COVID-19 and Global recession

GREAT post Charm, thats how I select the elevator too!!

Thanks!
Prevention is better than cure

My GF refuses to let me press the elevator button because I don’t know how to protect myself. She actually slapped me around the face for doing it. That happened when we were staying at Times City. Fortunately, we moved out of there a couple of weeks before they shut down D18.

I thanked for her slapping me the other day.

Yuk, I hope you wash your keys after that

Key goes to ignition keyhole or hang on the wall. Just don't touch the tip. Anyway life of this thing is a maximum of 12 hours in metal objects. Tooth pick is a best option and can leave after each use or some tissue paper.
Just wash your hands with soap 20 seconds each time or use hand gel if you are on a go.

Even during recession, best business is mask !

charmavietnam wrote:

Global recession started due to the outbreak of COVID-19
Vietnam is no exception in this case.
Affected cases increased in to double from 2 weeks ago.
Government expected to finish first 17 cases before end of March and open schools but now it increased in to 61. Glad that no death in Vietnam until now.
Number of cases increased was from transportation from other countries.
Now they closed borders and stopped VOA for foreigners. Only you can apply though embassy/consulate from your departing countries but that also has restrictions from affected countries!

One thing I noticed is that real estate mafia and immigration mafia (agents) still in it's peak and stubborn to decrease the rent or property value.
Many businesses are dull due to COVID-19 and you can see on street the reflection.
Coffee shops, restaurants, salons... opened with no or few customers than usual!

[img align=c]https://i.postimg.cc/2ShyxPqL/1.jpg[/url]
[img align=c]https://i.postimg.cc/ZnWKvgtR/2.jpg[/url]
[img align=c]https://i.postimg.cc/d090brjq/3.jpg[/url]
Tran Hung Dao street, Q1, HCMC
[img align=c]https://i.postimg.cc/bvPJV3bC/4.jpg[/url]
Tran Hung Dao street, Q5, HCMC
[img align=c]https://i.postimg.cc/d1HV1Ffp/5.jpg[/url]
This restaurant always crowded but now!
[img align=c]https://i.postimg.cc/vBHmbT05/6.jpg[/url]
This is how I using elevators now !


Government is now very serious about this problem and taking maximum measures that they can afford.
From 16/3/2020 all people who reside in Vietnam which including foreigners should wear a face mask in public places to protect others.
Many international and domestic flight cancelled or postponed or stopped running with no passengers!

Outing is very rare as people are now aware of this COVID-19 and staying home.
Many companies allowed their staffs to work from home.

COVID-19 treatment for foreigners is not free so be careful and take good care yourself!

So guys, if you want to rent/buy property, wait little more
People who wish to start business also control yourself and wait little more. Otherwise you are going to spend a huge amount to landlord as deposit and rent for several months without any income!

Please don't be panic but stay safe!
Happy living in Vietnam!!

In America we call it a recession after two quarters negative economic growth.

What's your basis for the use of the word recession, especially globally?

I don't doubt that in retrospect we might be told that a recession started now, but normally Economist have to wait 6 months before proclaiming what it is we've experienced

phikachu wrote:

My GF refuses to let me press the elevator button because I don’t know how to protect myself.
I thanked for her slapping me the other day.

My husband of many years used to call me "The female Howard Hughes" because in public places, I wouldn't let him touch the doors, elevator buttons, escalator rails, etc. directly, and because I whipped out hand sanitiser at every chance (not sanitise your hands after touching restaurant menu?    ).  Now, he's happily complied with all my lifetime "rules".

Covid-19: Entry - exit : Vietnam

Latest update from my landlord:

I decided to move from my apartment and started packing.
Now his niece messaged that he will deduct 1500K from monthly rent from now on
Actual reason for moving is high pollution (both noise and air) from outside restaurants.
Anyway, now landlords started to move their  a**
I really want to live in in Da Lat but due to business, stick on here in Saigon!

charmavietnam wrote:

Latest update from my landlord:

I decided to move from my apartment and started packing.
Now his niece messaged that he will deduct 1500K from monthly rent from now on
Actual reason for moving is high pollution (both noise and air) from outside restaurants.
Anyway, now landlords started to move their  a**
I really want to live in in Da Lat but due to business, stick on here in Saigon!

