From now until September 15, high-risk and very high-risk areas must test at home at least 3 times.

According to the Ministry of Health, the COVID-19 epidemic situation continues to be very complicated and unpredictable with the strong spread of the Delta variant in many countries and regions around the world.

Medical staff take samples for Covid-19 testing. Photo: Thanh Cuong

In the country, the epidemic has not yet been completely controlled, especially in localities implementing social distancing according to Directive No. 16/CT-TTg dated March 31, 2020 of the Prime Minister; in some localities, there are still large numbers of people traveling and circulating, along with continued recording of cases in the community.

In order to detect cases of the disease early for timely isolation, treatment, and minimizing the risk of disease spread and outbreak, the Ministry of Health requested the Chairmen of the People's Committees of provinces and cities to continue directing the strengthening of testing to prevent and control the COVID-19 epidemic.

The Ministry of Health requires further strengthening of large-scale testing, first in locked-down areas, very high-risk areas, high-risk areas in provinces and cities implementing social distancing. Continue to organize well the coordination, sampling, implementation and return of test results within 24 hours to ensure the value and progress of testing.

By September 15, 2021, in very high-risk and high-risk areas: take samples at homes/households for all residents at least 3 times (every 2-3 days); take rapid antigen samples or take RT-PCR pooled samples by home/household;

In high-risk areas and other areas: take samples for testing at homes/households for all residents at least once (every 5-7 days); take RT-PCR samples for pooled samples by home/household;

Strictly implement the contents of Official Dispatch 1068/CD-TTg dated August 5, 2021, Official Dispatch 1099/CD-TTg dated August 22, 2021 and Official Dispatch 1102/CD-TTg dated August 23, 2021 of the Prime Minister and Official Dispatch 1168/CD-BYT dated August 7, 2021 of the Ministry of Health on strengthening epidemic prevention measures, in which special attention is paid to assessing the epidemic situation to classify areas according to risk levels to implement rapid testing.

Continue screening 100% of cases showing symptoms of cough, fever, difficulty breathing, respiratory infections... at medical facilities and in the community.
Conduct testing every 3 days for employees and workers (high-risk cases) at medical facilities, production and business establishments, industrial parks, and people directly providing essential services.

Consider and organize the implementation of instructions for people to self-collect samples under the supervision of medical staff.

In this guideline, the Ministry of Health clearly states that based on the epidemic situation in the area, proactively screen, monitor and detect early suspected cases in the community and organize sample collection as directed by health authorities and return test results within 24 hours of sample collection. Apply RT-PCR or rapid antigen testing methods combined with appropriate sample pooling.

Conduct 100% screening tests for cases showing symptoms of cough, fever, difficulty breathing, respiratory tract infection... at medical facilities or in the community to have timely response measures to isolate and quarantine, to prevent community spread.

Conduct surveillance and screening tests, take samples of all or representative members of the house, household, and room of people who have frequent contact with the outside world (belonging to groups providing essential services, bank employees, marketers, people working in markets, supermarkets, shopping malls, delivery people...) and people living in areas with high risk of crowded people (lodging houses, high population density residential areas...).

Conduct testing every 5-7 days for employees and workers (high-risk cases) at medical facilities, production and business establishments, industrial parks, and people directly providing essential services.

Sampling frequency in industrial parks and production and business establishments is implemented according to Document No. 2787/QD-BYT dated June 5, 2021.

Organize instructions for people and workers at production facilities and industrial parks to take their own samples for testing to prepare for the case of widespread disease spread.