Warning of the risk of widespread epidemic during Tet

Dr. Nguyen Huu Le - Deputy Director of Nghe An Department of Health talked with Nghe An Newspaper about epidemic prevention and control work in the coming time.

Mr. Nguyen Huu Le - Deputy Director of Nghe An Department of Health. Photo: DT

PV:At this time, the number of COVID-19 cases in Nghe An is high, and the number of people returning to their hometowns from other provinces and cities to celebrate Tet has increased. The epidemic is coming to the province from all directions. Can you identify more specifically the risk of the epidemic at this time?

Dr. Nguyen Huu Le:This Lunar New Year 2022, the number of people from provinces and cities across the country returning to their hometowns to celebrate Tet in the area, especially people returning from epidemic areas (not level 4 areas - red areas) is increasing. Implementing the current adaptive and flexible policy of the Government, Nghe An does not apply regulations on controlling people's movement, limiting testing as well as quarantine for people returning from localities across the country... Besides the convenience for people, the risk of disease outbreaks in the community is also increasing.

The risk of an epidemic also comes from events that gather crowds. At the end of the old year and the beginning of the new year, the province often has events that gather crowds such as: festivals, year-end parties, weddings, shopping... There have been cases of infection in the community detected after participating in these events. In addition, in the recent past, students in the area have returned to school in person, from which cases of infection have also been recorded in schools and have spread to the community. In addition, companies and businesses have many potential risks, with the characteristics of workers scattered throughout the localities, some production facilities have not thoroughly implemented epidemic prevention and control work... leading to a very high potential risk of an outbreak.

Health check for Covid-19 patients at district treatment facilities during Tet. Photo: Thanh Chung

PV:To ensure epidemic prevention and protect people's health, what regulations does Nghe An have on epidemic prevention for people returning home for Tet? What do people need to prepare when returning home?

Dr. Nguyen Huu Le:Implementing Resolution No. 128/NQ-CP dated October 11, 2021 of the Government and Decision No. 4800/QD-BYT dated October 12, 2021 of the Ministry of Health; Nghe An province has issued Plan No. 598/KH-UBND dated October 21, 2021; Decision No. 3869/QD-UBND dated October 21, 2021 of the Provincial People's Committee on temporary regulations on a number of measures to prevent and control the COVID-19 epidemic to "Safely and flexibly adapt and effectively control the COVID-19 epidemic" for each epidemic level in Nghe An province and the directions of the Government, Nghe An province absolutely does not set out regulations on epidemic prevention and control contrary to the instructions and regulations of the Ministry of Health and the Government, causing unnecessary difficulties for people, especially during the occasion of returning home to celebrate the Lunar New Year of Nham Dan.

For people returning to their hometowns for Tet, the Nghe An Province COVID-19 Prevention and Control Command Center has issued Official Dispatch No. 6433/TTCH-SYT on Guidance on some measures to prevent and control the COVID-19 epidemic. Accordingly, Nghe An Province recommends that people strictly follow the medical declaration (especially those returning from areas with epidemic levels 3 and 4 and those entering the country), strictly follow the "5K" recommendations and regulations on disease prevention and control, especially when traveling to their hometowns, living during Tet and returning to work after Tet.

Encourage people to do so.Sars-CoV-2 testbefore returning to their locality to ensure safety for themselves, their families and the community. Particularly for people returning from level 4 epidemic areas to their locality, it is mandatory to have a SARS-CoV-2 test and comply with regulations for each group of subjects according to the instructions in Official Dispatch No. 6433/TTCH-SYT... People need to think about the health of their relatives and the community to properly implement regulations and recommendations for preventing and fighting this epidemic.

Citizens returning from Laos get rapid Covid-19 test. Photo: Thanh Chung

PV:How has the Nghe An Health Sector developed plans, arranged human resources and materials; and implemented plans to ensure good implementation of COVID-19 prevention and control work during this Lunar New Year?

Dr. Nguyen Huu Le:Nghe An Department of Health has directed medical units and sectors within the scope of their functions, tasks and powers to promote the responsibility of leaders, focus on leadership, direction and organization of strict and effective implementation of disease prevention and control work and ensure medical work during the 2022 Lunar New Year.

Units proactively develop and implement plans to ensure medical work during the 2022 Lunar New Year; focus the highest efforts on COVID-19 prevention and control; monitor and closely follow the epidemic situation, especially for new strains.Omicron.

Taking Covid-19 test samples from people. Photo: Thanh Chung

Units in the sector advise authorities at all levels on organizing the management of high-risk groups in the area; organizing the review, statistics, and management of people in high-risk groups to have plans to ensure safety in disease prevention and control; mobilizing forces to support the organization of mass vaccination against COVID-19; ensuring strict implementation of isolation at places of residence and at centralized isolation areas in the area in accordance with regulations of the Ministry of Health.

