Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh: Testing speed must be faster than infection rate

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh - Head of the National Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control chaired the meeting.

Speaking at the opening session of the National Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control (Steering Committee) held on the morning of September 11, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh emphasized that after 1 week of implementing the Steering Committee's direction, it is necessary to evaluate the results of the implementation of measures in the past week, what has been done and what has not been done, from there analyze the causes, especially subjective causes to supplement and improve, in which it is necessary to further evaluate the supervision and inspection work, especially of the Steering Committees at all levels, to have more effective measures and solutions to prevent and control the epidemic.

In addition, it is necessary to evaluate propaganda and mobilization work in a profound and comprehensive manner so that what is done well is promoted and what is limited and inadequate is overcome, especially paying attention to people's material and spiritual life; calling on and mobilizing people to seriously comply with regulations so that epidemic prevention and control work is more effective.

According to the Steering Committee's report, the rate of new Covid-19 infections in the community this week has decreased compared to the previous week in some localities with high infection rates: Da Nang, Binh Duong, Long An; The average number of deaths per day nationwide has decreased by 30%, including Ho Chi Minh City (30%), Dong Nai (50%).

Deputy Prime Ministers and members of the Steering Committee attended the meeting at the Government bridge. Photo: Duong Giang/VNA

Among the 23 provinces and cities that are implementing social distancing and strengthening social distancing, 8 localities are controlling the epidemic well; 12 localities are continuing to achieve the epidemic control criteria; notably, 3 localities need to continue to make efforts and drastically implement epidemic prevention and control solutions to be able to implement the epidemic control criteria: Ho Chi Minh City, Binh Duong, Kien Giang.

The number of vaccines that have agreements, contracts and funding commitments totals nearly 160 million doses. Currently, the number of vaccines received is more than 34 million doses, of which more than 27 million doses have been injected. It is expected that from now until the end of 2021, there will be approximately more than 103 million doses of vaccines arriving in Vietnam.

In addition, the Steering Committee pointed out the limitations and shortcomings in the work of preventing and fighting the Covid-19 epidemic in the past time. Some communes, wards and towns have not thoroughly grasped the viewpoints and guiding ideas, especially the implementation of epidemic prevention and control measures. There is an incorrect perception that communes, wards and towns are fortresses and people are soldiers; there is an incorrect understanding of the implementation contents at communes and wards; there is a lack of inspection and supervision of implementation at the grassroots level.

The implementation of social distancing in some places is not strict and thorough, especially recently. The implementation of social security is still slow compared to requirements; the supply of goods is still confusing or changing; Some localities are hasty in reopening, without a specific plan, but have implemented social distancing relaxation; The speed of testing in some localities is slower than the speed of spread and does not meet the requirements of epidemic prevention and control; Some preparation measures are not thorough, change quickly, are inconsistent, have not assessed the impact and have not prepared the media, causing frustration in society, especially regulations on people's movement and circulation of goods, creating local congestion that is slow to be resolved; Technological solutions have not been thoroughly and consistently used, causing inconvenience to people.

At the meeting, localities reported on the epidemic situation in their localities, especially in Kien Giang province, which is at risk of turning "red" from a "green" province. According to the leader of Kien Giang province, the rate in the community includes calculation methods, in which the calculation method of the Ministry of Health shows that the community has increased in the localities, specifically 62%.

The Prime Minister is very concerned about the complicated development of the epidemic here because the infection rate is very large and exponential, showing that the testing rate is slower than the infection rate, this is the very basic reason why widespread testing is not carried out. In the "red" and "orange" zones, we must focus on rapid testing, the testing rate must be faster than the infection rate.

"It's 62% now, and it will spread further in the next 10 days. This is because you guys have not fully implemented the measures to prevent and control the epidemic according to the instructions. The recent instructions are very specific, and must be carefully studied to implement them well. From a "green" province to a "red" province like that, when will we be able to screen all the community like that?" - the Prime Minister emphasized.

Through discussions with localities, the Prime Minister requested that it is necessary to carefully study the instructions of the Prime Minister and the National Steering Committee on Covid-19 Prevention and Control and urgently implement them, without being negligent or losing vigilance./.