Nghe An: Continue to strictly implement Covid-19 prevention and control work, absolutely do not be subjective

The number of Covid-19 cases is increasing rapidly

According to statistics from the Ministry of Health, in 7 days (from April 9-15), Vietnam recorded 2,653 cases.Covid-19new, an average of 379 new cases/day. This is the week with the highest number of cases since the beginning of 2023 up to the time of statistics (there were 2 consecutive days with the number of cases at 780 and 775 cases/day). While in previous weeks, the number of Covid-19 cases per day was only a few cases, if the highest was only a few dozen cases/day (however, there were very few days with the number of cases at a few dozen).

For more than 3.5 consecutive months, Vietnam has not recorded any deaths due to Covid-19. However, among the Covid-19 patients being monitored and supervised, the number of patients receiving oxygen is 10, of which: 8 cases receiving oxygen through masks, 2 cases receiving high-flow oxygen (HFNC); on April 14 alone, the number of patients receiving oxygen through masks reached 22 cases - the highest since the beginning of 2023.

Treating Covid-19 patients in Nghe An. Photo: Thanh Cuong

In general, the number of Covid-19 cases in Nghe An has also been increasing recently. In 8 days (from April 9 to 16), the whole province recorded 51 Covid-19 cases in 15 districts, towns and cities. Of these patients, 8 are being treated at Nghe An Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital; 16 are being treated at the Provincial General Hospital. The province has not recorded any new deaths due to Covid-19. The whole province has no communes with epidemic levels of level 4, level 3 and level 2.

Continuously promote vaccination work

Nghe An constantly promotes the effectiveness ofvaccinationIn the work of preventing and fighting the Covid-19 epidemic, ensure the fastest possible progress; increase the mobilization of people to get vaccinated, go to every alley, knock on every door, check each person to avoid missing, especially the 3rd and 4th doses for people 18 years old and older; complete 2 doses for children from 5 years old to under 12 years old according to the prescribed time.

Specifically, as of April 15, for people aged 18 and over, the whole province had 2,051,563 people vaccinated with the first dose (accounting for 104.6%); 2,041,149 people vaccinated with the second dose (accounting for 104.1%); 1,966,609 people vaccinated with the third dose (accounting for 100.3%, the national average is 81.0%); 366,453 people vaccinated with the fourth dose (accounting for 99.0%, the national average is 88.5%).

Covid-19 vaccination for children from 5 to 11 years old. Photo: Thanh Chung

For children from 12 to under 18 years old, 266,569 children received the first injection (accounting for 104.8%); 259,920 children received the second injection (accounting for 102.2%); 224,589 children received the third injection (accounting for 88.3%, the national average is 71.4%)... For children from 5 to 11 years old, 363,646 children received the first injection (accounting for 98.1%, the national average is 94.7%); 298,645 children received the second injection (accounting for 80.5%, the national average is 79.1%).

In the recent 74th and 75th vaccinations, Nghe An has also performed well. Specifically, the 74th vaccination is the Pfizer vaccine for children aged 5 to under 12, with 8,200 doses, issued on February 22; Nghe An has now vaccinated all of these vaccines. The 75th vaccination is the AstraZeneca vaccine for people aged 18 and over, with 15,000 doses, issued on February 22. As of April 15, there were 770 doses left in Thai Hoa town.

Nghe An is currently a province with Covid-19 vaccination results that are highly appreciated by the Central Government. Particularly, the third dose for the group aged 18 and over ranked first. The doses of the age groups ranked about 15-30 compared to the whole country.

In addition to the positive results, the Covid-19 vaccination campaign in Nghe An also has shortcomings and difficulties, namely: People who have received two basic shots and a booster shot, and have contracted Covid-19 (including those who did not declare) do not agree to be vaccinated despite regular and continuous mobilization. For children aged 5 to under 12 years old, the percentage of parents who do not agree to have their children vaccinated is high, although the health sector has coordinated with the education sector and local authorities to propagate and mobilize.

Strictly implement Covid-19 prevention and control work

Faced with the increasing developments of the Covid-19 epidemic, on April 12, the Ministry of Health issued Urgent Document No. 2116/BYT-DP to the People's Committees of provinces and cities requesting to strengthen measures to prevent and control the Covid-19 epidemic... On April 14, the People's Committee of Nghe An province also issued Document No. 2840/UBND-VX directing departments, branches, districts, towns, cities, and units in the province to deploy solutions to prevent and control the Covid-19 epidemic.

Accordingly, the People's Committee of Nghe An province requested departments, branches, districts, towns, cities, and units in the province to continue to strictly implement the work of preventing and fighting the Covid-19 epidemic; absolutely not to be subjective, negligent, or lose vigilance; promote Covid-19 vaccination, mobilize local authorities and departments, branches, and organizations to resolutely implement the review and mobilization of subjects to participate in Covid-19 vaccination, especially for high-risk groups.

All people need to strictly implement Covid-19 prevention and control solutions according to the 2K message (Mask, Disinfection), as well as get vaccinated against Covid-19. Photo: Thanh Cuong

At the same time, proactively monitor and closely monitor the epidemic situation in the area; be prepared to respond to possible epidemic situations; strengthen the implementation of measures to prevent and control Covid-19 epidemic at educational institutions, monitor at border gates, in medical facilities and in the community to detect early and handle promptly, not allowing the epidemic to spread to the community; organize level assessments to promptly apply appropriate epidemic prevention and control measures.

Direct the organization of admission, emergency, care and effective treatment of cases, especially for high-risk groups, minimize deaths and strictly implement infection control, prevent cross-infection in treatment facilities, prepare plans for admission and treatment of patients and proactively improve treatment capacity, especially emergency and intensive care capacity to meet treatment requirements; continue to ensure logistics, funding, drugs, vaccines, biological products, supplies, chemicals, equipment and human resources for epidemic prevention and control.

Strengthen disease prevention communication to raise awareness and change people's behavior in protecting their own health, their families' and the community's health; regularly update information on the epidemic situation and advise people to comply with disease prevention and control requirements such as wearing masks, disinfecting in medical facilities, on public transport and at crowded places and events, especially during the upcoming holidays; focus on information on the benefits and effects of vaccines, closely following people's and society's psychological trends, enhancing community trust and mobilizing people to participate in full and timely vaccination.

In document No. 2840/UBND-VX, it is clearly directed that: The Department of Health, the Department of Information and Communications, departments, branches, provincial-level units and People's Committees of districts, cities and towns, based on their functions and tasks, seriously implement the work of preventing and fighting the Covid-19 epidemic, ensuring proactive control of the epidemic situation, and not allowing the epidemic to break out again.