The Government held a national online conference to discuss urgent solutions to prevent and combat the Covid-19 epidemic.

On the morning of May 29, the Government held a national online conference on the situation and urgent solutions to prevent and combat the Covid-19 epidemic in the spirit of "fighting the epidemic like fighting the enemy". Comrade Pham Minh Chinh - Politburo member, Prime Minister chaired at the Government headquarters.

Panorama of the conference at the Government Office bridge. Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac

At the Nghe An province bridge, comrades: Thai Thanh Quy - Member of the Party Central Committee, Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee; Nguyen Duc Trung - Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee; Bui Dinh Long - Member of the Provincial Party Committee, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee co-chaired the conference. Attending the conference were representatives of leaders of provincial departments, branches and sectors. The conference was broadcast live to 21 bridge points of districts, cities and towns.

NOTES ON INFECTION PREVENTION IN INDUSTRIAL PARKS

In Vietnam, as of 6:00 a.m. on May 29, the total number of Covid-19 infections was 6,657 cases, including 5,164 domestic cases. Bac Giang, Bac Ninh, Hanoi, Da Nang and Vinh Phuc are the localities with the highest number of Covid-19 infections in the fourth wave of the epidemic starting on April 27, 2021. Most of the new cases were close contacts and had been quarantined in the locked-down, socially distanced areas.

Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long said: This outbreak is characterized by multiple outbreaks and multiple forms, in which the dominant form is infection in industrial zones, infection from industrial zones to the community and vice versa.

Comrades: Thai Thanh Quy - Member of the Party Central Committee, Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee; Nguyen Duc Trung - Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee; Bui Dinh Long - Member of the Provincial Party Committee, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee co-chaired the conference at the Nghe An province bridge. Photo: Thanh Duy

In addition, the expert agency also pointed out that the SARS-CoV-2 virus causing the Covid-19 epidemic this time is multi-strain, in which the Indian virus strain is the most common, followed by the British strain. In addition, a new strain was discovered that was created between the Indian strain and the British strain.

Characteristics of the fourth wave of the epidemic show that the SARS-CoV-2 virusspreads rapidly, is widely dispersed in the air, and the rate of pathogen elimination is very fast. The epidemiological characteristics of this time show signs of increased severity of the disease in infected people.

Regarding vaccine research, production, and purchase, the leader of the Ministry of Health said that our country's general view from the beginning was to try to access all vaccine sources to be able to vaccinate people; the goal is to try to achieve community immunity in 2021.

Therefore, along with research and progress towards vaccine production, our country is making every effort to access vaccine sources around the world. Up to now, Vietnam has had about 100 million doses of vaccine and is promoting various mechanisms to ensure that there are enough 150 million doses of vaccine in 2021 according to the direction of the Politburo and Resolution 21 of the Government.

Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long speaks at the conference. Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac

However, the immunity of the Covid-19 vaccine only lasts for 6 months to 1 year, so to ensure annual supply, the Prime Minister has decided to establish a vaccine fund.

Regarding disease prevention and control, Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long suggested that localities must pay close attention to preventing Covid-19 infection in industrial parks because the risk in industrial parks is currently the highest.

Therefore, the head of the Ministry of Health noted that localities must prioritize the strict protection of industrial parks; develop specific plans and strategies for production distancing for each industrial park and each factory; and manage workers at work, on means of transport and at their places of residence.

On the other hand, it is necessary to conduct screening and testing on a large scale, especially using rapid testing; increase the responsibility of business owners and business management agencies, and strengthen inspection and supervision in industrial parks.

Delegates follow the conference at Nghe An bridge. Photo: Thanh Duy

Emphasizing the importance of social distancing, Minister Nguyen Thanh Long recommended that localities should not hesitate to practice social distancing but should implement it on a scale appropriate to the epidemic and socio-economic conditions to reduce the socio-economic impact on people.

In Nghe An, currently in the Southeast Economic Zone and industrial parks, there are 128 projects in operation, creating jobs for 28,226 workers.

The Southeast Economic Zone Management Board has implemented many measures to prevent and control the Covid-19 epidemic, especially guiding and requiring businesses to implement 18 main contents.

These include strictly implementing the "5K" requirements; temporarily suspending recruitment and transferring workers from localities with Covid-19 cases; establishing a Covid-19 prevention and control steering committee in enterprises and industrial parks; and implementing mandatory health declarations for all workers and related people (suppliers, transporters of materials, goods, etc.).

“5K + VACCINE + TECHNOLOGY"

After listening to opinions from localities, several ministries, branches and Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh concluded the conference, thereby assessing that overall, our country is controlling the Covid-19 epidemic situation, but locally there are some localities facing difficulties.

