Nghe An: Strengthening measures to prevent and control Covid-19 epidemic after Tet holiday

1,641 new infections per day

On February 7, the whole province recorded 1,641 cases.Infected caseNew Covid-19 cases, including 330 community cases. This is the highest number of cases recorded within 24 hours inNghe Anfrom past to present. Localities with rapidly increasing F0 cases include: Vinh City, Yen Thanh District, Dien Chau District, Quynh Luu District, Hung Nguyen District, Nghi Loc District, Thanh Chuong District, Cua Lo Town...

Information from Nghe An Department of Health: The epidemic in the province has many complicated developments with the total number of recorded cases being. Particularly from January 29, 2022 (29th of Tet) to February 6, 2022 (6th of Tet), 3,162 cases were recorded. In the period after Tet, the number of cases tends to increase rapidly (in particular, from January 29 to January 31, 934 cases were recorded, accounting for 29.5%; from February 4 to February 6, 1,683 cases were recorded, accounting for 53.2%)... In the province, there are no level 4 communes; there are 03 level 3 communes (Thanh Hoa commune, Thanh Tien commune, Thanh Chuong district; Chau Kim commune, Que Phong district); there are 24 level 2 communes and 433 level 1 communes.

Rapid Covid-19 test. Photo: Thanh Cuong

According to Pharmacist Tran Minh Tue - Deputy Director of Nghe An Department of Health: The number of infections tends to increase due to the increase in the number of people returning from epidemic areas, the high density of exchanges and shopping for Tet. In the first 3 days of the year (Lunar calendar), the number of people traveling decreased, the number of people with mild symptoms coming to medical facilities decreased. However, in the last 3 days of the holiday, people's need to be tested to return to work increased; a number of cases began to show symptoms and were recorded due to contact with sources of infection in the community before and during Tet.

In addition, a number of people, officials, service and production businesses are still subjective and do not comply with quarantine regulations in epidemic prevention, especially at service businesses, entertainment venues, cultural and spiritual areas and some crowded places during the Lunar New Year.

To prevent the Covid-19 epidemic, the whole Nghe An province has stepped up the work of caring for and treating patients; vaccinating against Covid-19. At this time, the total number of patients being treated is 3,330 cases. Of which, 905 cases are being treated on the first floor at district-level reception facilities; 2,141 cases are being treated at home. 137 cases are being treated on the second floor at field hospitals. 75 cases are being treated on the third floor at the Tropical Disease Center, Provincial General Hospital (including 8 critical cases, 34 severe cases, 33 moderate cases). During the recent Tet holiday, 7 patients died... Up to now, Nghe An has had 13,319 patients who have recovered from the disease (accounting for 79.7%).

Treatment for patients at district-level treatment facilities. Photo: Thanh Cuong

While the treatment work during Tet achieved quite good results, the vaccination work encountered many difficulties. The province has widely deployed the spring vaccination campaign in all localities across the province starting from January 29, 2022. The province has allocated 378,150 doses of vaccine on this occasion and as of February 6, 2022, 221,857 injections have been administered. Of which, the first dose is 4,556 doses, the second dose is 10,404 doses, the supplementary dose is 195,356 doses, and the booster dose is 11,541.

During this spring vaccination campaign, localities and the health sector have coordinated and regularly organized vaccination sites before, during and after Tet; however, some local authorities have not really taken drastic action, along with many eligible subjects not coming to vaccination sites during Tet.

Up to this point, the cumulative number of people aged 18 and over who have received the full basic vaccination dose is 1,998,146 people (reaching 101.9% of people aged 18 and over and 60.0% of Nghe An province's population). The number of people who have received at least 1 dose is 2,005,346 people (reaching 102.3% of people aged 18 and over and 60.2% of Nghe An province's population). The number of people who have received the supplementary/booster dose is 1,023,302 people (reaching 52.2% of people aged 18 and over who have received the full basic vaccination dose)... For children aged 12-17, the number of children who have received the full vaccination dose (2 Pfizer doses) is 266,660 people (reaching 97.2% of children in the age group); The number of children vaccinated with at least one dose is 276,529 people (reaching 100.8% of children of the right age).

