well as those prone to illnesses were given VND1 million each in all communes of Hoa Vang District. Each poor household in the communes received VND500,000.

To avoid crowding during the social distancing period, officials told residents to come and receive their support at scheduled times. All recipients were required to sanitize their hands and have their body temperatures checked.

In densely populated villages, local officials visited each household to give them the money, said Ngo Minh Nhan, vice chairman of Hoa Son Commune.

A Hoa Vang District resident receives money from local officials, July 24, 2021.
Photo by VnExpress/Dong Hong.

The commune, which has more than 1,000 beneficiaries receiving a total of VND575 million, is continuing the disbursement on Sunday as well.

"We are very happy because we will have money to buy food for the coming days. It is not a big amount, but it is treasured at the moment," said Nguyen Thi Doi, 65, as she received VND500,000.

The support package aims to support more than 80,000 Da Nang residents facing difficulties during the pandemic, said Nguyen Van An, deputy director of the city's Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs. Six other districts in the city are also carrying out the program.

Da Nang is also supporting informal workers, including teachers, kindergarten staff, bus drivers, tourism workers, lottery vendors and domestic helpers with VND1.5 million each.

Local wards and communes have told these target beneficiaries to register and receive the money by the end of August, An said.

Da Nang decided on its own relief effort before the central government approved the VND26 trillion ($1.13 billion) support package for Covid-19 crisis victims.

The city had initially sought to spend VND90 billion, but later decided to exclude local tour guides and vendors in night markets, who has received money from the central government.

As of Sunday morning, the city had.recorded 627 Covid-19 patients in the new wave that started late April.