Assessing the overall results achieved, as well as some lessons learned in the work of preventing and fighting the Covid-19 epidemic in the past time, the head of the Government commended the forces on the front line, especially the medical forces, the army, the police, the localities with the epidemic and the vast majority of the people together with the Party, the State and the functional forces for effectively preventing and fighting the epidemic.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh speaks at the conference. Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac

In the coming time, with the goal of caring for and protecting people's health and lives at this time being the top priority; at the same time, containing, repelling, controlling and extinguishing the outbreak, especially in key localities, areas and industrial zones, the Prime Minister emphasized a number of important guiding ideas.

First of all, it is necessary to thoroughly grasp the spirit of fighting the epidemic like fighting an enemy, but at this time, we must launch a comprehensive, all-out, lightning-fast, stronger and more effective general offensive throughout the entire political system and among the entire population with higher determination, greater efforts, more drastic, more effective and more concentrated actions; but we must focus on key points to localize and suppress the epidemic more quickly; taking people as the center and the subject of epidemic prevention and control.

In addition, it is necessary to grasp and closely forecast the situation, combine prevention and attack in a harmonious, reasonable and effective manner, but take attack as the main and breakthrough strategy; take prevention as a basic, regular, long-term and decisive strategy; do not be negligent, subjective, or lose vigilance when there is no epidemic; on the contrary, do not be afraid, panic, lose composure, lack perseverance, or lack courage when there is an epidemic, leading to inappropriate and ineffective decisions.

Delegates follow the conference at Nghe An bridge. Photo: Thanh Duy

Each agency, unit, locality, individual, especially those in charge of all work units in the political system, must promote a high sense of responsibility, patriotism, and do everything for the people. Based on their functions, tasks, and powers, and based on the instructions of the Party and State, they must apply creatively, flexibly, and effectively in preventing and fighting the epidemic.

In particular, according to the Prime Minister, it is necessary to mobilize the effective participation of the people. The motto is that each person must protect himself, that is, protect the community; protecting the community means protecting himself; protecting himself, protecting the community means protecting the national and ethnic interests.

The Prime Minister also pointed out key tasks and solutions in the coming time to more effectively implement the work of preventing and fighting the Covid-19 epidemic.

In particular, leadership and direction must closely follow the situation, promptly and promptly make decisions for effective implementation; agencies, units and localities must be responsible for decisions; at the same time, clearly assign and define tasks.

Delegates follow the conference at Nghe An bridge. Photo: Thanh Duy

At the same time, we must work on and perfect the institutions, regulations, standards, norms, and anti-epidemic processes in a fundamental, methodical, and systematic manner; while working, we must learn from experience and gradually expand, without being perfectionist or hasty.

In particular, the head of the Government requested ministries to promptly remove difficulties for localities, especially key localities, with the motto "3 no's": Do not say lack of money, do not say lack of human resources, and do not say lack of mechanisms, policies, facilities, means, medical supplies, medicines, etc. If beyond authority, it must be reported to the Government and the Prime Minister for timely consideration.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh requested to continue implementing the vaccine strategy in the direction of approaching all possibilities to buy vaccines, without delay; at the same time, research and produce vaccines domestically, find vaccine production technology; effectively propagate and organize vaccination in order of priority for key forces and areas, and explain to the people that this is the best preventive measure.

In particular, it is necessary to prevent and fight the epidemic from afar, early, before the epidemic occurs, with the motto: "5K + vaccine + technology (tracing, safe control against Covid-19)..."; disease prevention must be regular, early detection, quick isolation, active and effective treatment, quickly stabilize the situation, develop production and business.

Immediately implement solutions to support businesses and people affected by the Covid-19 epidemic; strictly control illegal entry and residence.

Panorama of the conference at the Nghe An province bridge. Photo: Thanh Duy

Emphasizing the need to mobilize all legal resources for the work of preventing and fighting the Covid-19 epidemic, especially for purchasing vaccines, the Prime Minister called on all people, businesses, agencies, organizations, and localities, within their capabilities, to contribute their intelligence, opinions, methods, money, etc. to the work of preventing and fighting the Covid-19 epidemic, especially for purchasing vaccines.

Industrial park management boards and business owners must focus on protecting the health of workers and residents; the Ministry of Health mobilizes resources from medical schools to support medical forces on the front lines of the fight against the epidemic.

Comrade Pham Minh Chinh also requested to continue to carry out propaganda work on Covid-19 prevention and control for the people in a comprehensive, consistent and effective manner;...