Vietnam acts swiftly to deal with new Covid outbreak

Vietnam took decisive action when 90 cases of coronavirus were reported earlier this week. The country essentially shut down -- I don't know how long this will last. Schools were closed and limits were placed on the number of customers allowed to occupy a business. Masks have been required all the time regardless of cases reported, but the requirement will likely be enforced now. Vietnam has a population of about 90 million, so 90 cases isn't much. But a big outbreak, like what the U.S. has experienced for the past year, would be especially devastating here. I hear no mention of a vaccine in Vietnam, which instead focuses on contact tracing, isolating potential cases, and masks. I realize a homogeneous society like the one in Vietnam will unite and get on board with policies aimed at thwarting the virus. People act as one. In the United States, with its diversity and focus on individuality and personal freedom, a united front for anything -- other than an alien invasion from outer space -- seems unlikely, or at least incredibly difficult at this point. The United States has 27 million coronavirus cases (81,000 per 1 million people) so far and 458,000 deaths. Vietnam has 1,800 cases to date and 35 deaths. I pulled the numbers from worldometers.net. Even Tet could be a coronavirus casualty this year, which shows just how serious folks are about an outbreak and making sure it's contained.

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While Joanna and I were walking home from the bread store on Tuesday, a car came up behind us on the sidewalk. I didn't turn to see the car but my "Spidey" senses started tingling and when I turned around the car was literally inches from us and still moving forward. I threatened to smash the car's headlights with my invaluable walking stick and the guy finally stops with the fender actually touching my leg. He gets halfway out of his car to point to his blinking turn signal as if to say what he was doing was completely acceptable. I didn't accept it since I don't have eyes in the back of my head, and I started screaming bad words at the guy and walking toward the driver side. I backed off and apologized to my daughter for getting so upset. But I actually got some support from a couple of ladies running a fruit stand near the incident. Usually, locals defend each other, regardless of who's wrong, as I found out when I got broadsided going through an intersection on my motorbike -- "You may have been going kind of slow," one witness said. But these ladies signaled that the guy was crazy. Remember, I'm walking in the middle of a sidewalk holding hands (for safety as much as affection) with my 4-year-old daughter. Anyway, about one minute later a girl on a motorbike comes ripping toward us on the sidewalk and doesn't veer; it's as if she expects us to move. I just pulled Joanna behind me and held up my invaluable stick. She started yelling something at me and veered away with a good three feet to spare. And to think I gave up the motorbike and started walking for safety concerns.

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Imitation isn't necessarily flattery. Lots of adolescents and sadly, many adults, like to mimic me in a mocking fashion ... for fun, I guess. I'll say "hi, how are you? to people, and some choose to reply  Hellllooo ..... how are yooooouuuu? in affected voices. I just smile since I'm used to this kind of stuff, but a week ago Joanna asked some employees who were cleaning fish at Mega Mart, "What are you doing?" and they laughed, waved their hands in the air and copied what Joanna said in a silly fashion. Joanna was confused by the response and asked again very slowly What ... are .... you .... doing? She got the same laughing response and she seemed genuinely upset and walked away. I don't think they were really making fun of her, but their reaction was immature at best. The kids who mimic me are trying to get me ticked off and for a short while it worked. Couldn't care less these days. Some of this mocking has been directed lately at Joanna, who despite being half Vietnamese doesn't look it. So she's getting the What's your name? Where you from? treatment. I say treatment because the kids repeat the questions over and over to her even after she answers. It's an effort to confuse or upset her. Comes with the territory of being unique in a homogeneous society. She stays much calmer in the face of this kind of stuff than I do because, of course, I don't want my 4-year-old being taunted for no reason. 

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I write about a lot of negative stuff because we don't go out super much, but when we do, stuff seems to happen more than it should. Also, my therapist told me my brain is probably wired this way through genetics, and I need to work on an attitude adjustment. I mention the bad stuff with vehicles because of the danger involved. Nothing like a little danger, eh? And the kids yelling F$%K at me is just silly and not really worth mentioning. But there's so much positive that happens here. Joanna fell on her bike and two guys jumped out of their chairs at a coffee shop to check on her and help her up. Another stranger offered a typical Vietnamese peanut snack to Joanna when she walked past him at his outside table. People smile and acknowledge Joanna all the time, especially in The Coffee House. The manager at The Coffee House, Tau, always gives her cookies. The older folks are always nice, waving and smiling at us on our afternoon walk (as we dodge cars and bikes ... oops, there I go again). But while traffic and weather are big challenges here, most of the people I've encountered are a real plus.  It's a good thing because I've been here almost eight years.