National memorial service held to remember Covid-19 victims

The main ceremony took place at the Reunification Palace in HCMC while the event was also organized at Thong Nhat Park in the capital city of Hanoi.

Attending at the memorial services included government leaders and family members of the victims.

Religious facilities including churches and pagodas rang their bells while boats and cargo ships docked at ports, sounded their whistles simultaneously at 8:30 p.m during the memorial service.

In HCMC, participants lighted candles and released lanterns onto the Nhieu Loc-Thi Nghe and Tau Hu-Ben Nghe canals in districts of 1, 3, 4, 5, 8, Binh Thanh, Phu Nhuan and Tan Binh.

The event aims to express sympathy for families who have suffered a loss during this pandemic, encourage Covid-19 victims’ relatives to overcome their grief and difficulties as well as remind people not to neglect preventive measures against Covid-19 and work on economic recovery in the city in the new normal state.

Vietnam recorded more than one million Covid-19 infections, including more than 452,000 cases in HCMC. As of November 16, the death toll topped 23,270 people in the country, including 17,263 people in HCMC. The losses have left many millions grieving.

The HCMC authorities have organized many activities supporting families of people who died from Covid-19. It is a significant activity aiming at helping relatives of Covid victims overcome their grief and difficulties.

As the nation’s worst-hit locality, HCMC is regaining vitality after Covid-19 pandemic wane thanks to individuals and organizations with their significant contributions to the city’s struggle against the virus, and ministries, departments, localities and religious missions throughout the country that joined hands in response to the municipal government’s call for the community’s forces to participate in the fight against Covid-19.

More than 300,000 officials, over 20,000 healthcare workers and nearly 260,000 police officers, army soldiers and militia members in HCMC and localities across the country have been mobilized to assist the city to control and repel the Covid-19 epidemic since it started.

Besides, many individuals, organizations and businesses have donated money to the national Covid-19 vaccine fund, thousands of tons of medical supplies and commodities to join hands with the municipal authorities in the fight against Covid-19. Tons of foods, essential goods and medical products worth tens of billions of VND have been donated to charitable activities, such as Zero-VND markets, Zero-VND stalls, free rice and egg ATMs and free meals for the poor throughout the city. Millions of welfare bags have been provided to needy people.

The memorial service was also held the Mekong Delta province of Soc Trang, Can Tho City and Da Nang City.