Change in the Cognition and Behaviors of Volunteers after Participation in the Service Work of Covid-19 in Ho Chi Minh City

Before the beginning waves of the Covid-19 pandemic, Vietnam was among the top countries that succeeded in fighting against the infection and had a low mortality rate (7,236 infections, 47 deaths, as of May 31, 2021). However, when the 4th wave of the Covid pandemic with the mutated Delta variant, Vietnam had to go through months of loss and pain, especially in Ho Chi Minh City, the economic and financial center of the country (with 916,286 cases measured, 22,083 deaths, as of October 31, 2021). A gloomy day in the overall picture of the response to the epidemic. With the high determination of the Vietnamese government and people, notably the volunteer force, the epidemic situation was also handled and controlled, and Vietnam gradually transitioned to a new, appropriate normal, being able to adapt to the current situation.

The article focuses on researching volunteers participating in the epidemic prevention and management in Ho Chi Minh City. At the peak of the epidemic, the government of Ho Chi Minh City called for volunteers to participate in the fight against the pandemic. The volunteer force includes people of all ages, religions, different professions.v.v. Participating in support in areas such as: searching and tracing F0, disinfecting infected areas, care and assisting in the treatment of patients, cooking for hospitals, collecting medical waste, etc. However, the vast majority of volunteers are active in high-contagion areas such as hospitals' Covid treatment area, mainly young people with ages ranging from 18 to 30.

This study aims towards volunteers who have participated while the pandemic was in its most damaging and complicating period in Ho Chi Minh City at hospitals treating Covid-19 patients with severe complications. With an interdisciplinary approach between psychology and culturology through data collection, surveys and in-depth interviews, the research focuses on changes in cognitive and behavioral factors in cultural spiritual life of volunteers after the end of the campaign to return to a new ordinary life.