New Directive of the Prime Minister on strengthening prevention and control of COVID-19 epidemic

In recent times, COVID-19 prevention and control activities at all levels, sectors and localities have been actively implemented and achieved initial results, highly appreciated by the international community and the people.

However, the epidemic continues to develop complicatedly, occurring in 105 countries with 114 thousand infected people and showing no signs of stopping. In the past 10 days alone, the number of infected people has increased rapidly, accounting for 25% of the total number of previously infected people. Many large outbreaks have appeared with the number of infected people and deaths increasing rapidly.

In our country, after 22 days without new infections, in the past 4 days, 18 more people have been detected infected (bringing the total number of infections more than double the previous number of infections), of which 15 people entered from countries with large trade and travel volume with our country. Vietnam is at very high risk of spreading the disease.

Faced with new developments of the epidemic, to minimize the spread, be ready and proactive in preventing and responding to the epidemic on a large scale, and best protect the health and lives of the people, the Prime Minister instructed ministries, branches and localities to continue to strictly and resolutely implement the directions of the Central Party Secretariat in Official Dispatch No. 79-CV/TW dated January 30, 2020, the Telegram of the Standing Committee of the Central Party Secretariat dated March 7, 2020, Directives No. 05/CT-TTg, 06/CT-TTg, 10/CT-TTg, 11/CT-TTg and Official Dispatches No. 121/CD-TTg, 156/CD-TTg and directives of the Prime Minister; to best prepare and be ready for all situations; to continue to thoroughly grasp the spirit of "fighting the epidemic like fighting the enemy", to be ready to sacrifice economic interests to best protect the health and lives of the people.

Strictly control the source of infection

The Prime Minister requested ministries, ministerial-level agencies, and People's Committees of central provinces and cities, according to their functions and tasks, to focus on directing: Proactively and resolutely preventing, quickly detecting, and strictly controlling sources of infection (both domestically and from abroad); organizing quarantine or monitoring people who have been in contact with sick people in accordance with the instructions of the Ministry of Health; reviewing people who entered the country in the past 14 days but were not subject to centralized quarantine, promptly detecting sources of infection.

In addition, strictly control people entering the country. Specifically, strengthen control of people entering the country through air, land and sea border gates; pay attention to strictly controlling entry through the southwestern border; temporarily suspend unilateral visa exemption and the validity of visa exemption papers issued to Vietnamese people residing abroad and foreigners who are spouses and children of Vietnamese people in Denmark, Norway, Finland, Sweden, England, France, Germany and Spain.

Compulsory health declaration for all passengers entering Vietnam according to regulations, strictly and effectively manage declared information and early detection to quarantine those coming from or passing through epidemic areas; minimize flights between Vietnam and epidemic areas and vice versa (including those of foreign airlines).

Strictly manage tourism activities to ensure safety; coordinate with relevant ministries to inspect, detect and promptly handle risks of disease transmission from abroad through tourism; temporarily postpone overseas business trips; special cases must be permitted by the Prime Minister; advise people not to travel abroad, especially to epidemic areas.

Prepare for large-scale isolation

The Prime Minister requested strict implementation of quarantine and preparation of large-scale quarantine plans. Implement appropriate quarantine measures for all cases entering from or passing through epidemic areas at quarantine facilities; conduct screening and apply appropriate epidemic prevention and control measures for each type of case at centralized quarantine areas to prevent cross-infection. The Ministry of Health shall preside over and coordinate with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to promptly announce the list of countries and territories with epidemics to apply centralized quarantine measures for people entering Vietnam from epidemic areas.

Take care of health protection, ensure living conditions, and prevent infection for staff, employees, and armed forces working in concentrated quarantine areas; People's Committees of provinces and cities organize zoning, isolation, and immediate disinfection of areas where infected people are detected; strictly control people entering and leaving quarantine areas.

The Ministries of National Defense, Public Security, Health, Culture, Sports and Tourism, Labor - Invalids and Social Affairs, People's Committees of provinces and cities must speed up the preparation of facilities and human resources to carry out quarantine; review and update large-scale quarantine plans and plans; have plans to mobilize hotels, accommodation facilities, etc. to serve as centralized quarantine sites.

Research on prevention methods, treatment regimens, and vaccines for COVID-19

The Ministry of Science and Technology presides over and coordinates with the Ministry of Health to continue to focus on directing research on prevention methods, treatment regimens, and vaccines for COVID-19; and to soon put the test kit into use. The Ministry of Health reviews the assurance of human resources, facilities, and medical supplies ready to respond in case of a widespread outbreak.

Continue to provide timely, complete, public, and transparent information on the epidemic situation in Vietnam, on cases subject to centralized quarantine or medical surveillance, and health monitoring in the community in accordance with regulations; focus on selective reporting to stabilize society.

Strictly handle, including criminal handling, cases of reporting false information, causing public panic, social instability, and acts of hoarding, price hikes, and market instability in accordance with the law. The Ministry of Justice proposes strict and deterrent sanctions; presides over and coordinates with the Ministry of Health to propose handling of violations of health declaration and non-compliance with quarantine.
Strengthening the application of information technology in direction, management and learning

Heads of agencies, organizations and enterprises must proactively and focusedly direct epidemic prevention and control work, considering it a key task; strictly handle organizations and individuals who do not seriously perform their duties and responsibilities in epidemic prevention and control. Limit the organization of meetings, events and activities with large crowds; increase the application of information technology in direction, administration, study, electronic declaration and epidemic control; guide and encourage people to increase the use of online public services.

Party committees and grassroots authorities, especially wards, communes, villages, hamlets, and residential groups, should focus on screening and detecting suspected cases as quickly as possible to take appropriate measures; encourage people to limit participation in crowded activities and increase activities to improve health and physical fitness.

Ministries, branches, localities, corporations and state-owned corporations, according to their assigned functions and tasks, must strictly ensure the supply of goods and necessities to serve people's consumption needs in accordance with the direction of the Prime Minister in Official Dispatch No. 1771/VPCP-KTTH dated March 7, 2020.

Launching a nationwide campaign to raise awareness of health protection

Propose that the Vietnam Fatherland Front and organizations and unions coordinate with authorities at all levels, especially grassroots authorities, in mobilizing people to comply with disease prevention measures; strictly implement quarantine and medical surveillance, promptly detect suspected cases; mobilize the entire population to raise awareness and strengthen self-protection activities.

The Prime Minister requested ministries, branches and localities, along with drastic epidemic prevention and control, to actively deploy epidemic prevention solutions, while focusing on drastic implementation of specific and effective solutions to promptly remove difficulties for production and business, ensuring social security in accordance with Directive No. 11/CT-TTg dated March 4, 2020 of the Prime Minister./.

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