Military conducts large-scale Covid-19 epidemic prevention drill

On the morning of March 4, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam - Head of the National Steering Committee for Prevention and Control of Acute Pneumonia Caused by the New Coronavirus attended and directed the military-wide Covid-19 epidemic prevention and control drill. General Ngo Xuan Lich - Minister of National Defense chaired the drill.

The exercise was connected online from the Ministry of National Defense to all military regions, branches and military commands of provinces and centrally-run cities. At the Nghe An bridge, comrade Le Hong Vinh - Member of the Provincial Party Committee, Permanent Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee attended the conference.

Scene at Nghe An bridge. Photo: Tien Hung

With the theme "Ministry of National Defense organizes prevention and control of acute respiratory infections caused by the new strain of Corona virus (Covid-19)", the exercise took place on a large scale at a number of designated military locations, including mechanism operation exercises and live-fire exercises.

Vice Chairman of Nghe An Provincial People's Committee monitors at the Provincial Military Command bridge. Photo: Tien Hung

The entire army has practiced operating the mechanism and conducting live drills according to 5 training issues corresponding to the epidemic levels. Specifically, training issue 1: Level 1 epidemic, there are cases of Covid-19 entering our country; Training issue 2: Level 2 epidemic, Covid-19 has secondary infections in the country; Training issue 3: Level 3 epidemic, Covid-19 spreads from 20 to 1,000 people; Training issue 4: Level 4 epidemic, Covid-19 spreads in the community with over 1,000 to 3,000 people infected; Training issue 5: Level 5 epidemic, the epidemic spreads in the community with over 3,000 to 30,000 people infected, has spread to a number of military units.

Patient reception area (assumed). Photo: VGP/Dinh Nam

According to the Ministry of National Defense, this exercise aims to unify the sequence of content and methods of prevention and control when there is a Covid-19 epidemic situation at all levels; improve the capacity of command, direction, coordination, cooperation, organization, preparation and practice of epidemic prevention and control. Through the exercise, the capacity of resources will be assessed, continue to research, supplement and complete plans, procedures and processes; and be ready to deal with some non-traditional situations that may occur.

Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam highly appreciated the results of the exercise and affirmed that this was the first time the Ministry of National Defense had participated in the fight against the epidemic nationwide. Moreover, the fight against the Covid-19 epidemic is like fighting an enemy, but Vietnam has just won the first battle, so all Military Regions, Corps, Provincial Military Commands, and units continue to uphold their spirit and be ready to receive and complete the tasks assigned by the Army.