I like Da Lat best too, (not the city though) but OMG the price to buy even a small place there! Beats me where the Vietnamese get the money asked.

Being careful is always a good idea... but ever wonder if being too careful does more harm than good?
Friends towo kids were always over protected... not allowed to play in dirt, not allowed to be out when its cold / wet etc...

And yet they were sick more than anyone else at their school... maybe just bad luck..
But par tof me thinks for less serious germs its better to have exposure to it and allow the immune system fight it ?

Jlgarbutt wrote:

Being careful is always a good idea... but ever wonder if being too careful does more harm than good?
Friends towo kids were always over protected... not allowed to play in dirt, not allowed to be out when its cold / wet etc...

And yet they were sick more than anyone else at their school... maybe just bad luck..
But par tof me thinks for less serious germs its better to have exposure to it and allow the immune system fight it ?

You got it right there I think, from a young age kids need to be exposed to the rough & tumble of life, not only build up immune system but also character building for the rest of their life.

goodolboy wrote:

I like Da Lat best too, (not the city though) but OMG the price to buy even a small place there! Beats me where the Vietnamese get the money asked.

That's right! I tried once to buy some property but too expensive than the market rate.
Rent also not cheap. Good thing is the weather and fresh vegetables.

Jlgarbutt wrote:

But par tof me thinks for less serious germs its better to have exposure to it and allow the immune system fight it ?

Yeah but we cannot take risk in this case. Especially as expats should bear the treatment cost (nearly $5000) if infected.
Today one of my FB friend living in China, posted an YouTube video which says China is going back to normal life but when we see in video it's still terrible!
May be we, people who living in Vietnam are very lucky because we don't have that much terrible situation even though global recession start to affect us like many other countries.
The security measures taken by Chinese authority is great to minimise the spreading of COVID-19

Life Goes back to Normal

Ciambella wrote:

phikachu wrote:

My GF refuses to let me press the elevator button because I don’t know how to protect myself.
I thanked for her slapping me the other day.

My husband of many years used to call me "The female Howard Hughes" because in public places, I wouldn't let him touch the doors, elevator buttons, escalator rails, etc. directly, and because I whipped out hand sanitiser at every chance (not sanitise your hands after touching restaurant menu?    ).  Now, he's happily complied with all my lifetime "rules".

I deserved it tbh, I was joking around pretending to lick the buttons (I didn’t). When I found out times city was in Lockdown, my first thought was if they review the CCTV to trace contacts, I don’t want to end up online like that crazy guy in China playing with the lift buttons. If the camera was at the wrong angle or poor quality then it could look different to what actually happened.

My apartment gate closed half and hanged this notice!
"Shippers are not allowed to enter inside apartment premises but can deliver goods from outside" !!!



Also management staff pinned some small basket on the elevator. May be for keeping tissue paper or tooth pick after using elevator, I guess!

charmavietnam wrote:

My apartment gate closed half and hanged this notice!
"Shippers are not allowed to enter inside apartment premises but can deliver goods from outside" !!!

[img align=L]https://i.postimg.cc/7YMdv3bQ/89848153-1255114274879182-8021054126261534720-o.jpg[/url]

Also management staff pinned some small basket on the elevator. May be for keeping tissue paper or tooth pick after using elevator, I guess!

Can you share where you live if not private information?

goodolboy wrote:

Can you share where you live if not private information?

Sure. I am in P1, Q5, HCMC.  Just 3 km from Ben Thanh market, Q1

OceanBeach92107 wrote:

What's your basis for the use of the word recession, especially globally?
I don't doubt that in retrospect we might be told that a recession started now, but normally Economist have to wait 6 months before proclaiming what it is we've experienced

Actually am not an economic expert to give IMF definition or national definition as you mentioned about recession but just news and observation.

