Prime Minister: Take advantage of 'golden hours, golden days, golden weeks' to contain the epidemic as quickly as possible

On July 15, 2021, at the Government headquarters, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh chaired an online meeting with leaders of Ho Chi Minh City and 26 provinces and cities in the Central Highlands, South Central, Mekong Delta and Southeast regions.

After listening to the report of the Minister of Health and the opinions of local leaders, Ministers, representatives of leaders of Ministries, agencies and statements of Deputy Prime Ministers,Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinhconclude as follows:

1. Basically agree on the content of the report of the Ministry of Health and the enthusiastic, responsible and practical comments and contributions at the meeting. The epidemic situation is evolving very complicatedly in Ho Chi Minh City and a number of provinces and cities in the South Central region, the Mekong Delta and the Southeast, in which the new Delta virus strain is spreading rapidly, strongly and unpredictably on a large scale, while facilities and experience are still limited because the fight against the epidemic with a rapid and strong spread on a large scale is unprecedented. In that context, Ho Chi Minh City and localities with the epidemic have made great efforts, especially the Secretaries of the City/Provincial Party Committees, Chairmen of the People's Committees of provinces/cities, leaders at all levels, branches, agencies and units have shown high responsibility, exemplary with the spirit of all for the health and lives of the people; mobilize the entire political system to participate and call on, encourage, and inspire all classes of people and the business community to actively respond, share, and contribute to the work of epidemic prevention and control, while maintaining and promoting production and business development in places with conditions.

Ho Chi Minh City and other localities have implemented many practical and specific measures and achieved certain results; initially controlling the rapid spread of the epidemic and focusing on treating infected cases, minimizing deaths, not allowing people to lack food, clothing, or essential conditions; at the same time maintaining economic growth momentum, ensuring social security, security and order, and promptly and effectively supporting workers and employers in the spirit of Resolution No. 68/NQ-CP of the Government, especially in places implementing Directives No. 15/CT-TTg and No. 16/CT-TTg.

Ministers and heads of central agencies have closely followed the situation, closely coordinated, and promptly exchanged with relevant localities to guide and support requests for medical supplies, equipment, biological products, and human resources for disease prevention and control; ensuring the circulation of essential goods to serve people's lives and production and business. Localities have focused on both epidemic prevention and control and promoted production and business in safe and qualified places, contributing to minimizing disruptions in the supply chain and promoting socio-economic development in the area.

On behalf of the Government, the Prime Minister acknowledged, highly appreciated and commended Ho Chi Minh City, localities, ministries and agencies for focusing on seriously and effectively implementing the viewpoints, policies and directions of the Politburo, the Secretariat, the Government, the Prime Minister, the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control and relevant regulations and instructions of the Ministry of Health, ministries and branches, and for achieving initial results in implementing the "dual goal": both resolutely preventing and fighting the epidemic and recovering and developing the socio-economy, ensuring social security and people's lives.

2. In addition to the achievements, we frankly acknowledge that there are still limitations and shortcomings. Some localities have not closely followed the situation, have not forecasted or anticipated all the difficulties, especially the rapid and strong spread of the new Delta virus variant; in some places, at times, they are still passive, confused, or let things happen unexpectedly. There are also people who are negligent, subjective, lose vigilance, have not strictly followed the regulations and instructions on disease prevention and control; and even violate the regulations. Therefore, the results of COVID-19 prevention and control in some localities are not high, not as expected. In the process of implementing Directive No. 16/CT-TTg, the difficulties and response capacity of localities when implementing social distancing have not been fully anticipated, so there has been a local shortage of equipment, biological products, human resources, medical material resources for disease prevention and control; the circulation of goods is still congested in some places, at times; There is still a local shortage of goods and essential necessities, causing some people to complain and feel indignant. Guidance from ministries and branches in some cases is not timely and consistent, leading to confused and passive implementation at the grassroots level. Communication work and information provision are not complete, timely, and lack in-depth and comprehensive analysis and evaluation, while hostile forces and bad elements take advantage of spreading distorted and untrue news on social networks, leading to some people being confused, wavering and worried.

The Prime Minister requested the Secretaries of Provincial/Municipal Party Committees, Party committees at all levels, Party organizations and requested the Chairmen of People's Committees of provinces/cities, Ministers and Heads of Central agencies to focus on analyzing and evaluating seriously, deeply and comprehensively the results achieved; especially the shortcomings, limitations, weaknesses, inadequacies and especially the subjective causes to promptly overcome them, and at the same time have solutions to implement more drastically, strongly and effectively in the coming time.

