A woman has been fined for failure to wear a face mask as a COVID-19 control measure while using the shared elevator at an apartment building in Ho Chi Minh City.

G., a 36-year-old resident at Green Hills Apartment Complex in Binh Hung Hoa B Ward, Binh Tan District, was fined VND2 million (US$87) for the violation, a ward official confirmed on Saturday.

On Thursday evening, G. was about to enter the elevator of the apartment building when she was approached by some security guards, who reminded her of putting on a face mask.

As the woman refused to cooperate, the security guards had to contact ward-level police and COVID-19 prevention and control officers.

She was eventually booked for failure to wear a face mask in public and was required to pay the fine.

Pursuant to Government Decree No. 117/2020, failure to don a face mask in public is punishable by a fine of VND1-3 million ($43-130). This is meant to force everyone to adhere to coronavirus prevention measures. 

In Decision No. 105, the Ministry of Health highlighted that all residents at apartment buildings have to don face masks immediately after exiting their flats.

Officers are also verifying two video clips believed to be recorded by CCTV at Green Hills Apartment Complex when the incident took place.

In one of the videos, a woman attempts to hit a security guard with her slipper after being stopped from entering an elevator for not wearing a face mask.

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