Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh directed a series of strong measures to fight the epidemic more effectively.

The Government Office has just issued Notice 121/TB-VPCP dated May 25, 2021 Conclusion ofPrime MinisterPham Minh Chinh at the Government Standing Committee meeting on Covid-19 prevention and control.

Full text of the Prime Minister's Conclusion Notice is as follows:

On the afternoon of May 24, 2021, at the Government Headquarters, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh chaired a meeting of the Government Standing Committee on epidemic prevention and control.Covid-19. Attending the meeting were Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh, Deputy Prime Ministers: Pham Binh Minh, Le Minh Khai, Vu Duc Dam, Le Van Thanh; Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long; Minister, Head of the Government Office Tran Van Son; Deputy Minister of National Defense Vu Hai San; representatives of the leaders of the ministries: Health, Public Security, Foreign Affairs, Transport, Industry and Trade, Finance.

After listening to the report of the Ministry of Health on the situation of Covid-19 prevention and control, the opinions of Deputy Prime Ministers, leaders of ministries and branches, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh gave instructions:

1. In the past week, the new strain of SARS-CoV2 virus has caused the epidemic to break out strongly, rapidly, and widely, making it more difficult to control, especially penetrating deep into some industrial zones in Bac Giang and Bac Ninh. Ministries, branches, and localities have drastically and synchronously implemented epidemic prevention and control measures according to the direction of the Government, the Prime Minister, the National Steering Committee, the Ministry of Health, and all levels and branches with high determination to repel the epidemic, while at the same time developing the socio-economy, ensuring national defense and security, and social security. Up to now, the whole country has basically controlled the epidemic; but the risk of an outbreak nationwide is forecast to be very high; therefore, we must not be subjective, negligent, or lose our vigilance; at the same time, we must be more determined, make greater efforts, and act decisively and urgently, with the spirit of "fighting the epidemic like fighting the enemy", in the new situation, we must be faster and more effective; On the contrary, do not panic, be confused, afraid, lose your composure, lack perseverance, lack courage, leading to incorrect decisions, not suitable to the actual situation, which can easily cause consequences; put the goal of caring for and protecting the health and lives of the people above all to lead, direct, operate and organize the implementation of the dual goal.

The effective prevention and control of the epidemic has contributed to the successful and safe organization of the election of deputies to the 15th National Assembly and People's Councils at all levels for the 2021-2026 term, even in localities with epidemics.

The Prime Minister commended the National Steering Committee, the Ministries of Health, National Defense, Public Security, Foreign Affairs, Transport, Finance, especially the frontline forces such as health, army, and police for their efforts and efforts to effectively implement the work of preventing and fighting the epidemic, contributing to the success of the election; especially commending the leaders of the provinces and localities with the epidemic for focusing on leadership and direction, demonstrating a very high sense of responsibility, implementing effective and correct decentralization, and applying appropriate basic measures to prevent and fight the epidemic. Up to now, 6 out of 30 provinces with the epidemic have not recorded any new cases in the community after 14 days.

2. However, recent epidemic prevention and control practices show that there are still some difficulties, limitations, and shortcomings that need to be overcome immediately:

a) There are signs of confusion and passivity in disease prevention and control in industrial parks.

b) The implementation and preparation of epidemic prevention capacity according to the 4-on-the-spot principle in some localities are still inadequate; there is still a shortage of some necessary equipment in some specific situations.

c) The work of managing quarantine and monitoring health after quarantine is still loose and not strict.

d) Some regulations and guidelines are still inadequate, not keeping up with and not suitable for the practice of epidemic prevention and control, especially there are no specific solutions suitable for the requirement of "fighting the epidemic like fighting the enemy".

d) Some ministries, branches and localities still show signs of subjectivity, negligence, loss of vigilance, confusion, passivity, lack of initiative, and have not promoted the spirit of flexibility, creativity and alertness in implementing tasks and solutions to actively and effectively prevent and control the epidemic.

3. It is forecasted that in the coming days, the epidemic will continue to have complicated, unpredictable and difficult-to-control developments, especially in industrial parks, affecting many socio-economic activities, especially in the country's major economic centers. This situation requires all levels and sectors to continue to focus on preventing and fighting the epidemic more actively and effectively; to promote the achievements that have been achieved, draw lessons, and make adjustments to quickly adapt to new developments of the epidemic with appropriate and effective tasks and solutions; to be extremely calm, clear-headed, courageous, flexible and creative in handling andSee difficulties and challenges as motivation to rise up, to overcome and to mature; focusing on performing well the following tasks:

a) The Ministries of Health, National Defense, Public Security, Foreign Affairs, Finance, Planning and Investment, Labor - Invalids and Social Affairs, and Industry and Trade urgently review and summarize the work of epidemic prevention and control in the past time, draw experience from practice, promptly perfect institutions, mechanisms, policies, and necessary instructions to effectively implement epidemic prevention and control work, best protect the health of people and the community, determined to both successfully fight the epidemic and comprehensively develop the economy and society; in which, pay attention to implementing decentralization, concretization, and individualization of the responsibilities of each organization and individual in leadership, direction, and operation more effectively and strengthen inspection, supervision, and evaluation of the organization of implementation of tasks and solutions for epidemic prevention and control and socio-economic development within the scope of management.