3. It is forecasted that in the coming days, the epidemic situation may become more complicated in localities, especially Ho Chi Minh City and the southern provinces; there are still potential outbreaks that have not been fully detected in the community and the number of infections may increase if there are no strong, drastic, timely and effective policies and measures. Production and business activities in industrial parks, enterprises and supply chains may be strongly affected. The daily life of a part of the people in the areas implementing isolation and social distancing in accordance with Directive No. 16/CT-TTg and Directive No. 15/CT-TTg may be affected both physically and mentally. If the implementation of Directive No. 16/CT-TTg and Directive No. 15/CT-TTg is not strict and lacks inspection and supervision, it will lead to subjectivity, negligence, and dependence, causing even more serious consequences; It is necessary to strengthen supervision, inspection, and urging of implementation at all levels, sectors, and localities in a serious, strict, comprehensive, and synchronous manner; at the same time, timely and strict rewards and discipline must be implemented.

Therefore, ministries, branches and localities need to focus on analyzing, evaluating, forecasting and clearly identifying emerging issues to better prepare and take stronger, more drastic and effective measures to contain, prevent and repel the epidemic. We need to take advantage of the "golden hour, golden day, golden week" to strictly implement regulations and tasks more effectively and as quickly as possible to isolate, quarantine, suppress the epidemic and actively treat, bringing a peaceful life to the people.

4. Main goals in the coming time:

- With practical, effective and determined actions to prevent, contain and repel the epidemic in localities, first of all in Ho Chi Minh City, the provinces of the Mekong Delta and the Southeast.

- Protecting and taking care of people's health and lives is above all; focusing on treating sick cases, minimizing deaths; not letting any people go hungry, lack clothes, or lack necessary necessities.

- Maintain security and order, ensure social security in any circumstances. Control borders and quarantine and blockade areas more closely and effectively.

- Quickly stabilize the situation so that people can return to normal life and ensure the maintenance and development of production and business.

- Ensure epidemic safety for factories, enterprises, industrial parks, domestic, regional and global production supply chains, not allowing negative impacts to arise, greatly affecting the recovery and development process of the economy after the epidemic is controlled.

The Prime Minister requested localities and relevant ministries and agencies to closely follow the above key goals and, based on specific situations, functions, tasks and powers, to concretize and organize effective implementation in the coming time.

5. Guiding viewpoint:

- Consistently implementing the spirit of "fighting the epidemic like fighting the enemy"; being more proactive, effective, strong, and determined in shifting the state from "defense to attack"; in which disease prevention is still considered a fundamental, long-term, and decisive strategy; proactively testing, quickly isolating, isolating, and blocking off, minimizing the spread; resolutely and effectively attacking and suppressing the epidemic at outbreak areas. Mobilizing the strength of national solidarity, the participation of the entire political system, the business community, and the entire population to join hands in preventing and fighting the COVID-19 epidemic, seriously, strictly, and effectively implementing the regulations, rules, and procedures issued and guided by competent authorities when implementing Directive No. 16/CT-TTg and Directive No. 15/CT-TTg.

- Maximize the spirit of self-reliance, self-strengthening, proactiveness and creativity of all levels, sectors, agencies, units, factories, enterprises and industrial parks with the motto: Each commune, ward, factory, enterprise, agency, unit and enterprise is an "anti-epidemic fortress"; each citizen is a shock soldier on the anti-epidemic front.

- Testing must be more proactive, quickly localize, contain, and effectively suppress epidemics in high-risk areas, epidemic areas, especially those where the epidemic is complicated. Implement vaccination campaigns in a timely, safe, effective, and scientific manner for priority subjects according to regulations, without causing inconvenience to people, traffic jams, or community infections.

- Relevant ministries and agencies must closely coordinate with localities, accompany the business community and people, mobilize the strength of the entire political system and the entire population; increase the application of information technology tools widely and effectively in the spirit of all for the health and benefit of the people; take advantage of this opportunity to promote digital transformation, promote the development of the digital economy and digital society.

- For Ho Chi Minh City and provinces with complicated epidemic developments, the top priority at this time is to focus on effective epidemic prevention; resolutely fight against subjectivity, negligence, lack of vigilance, dependence, and waiting. Closely follow the situation and base on the developments of the epidemic to promptly and quickly decide to strictly and tightly apply Directive No. 16/CT-TTg. At the same time, take advantage of opportunities if conditions are sufficient to promote production and business, but must ensure safety with the spirit that only places with sufficient safety conditions can organize production and business, not to disrupt global and national supply chains.