The industry also focuses on coordinating with relevant units to organize communication and disseminate knowledge to units and people in the area about disease prevention and control in the winter - spring; raise people's awareness about getting enough vaccines, testing, isolation, treatment, especially strictly implementing "5K" in COVID-19 prevention and control;

To prevent and combat epidemics in general and COVID-19 in particular, the health sector has prepared and stocked up on supplies, chemicals, and equipment to ensure meeting the needs of epidemic prevention when an epidemic occurs in the area.

Passengers arriving at Vinh airport have increased dramatically in recent days due to the need to return home for Tet. Photo courtesy of Tien Dong

Medical examination and treatment units have also been improving the efficiency of triage, reception, and referral between treatment levels; promoting professional support from upper-level units to lower-level units; strengthening the capacity for emergency transportation and referral of patients from the community, lower-level hospitals to higher-level hospitals and between hospitals in the area.

For localities implementing the work of monitoring and caring for COVID-19 patients at home or at their place of residence, the health sector recommends strengthening supervision, regularly contacting and encouraging patients to feel secure in maintaining monitoring and treatment; strictly implementing the work of handling infectious waste according to regulations; providing hotline numbers for patients, ensuring timely medical support for patients.

People in Quy Chau district returning home for Tet must make health declarations. Photo: Thanh Chung

PV:Over the past 2 years, the pressure of the epidemic on the anti-epidemic forces has been enormous, especially medical staff. This Tet, this force continues to work hard to fight the epidemic. What attention and encouragement has Nghe An in general and the health sector in particular given, is giving and will give to them?

Dr. Nguyen Huu Le: The health sector has paid attention to and organized well the visits and encouragement for medical staff working at the unit during the Lunar New Year. In the days before Tet, leaders of the Nghe An health sector organized many delegations to visit, give gifts, and encourage medical units, mobile medical stations in mountainous districts that are quarantining and treating COVID-19 patients, and frontline forces against the epidemic...

In addition, the sector has proposed that the People's Committee of Nghe An province have policies and regimes to encourage medical staff, especially doctors, nurses, those participating in long-term epidemic prevention and control work, working in COVID-19 treatment areas... to develop a plan to organize good care, visit, and wish Tet to inpatients, especially those in difficult circumstances, the poor, and those under the policy. Nghe An Health Sector hopes that medical staff in the province will continue to uphold their sense of responsibility and service awareness, and fulfill their duties of caring for and protecting people's health.

PV: Thank you!

THINGS CITIZENS NEED TO KNOW WHEN RETURN TO THE HOMETOWN FOR TET HOLIDAY TO ARRANGE TIME SUITABLY

I. LEVEL 4 EPIDEMIC AREA:

1. People who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 (green card on the Electronic Health Book or Certificate of full vaccination issued by a competent authority), the last dose was injected at least 14 days ago and not more than 06 months ago or have recovered from COVID-19 within 06 months from the time of being identified as F0 subjects (with hospital discharge certificate/certificate of recovery from COVID-19):

- Self-monitor your health at home or place of residence for 7 days from the date of return to your locality.

- Perform rapid antigen testing on the first and seventh days from the date of return to the locality.

2. People who have not received enough doses of COVID-19 vaccine:

- Isolate at home or place of residence for at least 07 days from the date of return to the locality; continue to self-monitor health for 07 days.

- Perform rapid antigen test on day 1 and day 7 from the date of return to the locality.

3. People who have not been vaccinated against COVID-19:

- Isolate at home for 14 days from the date of quarantine, continue to self-monitor your health for 14 days.

- SARS-COV-2 test 3 times: Perform rapid antigen test on day 1, day 7 and day 14.

II. LEVEL 3 EPIDEMIC AREA:

1. People who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 (green card on the Electronic Health Book or Certificate of full vaccination issued by a competent authority), the last dose was injected at least 14 days ago and no more than 06 months ago or have recovered from COVID-19 within 06 months from the time of being identified as F1 subjects (with hospital discharge certificate/certificate of recovery from COVID-19):

- Self-monitor your health for 07 days.

- Immediately notify local health authorities if symptoms of fever, cough, sore throat, difficulty breathing, decreased or loss of taste or smell appear.

2. People who have not received enough doses or have not been vaccinated against COVID-19:

- Self-monitor your health at home or at your place of residence for 7 days from the date of arrival/return to your locality. Implement the "5K" Message.

- Perform a rapid antigen test on day 7. Immediately notify local health authorities if symptoms of fever, cough, sore throat, difficulty breathing, decreased or loss of taste or smell appear.

III. LEVEL 1,2 EPIDEMIC AREA:

1. Make mandatory health declaration.

2. Implement the 5K message

3. Self-monitor your health for 7 days upon returning to your locality.

4. Encourage people to self-screen strictly when returning to their locality.

Thanh Chung (performed)