Directive 06/CT-TTg on fight against complicated, new development of acute respiratory infections by Coronavirus

DIRECTIVE

On enhancing precaution measurements to fight against complicated and new development of acute respiratory infections

caused by new strains of novel Coronavirus

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Acute respiratory infections caused by new strain of novel Coronavirus (nCoV) is rapidly and seriously spreading causing very high damage in China. The World Health Organization has announced the Global health emergency. Vietnam is having high risk of a pandemic outbreak due to the circumstance that Vietnam has a long border line with China, with the large number of people traveling, trading; in addition, tourists, Vietnamese workers working in China and Chinese workers working in Vietnam are also crowded.

Ministries, agencies, branches and localities had implemented a lot of strongly and drastically measurements to prevent and fight against the epidemic.  The Ministry of Health has established 25 quick response teams, the Ministry of National Defenses has established 20 teams and connect online 21 hospitals with the Ministry of Health to uniformly the directions and specialized cooperate so that may promptly react to any development of the epidemic; the Ministry of National Defenses has directed 04 military hospitals at Central - level to ready for supporting and taking part in preventing and fighting against the epidemic.   Especially, the Government has carry out a number of drastically directions and keep the situations in control.

However, in a number of localities, the spirit and awareness on preventing and fighting against the epidemic is remain low, without specific plans, schemes, measurements to proactively react to the epidemic. In coping with severe and complicated developments of the epidemic, the Prime Minister hereby directs:

1. Ministries, agencies, branches and localities must seriously and drastically implement the directions of the Prime Minister at the Official Letter No. 121/CD-TTg dated January 23, 2020, Directive No. 05/CT-TTg dated January 28, 2020 and directions of the Communist Party Central Committee Secretariat at the Official Dispatch No. 79-CV/TW dated January 30, 2020; must treat epidemic prevention and control as "against the enemy”, to resolutely prevent the of acute respiratory infections caused by new strains of novel Coronavirus event though there may be losses in economy; to protect citizen’s lives, health; to minimize lives loss; to be proactively, calm and more drastically in fighting with the epidemic and must prepare more specific strategies and plans to control this epidemic in “04 on spot” motto, not allow the epidemic to spread out.

2. The localities have border line with China shall establish contact channels with the respective local levels of China to get updates daily and take proactive measures to promptly handle according to the evolution of epidemics.

3. To suspend permission for flights from Vietnam to epidemic infected areas of China and cease all the flights from epidemic infected areas to Vietnam except for special cases which must obtain agreement from the Government. To temporarily stop granting visa for foreign tourist (including China tourist) who being or used to be in China within the last two weeks, except for duty visa in special situations.  To stop people to exit and entry by laissez-passers for travel purpose, to ban people crossing Vietnam - China border through trails and open way.

4. To restrict gathering in places, especially the festivals; to suspend not yet open festivals, in special cases must obtain opinion from the Government; to decrease the scale of those festival has opened; to require people to wear facial mask public places, in spring trips and joining festivals.

5. To strongly prohibit any action of speculate, store in massive number and rising price of surgical masks, supplies and medical equipment used in preventing and fighting against the epidemic. Ministries, agencies, branches and localities shall be enhancing the control and management of this matter, to strictly handle any violate entity.

6. Ministries, agencies, branches and localities shall strictly control passenger passing by any border gates, to stop embarking and disembarking tourist, stop bringing Vietnamese workers to China for work; to strengthening the supervision of Chinese citizens and laborers living and working in Vietnam who came home for Tet holidays and now returning to Vietnam for work, to closely supervise suspicious cases in 14 days; to isolate, supervise and promptly treat suspicious cases; to sanitize suspicious places in accordance with law provisions.

7. To suspend trails, open ways; not to encourage trading and exchange with China in this period.

8. The Ministry of Education and Training shall direct the strict implementation of pupils and students who showing signs of infection not going to school; apply preventing and fighting against the epidemic measures such as: To wear mask, to wash hand with soap and sanitize substances; to regularly monitor the situation of epidemics at education and training establishments, and coordinate with health agencies in promptly handling measures; to coordinate with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in study measure of other countries, carry out suggestion to allow pupils and students to skip school; ready to allow pupils and students stay home in case the epidemic breakout.