Coronavirus: global recession in 2020 now seen as guaranteed as outbreak ravages Europe, US

Prepare for the coronavirus global recession

COVID-19: Global Recession

From yesterday, many companies started to cut down their staffs even temporarily and closing down.
It's increasing day by day. As you know well teachers are staying home or barely taking online classes.
Gyms started to close down. If you go out from house you can see with your own eyes. I am talikng about HCMC, don't know where you located

Jogging views from center city, HCMC today from 5.30-6.30pm.
What we can understand from these images are that people are taking COVID-19 seriously and co operating with this national health emergency. Many of them already go back to their hometown. Stay safe all.

Management placed this hand sanitisation gel near elevators from today.



Closed shops




Like this -No mask, no sell (No customers)


Many shops put mask notification on the front door



Intersection in center city



Nguyen Kim opened with no customers!


Still hope for customers, Phan Ngu Lao, Q1


Pham Ngu Lao, Q1


De Tham, Q1


Bui Vien - De Tham, Q1


Pullman with no guests today in reception


Shops closed in front of my apartment. Normally it's crowded this time.


Let's hope that everything will be alright very soon!
Stay safe!

Thank you Charm for this very informative pictorial   post

I wish other members can post current status and photos, if any, from their location. Then we can understand overall situation.

charmavietnam wrote:

I wish other members can post current status and photos, if any, from their location. Then we can understand overall situation.

Today has been brutal for many of my friends.

I have connections from Hanoi to the Delta, and we keep in touch mainly through the Zalo App.

Today five different friends posted that they are out of work, and in the last week or so almost 20 people have posted that they're out of work

Some of them are in the tourist and Visa businesses. Others are in spa services. Others work in food service and also in hotels.

It's truly heartbreaking to me that's so many people are suddenly without any work at all.

I really hope this starts to turn around soon

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Life here in the suburbs goes on pretty much as normal.

You know it's bad when the massage shops in D1 are mainly all closed.

Jlgarbutt wrote:

You know it's bad when the massage shops in D1 are mainly all closed.

My favorite no sex Spa where they work on my back so well just closed , and the girls have all gone home to Mekong.

Maybe it's time for me to take a tour of the Delta again

Jlgarbutt wrote:

You know it's bad when the massage shops in D1 are mainly all closed.

Biz as usual on the massa front here, all open & the girls just waiting for you to come for a VIP!.

charmavietnam wrote:

I wish other members can post current status and photos, if any, from their location. Then we can understand overall situation.

Than Anh 8x Go Vap Hand wash been out side lifts for last 4 weeks, last week notice no delivery inside gates, security gives hand wash and temp gun check to all entering on foot.
Notices in lift about all workmen must comply with hand wash temp gun checks, masks before working in building.
We have had notices for many weeks now about washing hands, clearing rubbish, wearing masks even a note with rules and having to sign it or go in to quarantine for not complying with their rules.

Must say the building management are very strict about trying to make sure no virus get's in to the building, very well done on their part.

We all wash our hands before going into lift and again when get back to out apartment, everyone wears a mask when out of thier rooms, but kids still go down and play and try to maintain some normality.

COVID-19 affected people in Vietnam : 76 yesterday but increased to 85 today!
Streets looks more silent with few vehicles.
Offices cut down staff temporarily or let them work at home.



[img align=l][link under review]
[img align=l][link under review]

charmavietnam wrote:

COVID-19 affected people in Vietnam : 76 yesterday but increased to 85 today!
Streets looks more silent with few vehicles.
Offices cut down staff temporarily or let them work at home.

