Nguyen Lan's Oral History, Round 1
Item
Title
Nguyen Lan's Oral History, Round 1
Synopsis
● Nguyen Lan (pseudonym), elderly individual aged 72 years old, Vietnamese
● Moved from another province to Ho Chi Minh city and has lived there for 60 years already, graduated from high school
● Rents a house, where she lives with her husband, who works as a guard. Son died 10 years ago
● Living by the interest from sum of money saving in the bank
● Diagnosed with diabetes 10 years ago, her health is not good, so she could not work anymore just stay at home
● Reflects that she is more susceptible to Covid-19 as an immunocompromised
individual
● Compares Vietnam’s handling of the Covid-19 situation with countries such as America and attributes the former’s success to the involvement of Vietnam’s leaders and cooperation between government and people
● Thinks that witnessing government aid offered to those in quarantine has reassured
people to comply with government’s efforts
● Describes community support efforts from the church and her landlord
● Unable to access financial aid due to quarter leader’s non-assistance
● Compulsory mask wearing
● Have a handphone but does not connect to the internet
● Just stay at home, limit to contact with people
● Only goes to the market once per week now, and has to go to the market in the early
morning compared to three times before
DISCLAIMER
This oral history transcript contains a negative depiction of a people on page 34, which might make for uncomfortable reading. We have chosen to include it, rather than redact it, to avoid the impression that these prejudices do not exist and to keep the originality of this interview.
● Moved from another province to Ho Chi Minh city and has lived there for 60 years already, graduated from high school
● Rents a house, where she lives with her husband, who works as a guard. Son died 10 years ago
● Living by the interest from sum of money saving in the bank
● Diagnosed with diabetes 10 years ago, her health is not good, so she could not work anymore just stay at home
● Reflects that she is more susceptible to Covid-19 as an immunocompromised
individual
● Compares Vietnam’s handling of the Covid-19 situation with countries such as America and attributes the former’s success to the involvement of Vietnam’s leaders and cooperation between government and people
● Thinks that witnessing government aid offered to those in quarantine has reassured
people to comply with government’s efforts
● Describes community support efforts from the church and her landlord
● Unable to access financial aid due to quarter leader’s non-assistance
● Compulsory mask wearing
● Have a handphone but does not connect to the internet
● Just stay at home, limit to contact with people
● Only goes to the market once per week now, and has to go to the market in the early
morning compared to three times before
DISCLAIMER
This oral history transcript contains a negative depiction of a people on page 34, which might make for uncomfortable reading. We have chosen to include it, rather than redact it, to avoid the impression that these prejudices do not exist and to keep the originality of this interview.
Date Created
February 2, 2021
Language of interview
Vietnamese
Related interviews
Index
Biography 29-30, 54
-Family 27-32, 50-53, 55-57
-Gatherings 36-38
-Living arrangements 1-4, 10-11, 50
-Living expenses 12-14
-Medical condition 20-26, 28, 34
Changes to daily routine
-Diet 23
-Exercise 23
-Hygiene 23, 33, 45
-Shopping 6
-Work see ‘Job’
Comparison with other crises 32-33
Crime and Covid-19 52
Daily life necessities
-Food 6-7, 13, 19, 45
-Hand sanitiser 4, 7
-Masks 4, 34, 50
Description of Covid-19 4, 6, 8, 14
-Outbreak in rural versus urban areas 42
Differences between North and South Vietnam cultures 34-36
Gender and Covid-19 45-46, 48
Impacts of Covid-19
-Immigrants versus locals 45
-Livelihoods 43-45
Information sources on Covid-19 and related measures 4-7, 9-11, 22, 39-40
Psychological impacts 6, 37
Response measures for Covid-19
-Assistance for Covid-19 relief 17-18, 40-41, 44, 49-50
-Consequences of breaking rules 15, 22-23, 43
-Contact tracing 15-19, 42-43
-Government measures 9, 15-19, 41-43
-Hospitals 4-5, 22
-Labour for Covid-19 related measures 47
-Quarantine/self-isolation 16-17, 42-43
-Reactions to measures 15-17, 39, 43-44, 49, 54-55
--Comparisons between Vietnam and other countries 15, 16, 22
Social media 38-39
Vaccines 49, 53
-Family 27-32, 50-53, 55-57
-Gatherings 36-38
-Living arrangements 1-4, 10-11, 50
-Living expenses 12-14
-Medical condition 20-26, 28, 34
Changes to daily routine
-Diet 23
-Exercise 23
-Hygiene 23, 33, 45
-Shopping 6
-Work see ‘Job’
Comparison with other crises 32-33
Crime and Covid-19 52
Daily life necessities
-Food 6-7, 13, 19, 45
-Hand sanitiser 4, 7
-Masks 4, 34, 50
Description of Covid-19 4, 6, 8, 14
-Outbreak in rural versus urban areas 42
Differences between North and South Vietnam cultures 34-36
Gender and Covid-19 45-46, 48
Impacts of Covid-19
-Immigrants versus locals 45
-Livelihoods 43-45
Information sources on Covid-19 and related measures 4-7, 9-11, 22, 39-40
Psychological impacts 6, 37
Response measures for Covid-19
-Assistance for Covid-19 relief 17-18, 40-41, 44, 49-50
-Consequences of breaking rules 15, 22-23, 43
-Contact tracing 15-19, 42-43
-Government measures 9, 15-19, 41-43
-Hospitals 4-5, 22
-Labour for Covid-19 related measures 47
-Quarantine/self-isolation 16-17, 42-43
-Reactions to measures 15-17, 39, 43-44, 49, 54-55
--Comparisons between Vietnam and other countries 15, 16, 22
Social media 38-39
Vaccines 49, 53