- In the new situation, there must be a new approach, closely following the developments of the epidemic situation, based on specific conditions, functions, tasks and powers to make appropriate decisions, tasks and solutions that are easy to understand, easy to do, easy to monitor and inspect, and effective; maximize the proactive and creative spirit of leaders at all levels and initiatives and proposals of people and businesses. In times of difficulty and challenge, it is even more necessary to respect and protect the legitimate and legal interests of the people; propagate and mobilize participation in epidemic prevention and control as the responsibility, obligation and right of every citizen; focus on improving the effectiveness of serving the people; create strong trust for the people and call on people to accompany, share, actively participate and agree to fight the COVID-19 epidemic.

- Party committees and authorities at all levels and in all sectors must be the important support and most reliable address of the People; need to turn difficulties and challenges into motivation to strive, mature, and serve the People better; at the same time, call on and inspire the People to support and participate in strictly implementing regulations on epidemic prevention and control and promoting production and business as soon as conditions permit.

- Maximize effective measures, good experiences, and good practices; at the same time, urgently replicate advanced models in epidemic prevention, control, and socio-economic recovery and development of agencies, units, and localities.

6. Key tasks and solutions in the coming time:

(1) Leadership and direction must be focused, unified, and thorough; the messages must be clear and consistent. Provinces in the Eastern and Southwestern regions must prepare mentally and physically to be ready to apply strong measures in Directive No. 16/CT-TTg. Steering Committees for COVID-19 prevention and control at all levels must be strengthened in authority and responsibility, ensuring effectiveness and efficiency in direction and operation to be able to decide on issues and meet urgent requirements of a breakthrough, sudden, and unexpected nature. Localities must hold daily meetings led by the head of the Steering Committee to grasp the situation, forecast, and draw experience in leadership, direction, and operation of epidemic prevention; and promptly and strictly commend, reward, and discipline.

(2) Party committees and authorities at all levels must closely follow, grasp, and accurately forecast the situation in order to direct and take appropriate measures. Heads of ministries, agencies, and localities need to carefully consider and clearly determine when to decide to apply what measures, where, and have a specific roadmap for implementation; once a decision has been made, it is necessary to direct and lead strict implementation, closely monitor and supervise, and not be lax. The more difficult, complicated, and sensitive the conditions, the more it is necessary to adhere to principles, promote democracy, mobilize collective intelligence, be receptive, humble, and listen to make decisions that are appropriate to the situation, in line with the people's wishes, and are feasible and effective. Promote the spirit of initiative, flexibility, and creativity, supplement measures that are appropriate to reality, and ensure effectiveness, including measures that are higher than those prescribed by superiors and relevant professional agencies.

(3) Localities with many sources of infection must focus on zoning, rapid testing, early isolation, narrowing the scope of the epidemic, and suppressing the epidemic as quickly as possible; places without an epidemic must be determined to maintain and protect it at all costs, and stabilize the situation soon; safe and qualified places must take advantage of the opportunity, focusing on promoting production and business in the spirit of "3 on-site isolation, accommodation, and production". For localities with few infections, zoning must be done, not allowing the spread to spread, and suppressing the epidemic thoroughly; taking advantage of opportunities to promote production and business.

(4) Localities implementing Directive No. 16/CT-TTg shall promptly establish relief centers, volunteer groups, and hotlines to provide support anytime, anywhere, to everyone, when people need it during the period of social distancing.

(5) Ministries, branches and localities need to coordinate more closely and effectively to promptly resolve arising difficulties and problems; the Prime Minister has assigned specific tasks to ministers in many other documents, requesting that comrades organize effective implementation and further strengthen supervision and inspection work at all levels, especially at the grassroots level, and absolutely not allow local shortages as recently; in which it is noted that:

- The Minister of Health responds to requests related to ensuring biological products, supplies, equipment, medical staff, doctors, and nurses to fight the epidemic, especially in Ho Chi Minh City.

- The Minister of Transport ensures smooth traffic and prevents congestion in freight transport.

- The Minister of Industry and Trade ensures the supply and distribution of goods and necessities to serve people's lives when implementing Directive No. 16/CT-TTg and promotes production and business in places with sufficient conditions.

- The Minister of Information and Communications ensures the effective use of information technology tools to serve epidemic prevention and control and provide complete and timely information to the people.

