Prime Minister requests to temporarily suspend festivals to respond to Corona epidemic
(Baonghean.vn) - The Prime Minister has just directed to temporarily suspend festivals that have not opened yet, in special cases, the Prime Minister's opinion must be obtained; reduce the scale of festivals that have been organized; require people to wear masks in public places and limit spring travel and participation in festivals.
On the evening of January 31, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc continued to sign and issue a directive on strengthening preventive measures against new complicated developments of the acute respiratory disease caused by the new strain of Corona virus.
The directive clearly states: The acute respiratory disease caused by the new strain of Corona virus (nCoV) is spreading very quickly, seriously and at a very high level in China. The World Health Organization has declared a global health emergency. Vietnam is at very high risk of a major outbreak due to its long border with China, large traffic of people, trade, tourists, Vietnamese workers working in China and many Chinese workers working in Vietnam.
Ministries, departments, branches and localities have been proactive and have taken many strong and drastic measures to prevent and fight the epidemic. The Ministry of Health has established 25 rapid response teams, the Ministry of National Defense has established 20 teams and has connected 21 hospitals online with the Ministry of Health to unify direction and coordinate in professional matters to promptly respond to the epidemic's developments; the Ministry of National Defense has directed 4 central military hospitals to be ready to support and participate in disease prevention and control. In particular, the Government has given strong direction and is controlling the situation well.
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| Body temperature check at Nam Can Border Gate. Photo courtesy |
Faced with the increasingly complicated and worsening developments of the epidemic, the Prime Minister directed ministries, branches, local People's Committees, organizations and individuals to strictly and resolutely implement the Prime Minister's instructions in Official Dispatch No. 121/CD-TTg dated January 23, 2020, Directive No. 05/CT-TTg dated January 28, 2020 and the direction of the Central Party Secretariat in Official Dispatch No. 79-CV/TW dated January 30, 2020.
We must consider disease prevention and control as "fighting the enemy", resolutely prevent the acute respiratory infection caused by the new strain of Corona virus, even if we have to accept economic losses; ensure the safety of people's lives and health, minimize deaths; must be proactive, calm, handle the situation more resolutely and have specific plans and strategies to best control this epidemic according to the 4 on-site motto, not letting it spread.
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| Nghe An provincial leaders inspect epidemic response work at Nghe An General Friendship Hospital. Photo: Tien Hung |
Temporarily suspend the issuance of flight permits for all flights from epidemic areas of China to Vietnam and vice versa, except in special cases with the consent of the Prime Minister. Temporarily suspend the issuance of tourist visas to foreign visitors (including Chinese visitors) who are or have been in China in the past 2 weeks, except for official visas in special cases. Stop exiting and entering the country with border passes for tourism purposes. Prohibit travel through trails and openings in the Vietnam - China border area.
Limit large gatherings, especially at festivals; temporarily suspend festivals that have not opened yet; in special cases, the Prime Minister's opinion must be obtained; reduce the scale of organized festivals; require people to wear masks in public places and limit spring travel and participation in festivals.
Speculation, hoarding, and price increases of masks, medical supplies, and equipment used for disease prevention and control are strictly prohibited. Ministries and localities must strengthen control and management of this matter and strictly handle violations.
Ministries, branches and localities strictly control people passing through all border gates, stop activities of picking up and dropping off tourists, do not send Vietnamese workers to China to work; strengthen the supervision of Chinese citizens and workers living and working in Vietnam who returned to their hometowns for Tet and now return to Vietnam; closely monitor suspected cases of infection within 14 days; isolate, monitor and promptly treat infected cases; disinfect suspected epidemic sites according to regulations.
Temporarily close trails and openings; discourage trade and communication with China during the epidemic.
The Ministry of Education and Training has directed that students showing signs of infection should not go to school; apply epidemic prevention and control measures such as wearing masks, washing hands with soap, and using disinfectants; regularly monitor the epidemic situation at educational and training establishments and coordinate with health agencies to take timely measures; coordinate with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to learn about other countries' practices, propose allowing students to take time off from school; be ready to allow students to take time off from school when an epidemic breaks out.
Hospitals are assigned to be ready to receive and treat patients. All provincial and central hospitals, hospitals in the Public Security, Military and other hospitals with conditions must receive, screen and treat patients on site, especially isolating patients to prevent infection. The military must be on the highest alert, and field hospitals must always be ready to respond when an epidemic breaks out.
The Ministry of National Defense and the Ministry of Public Security strictly control people entering and exiting the border; notify the Ministry of Health and localities of the list of passengers entering Vietnam from China....
