Directive 16/CT-TTg on urgent measures to prevent, control the COVID-19 pandemic

DIRECTIVE

On implementing urgent measures to prevent and control the COVID-19 pandemic

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The COVID-19 pandemic broke out globally, affecting over 720,000 people, killing nearly 35,000 people in over 200 countries and territories and shows no sign of ending. In Vietnam, the number of infected cases increases rapidly day by day and there is a high risk of infection in the community. It is predicted that the pandemic will spread rapidly on a large scale, seriously threatening human life and health and the country’s socio-economic.

On implementing the call of the General Secretary and President - Nguyen Phu Trong and with the spirit of attaching great importance to human health and life, to continue to proactively prevent and control the pandemic, the Prime Minister requests ministries, ministerial-level agencies, government-attached agencies and the People's Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities to focus on implementing the provided pandemic prevention and control measures, especially the Directive No. 15/CT-TTg dated March 27, 2020, and in compliance with the instructions of the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 prevention and control, effectively implementing the following urgent measures:

1. To carry out nationwide social distancing in 15 days from 0:00 on April 01, 2020 with the principle is that each family isolates itself with other families, one village to other villages, one commune to other communes, one province to other provinces; workshops and factories must maintain safe distances, perform disinfection, and their employees must wear masks in accordance with regulations. The people are required to stay at home, only leave home in case of necessity, such as to buy food, foodstuffs and medicine, emergency, or to work in factories, manufacturing facilities, factories and businesses providing essential goods and services that are not closed and other emergency cases; strictly observe the minimum distance of 2m when communicating; not gather over 2 people outside of offices, schools, and hospitals an public places.

The Prime Minister requests the entire people to voluntarily abide by the requirements, the pandemic prevention and control measures; actively declare the health status, fully perform measures to protect themselves and their families and be responsible for the pandemic prevention and control activities organized by the competent authorities and community. Heads of enterprises, manufacturing facilities, service and trading facilities shall be responsible for deploying pandemic prevention and control measures at their businesses to keep their employees healthy and safe.

2. The Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Public Security and the People's Committees of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh Cities must be quick, determined and spend all their resources and measures to thoroughly handle the "outbreak areas” at Bach Mai Hospital (Hanoi) and the Buddha Bar & Grill (Ho Chi Minh City); to gain time to trace and apply appropriate measures to all cases of risk, contact with patients and people who have been to and from the "outbreak areas"; continue to urge such people to make health declarations, contact and requests for testing. The Ministry of Public Security is required to coordinate with the health sector to make a list of people relating to the Truong Sinh Company’s activities at risk of cross-infection to monitor their health, supervise, quarantine and promptly handle thoroughly sources of the pandemic.

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