- The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development has a plan to increase production of goods and supply food for people practicing social distancing.

- The Minister of Finance shall remove obstacles in mechanisms, policies, and financial resources for epidemic prevention and control and remove difficulties and obstacles for production and business in accordance with his authority.

- The Minister of Planning and Investment resolved issues related to bidding and auction procedures for medical equipment, supplies, and biological products serving epidemic prevention and control.

- Require Ministers and Heads of agencies to study and evaluate specific situations; if necessary, a "forward" command unit can be established in Ho Chi Minh City. Absolutely cannot have inconsistent, uncoordinated direction and management, and delays in organization and implementation.

(6) The Minister of Public Security and the Minister of National Defense shall increase forces to maximally support the requests of localities, and at the same time coordinate with localities and relevant agencies to focus on performing well the tasks of ensuring security, order and social safety; preventing, detecting, combating and handling false and provocative information in the context of the epidemic.

(7) The Minister of National Defense shall increase medical forces and equipment and build field hospitals for localities when required, including transportation needs.

(8) The Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs monitors, urges, adjusts and supplements the implementation of Resolution No. 68/NQ-CP on effective support for employees and employers.

(9) Requests to localities:

- Based on the direction of the National Steering Committee and the guidance of the Ministry of Health on professional aspects in isolating and zoning to contain the epidemic for F0 and F1 in examining and treating patients, strictly implement. For any unclear issues, specific opinions and instructions must be sought.

- Pursuant to the provisions of Article 22 of the Law on Bidding to purchase biological products and equipment for epidemic prevention and control. Local leaders are required to flexibly and creatively apply their authority, put the goal of caring for and protecting people's lives and health first and foremost; make decisions with high responsibility, exemplary spirit, dare to think, dare to do, dare to take responsibility for the common good.

- Be more proactive in preparing human resources, organizing training, improving management, professional and technical qualifications to meet the requirements of epidemic prevention close to the actual situation.

- Proactively prepare scenarios and the best options for the situation to worsen and become more serious, not to be passive, confused, or surprised; cut unnecessary spending to focus on epidemic prevention and control, purchasing equipment, supporting frontline anti-epidemic forces, and focusing on purchasing vaccines.

- Promote the initial results in supporting workers, people and those in difficulty in the spirit of Resolution 68/NQ-CP, continue to supplement groups of subjects in need of support in accordance with the practical situation. Request the People's Committees of provinces and cities to report daily on the implementation results and make recommendations and proposals if necessary, send them to the Ministry of Labor - Invalids and Social Affairs for synthesis, handling according to authority or report to the Prime Minister for issues beyond authority.

(10) During the implementation of Directive No. 16/CT-TTg, localities closely coordinate with the Ministry of Information and Communications, press agencies and relevant agencies to focus on doing a good job of propaganda and mobilization, have appropriate forms and measures to take care of people's lives and spirits, and reduce difficulties and frustrations. Information about the epidemic must be quick, timely, accurate, with analysis and evaluation so that people can understand correctly, trust and actively participate in epidemic prevention and control work in the spirit of "using beauty to eliminate ugliness, using positivity to repel negativity".

(11) The Ministry of Health continues to review, promptly allocate appropriately and continue to prioritize the allocation of COVID-19 vaccine sources to Ho Chi Minh City and the provinces with complicated epidemic developments in the South, research and supplement priority subjects in areas with high risk of epidemics, focusing on supply chains, workers in industrial parks, seaports, logistics...; protect the safety of these facilities from a distance, early, from the grassroots; continue to direct and guide localities to seriously and effectively implement the message "5K + vaccine".

In the context of the pandemic forecast to continue to develop in a complicated and unpredictable manner, the Prime Minister requested ministries, branches and localities to base on the specific situation to propose solutions to apply Directive No. 16/CT-TTg or Directive No. 15/CT-TTg more strongly, more drastically with higher determination, greater efforts, more drastic and effective actions, focusing on key points in epidemic prevention and control; focus on achieving the goal of quickly and promptly containing, preventing and repelling the epidemic, bringing a peaceful life to the people; strive to successfully implement the "dual goal" and the socio-economic development goals and tasks set out when the situation returns to normal. Request provinces and cities across the country to share with Ho Chi Minh City and provinces with complicated epidemic developments to welcome people who need to return from the city and provinces with epidemics, ensuring testing and quarantine according to regulations.

(12) Assign the Government Office to monitor, urge implementation, and propose solutions to difficulties for localities according to its authority.