9. Assigned hospital shall be ready to take and carry out treatment for any patient. All the provincial, central level hospitals, hospitals of the People’s Security force, military hospitals and other hospitals in case the conditions need shall have to take, screen and treat the patient in spot, and for most important, to isolate the patient not to let the epidemic spread out. The military force have to stay alert in highest level all the time, the field hospitals must be ready to respond when an outbreak occurs in any time.

10. The Ministry of Health

- To preside and coordinate with the Ministry of Justice to study on legal criteria and procedure to announce the health emergency condition cause by this epidemic in Vietnam to report to the Prime Minister before February 02, 2020.

- To guide proactive measurements for epidemic prevention for citizens.

- To review and report to the Prime Minister on guarantee of medical equipment and supply to prevent and fight against and report to the Prime Minister before February 02, 2020. To direct units to proactively produce the epidemic prevention equipment; to supply sufficient means, equipment, chemicals and biologicals to prevent and fight against epidemic, to give priority for border localities.

- To direct the support of human resources of doctors and nurses for the localities which have epidemic.

- To formulate the scenario on the development of the epidemic as well as react and control measurements, to report to the Prime Minister before February 02, 2020.

11. All level, branches, especially the Ministry: The Ministry of Health, the Ministry of National Defense, the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Culture, Sport and Tourism have to uphold responsibility in implementing epidemic prevention and control activities, minimizing damage caused by epidemics.

12. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is responsible for proactively informing the world of Vietnam s drastic and transparent directives and measures in disease prevention and control, ensure that it does not affect the chairmanship of Vietnam as well as the activities of the 2020 ASEAN Year; apply necessary support measures and formulate a plan to bring Vietnamese citizens in epidemic areas of China back to home country when necessary; to provide information, update the situation of disease developments and response measures of China and other countries, promptly propose appropriate measures for Vietnam.

13. The Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Public Security shall strictly control people who enter and exit across the border; to notify the Ministry of Health and localities of the list of passengers entering from China into Vietnam.

14. National Steering Committee for prevention and control of acute respiratory infections caused by new strains of Corona virus shall assist the Prime Minister in directing and managing epidemic prevention and control; organize meetings and briefings every 02 days to review and evaluate the situation, propose measures to prevent and fight against the epidemic and report to the Prime Minister on developments of epidemic daily.

15. The Government Office was assigned to assume the prime responsibility and draft the Prime Minister s Decision on the establishment of the Working group on epidemic prevention and control at the Government Office, including representatives of the leaders of the following ministries: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of National Defense, the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Health, with the leader by the Minister, the Chairman/Chairwoman of the Office of the Government, including Mr. Nguyen Thanh Long, the Deputy Head of the Central Propaganda Department. The Working group is responsible for advising and proposing the Prime Minister to promptly prevent and fight against the epidemic.

16. People s Committees at all levels shall establish a Steering Committee for epidemic prevention and control, chaired by the Chairperson of the People s Committee, to direct drastically the epidemic control work under the guidance of the Central Government, the Prime Minister and the Ministry of Health in the four-spot spirit; to ensure adequate supply of medicine, means, supplies, equipment and funding for epidemic prevention and control activities; to take responsibility for the prevention and control of this epidemic in the locality; to willingly support other countries in the region.

17. The Ministry of Information and Communications shall direct the intensification of information and propaganda on epidemics prevention and control measures. - To command media agencies to publish accurate and timely epidemic reports and measures for people to actively prevent and control epidemics, not to be overly alarmed and worry, and coordinate with the preventive health agencies for effectively preventing the epidemic.

18. - Vietnam citizen shall actively implement recommendations of specialized agencies, coordinate with functional agencies to implement disease prevention and control measures. Organizations and enterprises proactively take measures to prevent and control epidemics within their organizations. Concealing or spread out improper information about the epidemic is strictly prohibited. /.

The Prime Minister

Nguyen Xuan Phuc