While most of Hanoi’s public parks are temporarily closed for social distancing, local residents have found a workaround to keep up with their regular workout routine. 

Since the start of April, authorities in the capital city have closed public parks and introduced fines on people spotted in public for non-essential purposes.

The move is in line with Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc’s earlier call for nationwide implementation of social distancing from April 1 to 15, which discourages citizens from leaving their houses unless under absolutely necessary circumstances and bans public gatherings of more than two people.

With the shuttering of public parks depriving many residents of their go-to workout spots, the pedestrian lane of Lang Street near To Lich River in Hanoi has seen joggers ardently exercising in droves in the morning as well as at dusk these past days.

People of various demographics were spotted doing physical training along the promenade in the proximity of one another this week, disregarding the social distancing call.

Boredom from staying indoors, a craving for the open air, and a need to keep up with workout regimes were cited as reasons for ignoring the prime minister's directive by the residents interviewed by Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper.

Officials were not seen during your correspondent’s presence at the site to report on the situation at different time frames on Monday and Tuesday this week.

Local news sources have also reported instances of joggers jumping over the fence to enter closed public parks. All detected cases have been given a dressing-down by officials on duty.

Disobeying a ban on mass gatherings in public places is punishable by a fine worth VND10 million (US$424) per person and VND20 million ($850) per organization, according to a list of penalties for violations of regulations on COVID-19 prevention detailed by the Hanoi Department of Justice on Saturday last week.

Hanoi has the largest number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Vietnam, with 110 patients out of the national tally of 251.

Forty-nine of Hanoi’s cases have recovered to date, out of the country's 126 recoveries in total.

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