[img align=l]https://i.postimg.cc/m2SrJhHy/89927154-1256123664778243-8227841382631342080-o.jpg[/url]
[img align=l]https://i.postimg.cc/htjKYsgK/90049133-1256123581444918-1080966289704353792-o.jpg[/url]
[img align=l]<span>[link under review]</span>
[img align=l]<span>[link under review]</span>

Good to see that things are being taken seriously although where I am things are pretty much the same just a little quieter than normal.

charmavietnam wrote:

COVID-19 affected people in Vietnam : 76 yesterday but increased to 85 today!
Streets looks more silent with few vehicles.
Offices cut down staff temporarily or let them work at home.

Have you been following the alerts about the incoming flights where people have been testing positive?

Many of the new cases in the last week came into the country that way.

Unless things really go south, I won't be financially affected much, since my pension is safe for the year at least and it's highly unlikely the US will cut SS. 

My stocks lost thousands of dollars, but I don't rely on them or my savings to live on.  Now I hear the US government might give each person $1,200 USD.  I don't know if they'll skip me because of the foreign address on my tax return, but it doesn't really matter.

A little over half of my family back in the US is retired, but I don't know if their pensions are secure or not.  Two are paid by the state of Illinois, so maybe not.

It doesn't look like I'll be able to make my planned trip back to the US next month, but that's probably a good thing -- my state just reported its first two deaths.  If I get COVID-19 here, I guess that will cost me a lot of money, though.  Or I might die.

OceanBeach92107 wrote:

Today has been brutal for many of my friends.
I have connections from Hanoi to the Delta, and we keep in touch mainly through the Zalo App.
Today five different friends posted that they are out of work, and in the last week or so almost 20 people have posted that they're out of work
Some of them are in the tourist and Visa businesses. Others are in spa services. Others work in food service and also in hotels.
It's truly heartbreaking to me that's so many people are suddenly without any work at all.
I really hope this starts to turn around soon

Thanks for sharing the situation with us!
Yes, some of my friends also in the 'cut down' list and staying home now. They are Vietnamese.
Company will not give salary.
People are in bit fear because they don't have any savings to spend if this situation continue more than 1 month!
We have no idea when will it be under control. If no new cases, we can say  it's 'under control' but daily 5-10 new cases!
Good thing is all borders closed, all visa stopped except diplomatic. Stopped new WP,VEC and TRC issue.
So chance from incoming people are very rare now but already people entered from other countries.
May be need 14 days to sort out from them.

When expatriates come first time they spend too much until wallet empty which including high rented shelter. When difficult times like this, don't know what to do.
Many landlords offering 500-2000K deduction during Covid-19
I suggest, if your landlord keep silent, should ask for deduction. Of course there is contract but humanity. They will not get a new tenant soon if you guys move so they will accept and deduct if you ask. Don't ask if you have too much money

I am packed and waiting. Now rent started to go down. Some people offers first 3 month 500-1000K discount.

goodolboy wrote:

Life here in the suburbs goes on pretty much as normal.

Where is that, please?

Jlgarbutt wrote:

You know it's bad when the massage shops in D1 are mainly all closed.

Not only massage parlors but many other business which has direct contact with people, shut down.
Today I saw more shops closed.
Good thing is that more people are well aware of the situation and co operating with this from not spreading.

charmavietnam wrote:

goodolboy wrote:

Life here in the suburbs goes on pretty much as normal.

Where is that, please?

D12 AEON CITYMART

Andybris2020 wrote:

Than Anh 8x Go Vap Hand wash been out side lifts for last 4 weeks, last week notice no delivery inside gates, security gives hand wash and temp gun check to all entering on foot.....
We all wash our hands before going into lift and again when get back to out apartment, everyone wears a mask when out of thier rooms, but kids still go down and play and try to maintain some normality.

Thanks for the sharing!
Good to heard that all precautions taken by the apartment management staff very earlier!

Indices wrote:

Good to see that things are being taken seriously although where I am things are pretty much the same just a little quieter than normal.

Where do you stay? Just city/district name will suffice so that we know, thanks!