Nghe An calls on people to limit unnecessary travel during Tet

The Covid-19 Prevention and Control Command Center of Nghe An province has just issued a document on strengthening the prevention and control of the Covid-19 epidemic during the New Year, Lunar New Year and Spring Festival season in 2022.

Accordingly, the Covid-19 epidemic situation in the world and Southeast Asia is currently complicated with the appearance of the Omicron variant in many countries. The province has recently recorded an increasing number of infections, including many cases in the community.

In order to effectively prevent the epidemic, for civil servants, public employees, workers and all people, the Command Center recommends limiting unnecessary travel during the New Year; Lunar New Year and the Spring Festival season of 2022, especially between regions and to places where the Covid-19 epidemic is complicated to ensure the prevention of the Covid-19 epidemic in the province, as well as protect the health of yourself, your family and the community.

Propaganda, mobilization, information to family members studying and working in and outside the province(especially areas with level 3 and level 4 epidemics)) In case of need to go to/return to the locality, you must declare your health and notify the local authorities to receive instructions on appropriate epidemic prevention measures. Limit the organization of events, festivals, and year-end parties that gather large crowds..

New Year's Eve atmosphere at Ho Chi Minh Square in 2021. Photo courtesy

The Provincial Covid-19 Prevention and Control Command Center also requested districts, towns and Vinh city to proactively develop plans and solutions for COVID-19 prevention and control during Tet; organize and assign forces on duty, prepare facilities, means, equipment, medical supplies, regularly update information, and be ready to promptly respond to epidemic situations occurring in the area. Minimize the organization of events and activities with large crowds; Party secretaries, heads of agencies, heads of units and cadres and party members should promote their role as role models, actively propagate and mobilize people to raise vigilance and implement epidemic prevention requirements.

Direct the People's Committees of communes/wards/towns and relevant departments and branches to strengthen the screening and monitoring of people returning from epidemic level 3 and level 4 areas inside and outside the province, entrants and risk groups: require medical declaration, organize testing, health monitoring and quarantine in accordance with the regulations in Official Dispatch No. 6433/TTCH-SYT dated December 21, 2021 of the Provincial Covid-19 Prevention and Control Command Center.

Proactively organize the assessment of the epidemic level in the area at the commune and sub-commune levels, resolutely implement epidemic prevention measures in accordance with regulations at each epidemic level, especially the direction of the Provincial People's Committee in Official Dispatch No. 9064/UBND-VX dated November 22, 2021.

Urgently review, classify, and report the number of vaccination subjects to the Provincial Steering Committee for Covid-19 Vaccination Campaign. Immediately organize the vaccination of the allocated amount of vaccine to increase the Covid-19 vaccination coverage rate to ensure safety and the fastest possible time, without missing any subjects, especially those in high-risk groups according to the Ministry of Health's instructions.

Maintain operations and have plans to expand Covid-19 patient treatment facilities in the area, ready to receive and treat mild, asymptomatic patients in the complicated epidemic situation, with the number of patients increasing rapidly;

Strengthen inspection and supervision of compliance with epidemic prevention measures in the area, especially citizens' compliance with health declaration and home quarantine. Strictly handle organizations and individuals who violate regulations on Covid-19 prevention and control.

Strengthen screening tests for high-risk subjects and areas; pay special attention to epidemic prevention work in crowded areas, markets, supermarkets, production and business establishments, industrial parks, etc. in the area.

The Provincial Covid-19 Prevention and Control Command Center assigned the Department of Health to update information, assess risks, forecast the situation, and proactively propose to the Provincial People's Committee/Provincial Steering Committee to direct professional matters in epidemic prevention and control, especially early detection of new variants, strengthening grassroots medical capacity, and avoiding overloading the health system. Strengthen the surveillance system to promptly detect outbreaks and clusters of cases with unusual developments and characteristics.(number of cases, severe progression or hospitalizations, deaths increase abnormally over time, region, specific subjects...).

Strengthen training, improve professional qualifications to detect, test, screen, provide initial treatment, and early treatment of F0 cases at the grassroots level and at home for the preventive health system and grassroots health system; ensure necessary medical equipment, and mobilize support forces from other places for localities where many infections and complicated epidemics are detected; mobilize the private health system to participate in the care and support of Covid-19 infected people, especially at the grassroots level.

The Department of Culture & Sports and the Department of Tourism are responsible for proactively advising on stopping unnecessary mass gatherings, entertainment, festival and religious activities in localities at risk of outbreaks during the Tet holiday. Provide guidance on epidemic prevention measures at weddings, funerals, death anniversaries, funerals, longevity celebrations, etc., minimizing the number of participants at the same time; require families to sign a commitment to strictly comply with local authorities and resolutely handle violations. Community Covid teams and self-managed inter-family teams strengthen supervision of the implementation of epidemic prevention measures according to regulations.

The Department is also responsible for requiring hotel, motel and accommodation business owners in the area to commit and be responsible for strictly implementing regulations on Covid-19 prevention and control for guests according to regulations of the tourism industry.

Meanwhile, the Provincial Police are assigned to preside over and coordinate with local authorities to regularly inspect, review, and strictly manage population movements.(especially from areas with complicated epidemic developments)In the whole province, promptly detect cases of foreigners illegally entering and staying in the province.

The Provincial Border Guard Command presides over and coordinates with relevant agencies and units to closely inspect and monitor people entering Vietnam through border gates in the province, to control and prevent the Omicron variant from entering and spreading in the area, especially people coming from countries in the Southeast Asian region where the Omicron variant has been detected such as: Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines, etc. Strengthen border control posts, promptly detect, handle and quarantine illegal entrants into the province through trails and openings.

The Provincial Military Command is responsible for presiding over and coordinating with relevant units to prepare the facilities of the provincial centralized quarantine area to be ready to receive Vietnamese citizens returning from abroad for quarantine and health monitoring according to regulations. Develop a plan to expand reception when necessary.

The provincial Covid-19 Prevention and Control Command Center also assigned the Department of Industry and Trade to preside over and coordinate with relevant agencies and units to direct the implementation of inspections and supervision of compliance with epidemic prevention regulations for workers and vendors in markets, shopping malls, and service establishments, especially during the New Year; Lunar New Year and the Spring Festival season in 2022. The Department of Education and Training coordinated with the People's Committees of districts, towns and Vinh city to continue to strictly implement measures when allowing students to return to school to ensure safety in epidemic prevention and control.