Nghe An proactively deploys to welcome and quarantine citizens who spontaneously return to their hometowns.

On the morning of October 5, under the chairmanship of comrade Nguyen Duc Trung - Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, Deputy Head of the Standing Committee, Commander, the Provincial Covid-19 Prevention and Control Command Center held a meeting to discuss plans to welcome and organize quarantine for citizens who spontaneously returned to their hometowns.

Overview of the meeting of the Standing Committee of the Covid-19 Prevention and Control Command Center. Photo: Pham Bang

More and more Nghe An citizens spontaneously return to their hometowns.

Reporting at the meeting, Director of the Department of Transport Hoang Phu Hien said that on average, about 200 Nghe An citizens spontaneously returned home via Ben Thuy bridge every day. On October 4 alone, the number of citizens returning to their hometowns increased dramatically, up to 648 people, not including the number of citizens from Thanh Hoa province and the northern provinces passing through the area. Early in the morning of October 5, at Ben Thuy bridge, there were 240 people, 80 motorbikes returning... and it is expected that today there will be nearly 1,000 Nghe An citizens returning.

To ensure the prevention and control of the Covid-19 epidemic, the Director of the Department of Transport said that it is necessary to quickly arrange and set up centralized quarantine areas to isolate these people. In addition, in the area between the two Ben Thuy bridges, it is necessary to arrange a reception area with a roof, toilets, and waste treatment; classify citizens who have received 1-2 doses of vaccine to have a suitable quarantine plan, reducing the burden on the State.

Director of the Department of Transport Hoang Phu Hien reports on the situation of citizens spontaneously returning to their hometowns. Photo: Pham Bang

Lieutenant Colonel Phan Dai Nghia - Commander of the Provincial Military Command said that the Provincial Military Command is currently managing 7 centralized quarantine areas and is organizing quarantine for 1,800 citizens. It is expected that 240 citizens returning to Nghe An on the morning of October 5 will be quarantined at the Student Village, Campus 2 of Vinh University. If Field Hospitals No. 4, No. 5, and No. 6 are used as centralized quarantine areas, about 3,700 citizens can be quarantined.

Mr. Doan Hong Vu - Director of the Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs said that there are currently 329,000 Nghe An people working in provinces and cities across the country. Of these, nearly 88,000 have returned to their hometowns, over 28,000 are of working age. It is forecasted that the number of Nghe An citizens returning will increase in the coming time because Ho Chi Minh City and the southern provinces have "opened up".

Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Bui Dinh Long requested the Provincial Military Command to immediately arrange quarantine points. Photo: Pham Bang

Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Bui Dinh Long requested the Provincial Military Command to immediately arrange quarantine points and focus on purchasing adequate equipment for quarantine areas. The classification of returning citizens at the foot of Ben Thuy bridge should be implemented flexibly, depending on the actual situation. The Health sector should arrange forces to organize the classification of vaccinated people and take samples for testing of these citizens.

SAFE AND RESPONSIBLE PICKUP ORGANIZATION

Concluding the meeting, comrade Nguyen Duc Trung - Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee said that the number of Nghe An citizens spontaneously returning to their hometowns in recent times is large, so measures need to be taken to adapt to the new situation.

To ensure the prevention and control of Covid-19, the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee emphasized that it is very important to organize classification and flow from the beginning when citizens return. It is necessary to divide citizens in the province and outside the province to organize appropriate arrangements.

For citizens from other provinces, the police organize a tour to take them to the border area to hand over to Thanh Hoa province and the northern provinces. During the tour, traffic safety and security must be ensured, avoiding people and vehicles stopping and parking in the wrong places.

Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Duc Trung concluded at the meeting. Photo: Pham Bang

For citizens from Nghe An, because the number of returnees is large, there must be a suitable reception plan. It is necessary to classify based on the declaration and documents provided by citizens to organize quarantine according to regulations. Citizens who have not been vaccinated or tested must be organized for centralized quarantine. Citizens who have received 2 doses of vaccine and have a valid test certificate must be brought back to their localities and organized for home quarantine.

The Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee also requested that a proper reception area be organized because these are all citizens in difficult circumstances. At the foot of Ben Thuy Bridge, Vinh City organized a tent with a roof for people to sit and wait during the classification period; provided fast food for people; arranged a sanitary area to ensure the environment. Vinh City coordinated with the police to ensure security and order in this area.

Regarding centralized quarantine points, the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee requested that 240 new citizens returning on the morning of October 5 be quarantined at Vinh University Student Village. In addition, the Provincial Military Command is allowed to take over and use Field Hospitals No. 4, No. 5, and No. 6 as centralized quarantine areas. The Provincial Military Command also needs to proactively review new centralized quarantine points to welcome returning citizens in the coming time.

The Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee also said that in the context of the province's difficult budget, the province will support food and testing costs at a minimum level for citizens in centralized quarantine.

Recognizing that in the coming time, the number of citizens spontaneously returning to their hometowns is large, the head of the Provincial People's Committee requested districts, cities and towns to proactively plan to welcome citizens for centralized quarantine in their localities. Proactively review centralized quarantine points and review local people who want to return to build effective plans to welcome them.

Nghe An citizens spontaneously returned to their hometowns and gathered at the foot of Ben Thuy bridge on the morning of October 4. Photo: Tien Hung

Regarding the return of citizens by air via commercial flights, the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee agreed that, initially, Vietnam Airlines would organize 2 flights/week to transport citizens in need, paying 100% of the costs to return home. The reception of citizens in difficult circumstances such as pregnant women and children will continue to be studied and reviewed to have a suitable plan.

Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Duc Trung once again emphasized that welcoming citizens with difficult circumstances to spontaneously return to their hometowns is both a sentiment and a responsibility of the Party Committee and the government towards the citizens of the province. Although the province's conditions are still difficult, we must strive to complete the task. And the most important issue is to ensure safety, not to let the risk of infection occur in the area./.