b) The Government's consistent policy is to urgently implement appropriate solutions to have enough vaccines as soon as possible to vaccinate people on a large scale. From the Government to ministries, branches, localities, especially leaders, all must strongly, drastically, more quickly, and more effectively implement the Covid-19 vaccine strategy, including:

- The Ministry of Health shall preside over and take full responsibility for the purchase of vaccines to prevent the epidemic. The Ministry needs to further accelerate the approach and negotiate to quickly purchase vaccines from various sources, ensuring that vaccines are available as soon as possible, in as many quantities as possible; have a roadmap and plan for each month and quarter remaining in 2021 and the following period that is very specific and detailed in each stage and step (delivery, transportation, preservation... including financial factors and costs for the entire process), in the spirit of being faster, making more efforts, acting more decisively and effectively.

- Have policies and incentive mechanisms to mobilize science and technology forces, businesses, and investors to research and produce vaccines domestically; proactively and actively seek and receive technology transfer to produce vaccines domestically.

- Have a systematic, scientific and effective vaccination plan and schedule, prioritizing vaccination for frontline forces in epidemic prevention and control, workers and laborers in industrial zones; absolutely do not waste available vaccine resources. Review to adjust and supplement the list of priority subjects for vaccination to suit actual requirements, paying attention to large production facilities and service areas with many workers and laborers.

- The Ministry of Health urgently coordinates with the Ministry of Finance to quickly establish a Covid-19 Vaccine Fund to call for contributions from agencies, units, localities, businesses, philanthropists and people in the spirit of mobilizing the strength of the entire people and being open, transparent and objective in managing and using the Fund.

c) The new situation, new conditions, and new requirements for epidemic prevention and control require continuing to review, revise, supplement, and perfect processes, procedures, and instructions on epidemic prevention and control, especially regulations to strengthen stricter management of entry, quarantine, health declaration, and epidemic prevention and control safety in industrial parks and factories with a large number of workers... If necessary, a number of suitable and effective models can be piloted for replication when conditions are met.

d) The Ministry of Industry and Trade shall preside over and coordinate with the Ministries of Transport, Health, and relevant ministries and localities to urgently complete the process of transporting, circulating, and consuming goods, production materials, and agricultural products between epidemic areas and other localities to ensure safety in epidemic prevention and control and not cause stagnation or blockage of production and business activities.

d) The Ministries of Public Security, National Defense, Foreign Affairs and local authorities continue to strengthen inspection, supervision and strict control of immigration activities, prevent and strictly handle cases of illegal entry and illegal residence.

The Prime Minister and the National Steering Committee have issued many instructions on the management and organization of overseas Vietnamese returning home, foreign experts, investors, and high-skilled workers entering the country. The National Steering Committee is assigned to preside over and work with relevant agencies to properly exercise its authority, safely and effectively, meeting the requirements of epidemic prevention and control and the legitimate needs and aspirations of the people and businesses. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is assigned to urgently report to the Prime Minister to decentralize decisions and closely monitor and inspect, in accordance with the law, the entry of experts, investors, high-skilled workers, and their relatives to work in Vietnam.

e) Assign the Ministry of Finance to immediately guide the saving of regular and immediate expenditures in the 2021-2022 fiscal year to have additional resources for epidemic prevention and control activities, vaccine purchase and other urgent requirements.

g) Assign the Ministry of Home Affairs to preside over and promptly provide guidance on streamlining processes, simplifying procedures, and records of rewards and disciplines in the context of epidemic prevention and control to ensure timeliness, transparency, and the right person for the right job.

In the immediate future, the National Steering Committee will review and propose to the Prime Minister and competent authorities to reward organizations and individuals with achievements in epidemic prevention and control.

h) The Ministry of Information and Communications and press agencies continue to provide timely, accurate and effective information and propaganda on disease prevention and control, paying attention to avoid passive and one-way reporting, and must have objective and honest analysis, comparison and assessment, so that people can understand and know about the disease situation, measures and responsibilities for disease prevention and control; inspire people to trust, support and actively cooperate, and voluntarily implement disease prevention and control measures; the general spirit of communication is to "help people understand, know, discuss, do, inspect, monitor and enjoy the results".

4. Assign the National Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control to focus on directing, drastically, urging, and inspecting epidemic prevention and control work at ministries, branches, and localities; promptly encourage and reward organizations and individuals with achievements; remind, criticize, and propose disciplinary action against organizations and individuals who are negligent, do not perform well, or violate epidemic prevention and control regulations.

The National Steering Committee advises the Prime Minister to issue strong and effective directives on epidemic prevention and control, ensuring production and business, and achieving socio-economic development goals.

5. Ministries, branches and localities, according to their assigned functions, tasks and authority, based on the situation and developments of the epidemic, shall promote proactiveness, dynamism, creativity, determination and decisiveness to decide on the application of appropriate and effective epidemic prevention and control measures in the spirit of "fighting the epidemic like fighting the enemy" with greater determination, greater efforts and greater determination, meeting the requirements of epidemic prevention and control and socio-economic development; when deemed necessary, promptly implement isolation, blockade and epidemic suppression measures according to Directives No. 15/CT-TTg and No. 16/CT-TTg of the Prime Minister./.