Religious organizations continue to implement urgent measures to prevent and combat the Covid-19 epidemic.

Accordingly, the Ministry of Home Affairs acknowledges and highly appreciates the positive contributions of leaders of religious organizations; dignitaries, officials, followers of religions and religious compatriots who have demonstrated a high sense of responsibility towards the country and the people, not afraid of hardship, devoted themselves to the community and the people, and contributed resources of religions to the work.Covid-19 prevention and control.

In response to the call of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, to strengthen measures to prevent and control the Covid-19 epidemic in the new situation, the Ministry of Home Affairs requests that localities implementing social distancing according to Directive No. 16/CT-TTg of the Prime Minister, leaders of churches and religious organizations continue to propagate and mobilize dignitaries, officials and followers to strictly implement the Directive, voluntarily and strictly implement epidemic prevention and control measures according to the direction of the Prime Minister in Official Dispatch No. 1063/CD-TTg dated July 31, 2021, in the spirit of "stay where you are"; absolutely do not leave your place of residence from August 1, 2021 until the end of social distancing (except in cases permitted by the authorities).

Leaders of religious organizations, heads and persons in charge of religious establishments and religious gathering points must have a strict attitude and strictly handle individuals, religious organizations and religious establishments that do not comply with regulations on epidemic prevention and control; handle according to religious law religious establishments, dignitaries and religious followers who take advantage of religion, social networks and the Internet to propagate and provide negative and incorrect information about the epidemic situation, causing panic among believers and the masses; be responsible before the law for not complying with epidemic prevention regulations, causing the epidemic to spread at places of worship, among dignitaries, followers and in the community.

Venerable Thich Thien Tue, abbot of Vinh Phuc Pagoda (Nam Dan) directly went to collect donations and give gifts to the people. Photo courtesy of Hoang Nam

For provinces and cities that have not implemented social distancing according to Directive No. 16 of the Prime Minister, instruct religious dignitaries, officials, followers and religious establishments, and places of concentrated religious activities to temporarily suspend or limit to the maximum extent possible the gathering of religious activities; implement a distance of 2m/person at places of worship; encourage religious activities to be carried out online; mobilize religious dignitaries, officials, followers and people to declare their health online on tokhaiyte.vn and register for Covid-19 vaccination with the authorities, contributing to preventing the epidemic.

Leaders of religious organizations and media sites of the Church update information and the situation of Covid-19 prevention and control from official sources and disseminate it to places of worship and religious activity registration points concentrated in remote areas, key epidemic areas, raising awareness of epidemic prevention among dignitaries, followers and people. Continue to mobilize volunteers, doctors and physicians in religions with adequate health conditions to participate in patient care in epidemic areas; select suitable religious facilities to use as medical isolation points and field hospitals for Covid-19 treatment.

Many monks also directly participated in packing necessities, transporting, loading and unloading goods to send to the people of the South. Venerable Thich Tho Lac - Abbot of Dai Tue Pagoda (Nam Dan) said that on this occasion, the pagoda mobilized 2 tons of peanuts, 2.5 tons of green squash to send to the Provincial Fatherland Front to transport to Ho Chi Minh City. In addition, the pagoda also gave people in Tuong Duong district 1 ton of rice, 500 kg of peanuts and hundreds of boxes of instant noodles. Photo courtesy of Huy Thu

Church leadersreligious organizationsContinue to call on affiliated religious organizations, dignitaries, religious officials, monks and nuns, and religious followers at home and abroad to join hands with authorities at all levels to support food, medicine, and essential necessities for people in epidemic areas, especially poor workers who have lost income and have no reserves; at the same time, actively support the Covid-19 Vaccine Fund launched by the Prime Minister to continue to have a source of funding to buy vaccines for the people.