Speed ​​up vaccination progressto fight the epidemic

Nghe An Health Department assessed: The epidemic situation is still complicated. The number of community infections is increasing, many cases are asymptomatic, the potential source of infection in the community is high; the frequency of movement and the level of interaction of people during Tet is high. Therefore, after the Lunar New Year holiday, the risk of new infections is increasing rapidly, causing widespread outbreaks in many localities... There is a potential risk of outbreaks in industrial parks, production and business establishments, and schools in the first days of returning to work and study.

Covid-19 screening and vaccination for people in Vinh city. Photo: Thanh Cuong

In the context of complicated epidemic developments, epidemic prevention and control workCovid-19are currently facing many difficulties. These are: Management and monitoring of people traveling to and returning from epidemic areas, entry into the country has many limitations during the adaptation phase, flexibility in epidemic prevention. The epidemic is prolonged, resources are gradually depleted, along with the pressure on the need to solve jobs and ensure social security for people returning from epidemic areas across the country... Nghe An, with its large area and difficult people's lives, has many shortcomings in implementing medical isolation at home, such as insufficient facilities for isolation; human resources for management and sampling; arising costs related to testing, handling infectious waste...

Pharmacist Tran Minh Tue - Deputy Director of the Department of Health said: In the current situation of the Covid-19 epidemic, the Steering Committee and the Provincial Center for Covid-19 Prevention and Control require districts, cities and towns to continue to thoroughly grasp and resolutely and comprehensively implement the work of preventing and controlling the Covid-19 epidemic according to the new viewpoints and policies of the Government, the National Steering Committee, the Ministry of Health; the Provincial Steering Committee and the Department of Health; Proactively develop scenarios and plans to respond to epidemic prevention and control in accordance with each specific development in the area, especially before the possibility of a sudden increase in cases after the Lunar New Year of Nham Dan in 2022.

Districts, cities and towns strengthen control of citizens returning to the province from other localities, requiring mandatory health declaration, compliance with 5K, applying health monitoring and epidemic prevention measures in accordance with regulations of the Ministry of Health and the Provincial People's Committee; encourage people to self-test; if there are signs of suspected Covid-19 infection such as fever, cough, difficulty breathing..., limit contact and travel, immediately notify local health authorities for instructions, testing and treatment according to regulations; strengthen epidemic control, implement social distancing and flow in crowded areas such as traditional markets, wholesale markets, supermarkets, shopping centers, wharves, bus stations, airports; continue to strictly implement regulations on temporary suspension of operations for non-essential services such as karaoke, bars, internet, electronic games...

To effectively prevent and combat the Covid-19 epidemic, the vaccination progress needs to be accelerated further. Photo: Duc Anh

Continue to speed up the progress of Covid-19 vaccination for people of designated ages, including those from other localities living in the area; urgently complete the supplementary injections according to plan, ensure safe vaccination according to regulations and instructions of the Ministry of Health, pay special attention and prioritize vaccination for people aged 50 and over, people with underlying diseases; strengthen communication work, continuously in many forms and multimedia to raise people's awareness not to be subjective, not to panic as well as to correctly understand and agree with epidemic prevention measures in the area... Proactively deploy mobile health stations in communes/wards/towns to deploy health care and monitoring at home and at places of residence.

Departments, branches and sectors continue to carry out epidemic prevention work in the area according to their assigned functions and tasks. As for the health sector, it is necessary to continue to review and supplement sufficient supplies, chemicals and equipment to ensure that it meets the needs of epidemic prevention when an epidemic occurs in the area; ensure sufficient medical oxygen; have a plan to reserve a basic amount of drugs, blood, infusion fluids, supplies, chemicals, equipment, arrange a basic number of hospital beds and emergency vehicles, ready to respond and serve treatment and emergency work; develop a plan to expand the admission and treatment capacity of medical facilities in the area; coordinate with the local Vaccination Steering Committee to continue to speed up the vaccination progress, especially calling for and mobilizing the maximum participation of the private medical force in the province./.