No. 4995/BYT-DP dated September 20, 2020 of the Ministry of Health regarding the Interim guidance on medical surveillance of people entering Vietnam

To:

- Ministries, ministerial-level agencies, and government-attached agencies;

- People s Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities.

In the implementation of the Prime Minister’s direction on permitting foreigners to enter Vietnam to work, the Ministry of Health promulgated the “Interim guidance on medical surveillance of people entering Vietnam”(attached to this Official Dispatch).

The Ministry of Health hereby requests ministries, ministerial-level agencies, and government-attached agencies and People s Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities to implement the following contents:

1. To organize contents prescribed in the Interim guidance on medical surveillance of people entering Vietnam, ensuring safety, prevention, and control of the COVID-19 pandemic.

2. To organize the inspection, supervision, and evaluation of the implementation of COVID-19 pandemic prevention and control while people on entry stay in Vietnam.

3. To report the implementation result to the Ministry of Health (the General Department of Preventive Medicine).

For further information, please contact the General Department of Preventive Medicine - the Ministry of Health (135, Nui Truc Street, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi).

Sincerely./.

For the Minister

The Deputy Minister

Tran Van Thuan

INTERIM GUIDANCE

On medical surveillance of people entering Vietnam

(Attached to the Ministry of Health’s Official Dispatch No. 4995/BYT-DP dated September 20, 2020)

_____________________

I. OBJECTIVES

To organize the medical surveillance and test for people on entry in the new situation, pursuing the dual goal of containing the pandemic and developing the economy.

II. SCOPE AND SUBJECTS OF APPLICATION

Those who enter Vietnam to work for a period of more than 14 days, including foreigners holding diplomatic and official passports, investors, high-tech workers, business managers, and persons according to the coordination agreements and their family members; international pupils and students; foreign family members of Vietnamese citizens (hereinafter referred to as people on entry) from countries where the pandemic is under control[1].

III. GENERAL PRINCIPLES

- To properly and fully follow instructions of the Steering Committee on COVID-19 prevention and control and the Ministry of Health on medical surveillance and quarantine to minimize the risks of Covid-19 transmission.

- To effectively and appropriately use current biology products for the diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 on the basis of implementing the SARS-CoV-2 testing plan and relevant instructions of the Ministry of Health.

- In case of testing at border gates, simple techniques with high accuracy and quick result shall be applied. Complex equipment is not required (including class II biological safety cabinets).

- To be appropriate to local or regional competence and resources in the organization and implementation of medical surveillance, test, and quarantine measures.

IV. IMPLEMENTATION CONTENTS

1. Before entering Vietnam

- To register the concentrated quarantine establishments[2]to stay in upon entry and enclose with the detailed working schedule in Vietnam.

- To prepare the certificate (in English) of a negative SARS-CoV-2 test result issued by the competent health agency within 03 - 05 days prior to their entry. Such a test must be applied assay techniques for ARN virus detection (RT-PCR/RT-LAMP, etc.).

2. Upon entering Vietnam

a) To check the certificate of a negative SARS-CoV-2 test result.

b) To check body temperature, carry out a medical examination to detect suspected cases. To apply measures as prescribed upon detecting any suspected cases.

c) To collect information on concentrated quarantine establishments, notify localities to continue monitoring and supervising.  To provide guidance on making an electronic medical declaration, installing, and using trace applications.

d) To take testing samples at border gates(if any):

- To arrange separate areas for taking samples, ensuring pandemic prevention and control.

- To organize the separation of persons on entry when transporting to the areas for taking samples.

- To take specimens.[3]

- To carry out a quick test with assay techniques for ARN virus or antigen detection.[4]

- If anyone s test result is positive, such person shall immediately undergo concentrated quarantine at the medical establishment, be taken testing samples, and be treated in accordance with current regulations applicable to infected cases.

- If anyone’s test result is negative or unclear, he/she shall be transported to the concentrated quarantine establishment as registered, ensuring regulations on safe transport instructed by the Ministry of Health by private vehicles arranged by agencies or local People s Committees. The transport shall comply with the Ministry of Health’s instruction provided in the Decision No. 1246/QD-BYT dated March 20, 2020.

- To classify into many groups depending on quick test results to separate and transport people on entry out of entry areas.

e) In case people on entry are not carried out the quick test at border gates, they shall be transported to the concentrated quarantine establishments as registered, ensuring regulations on safe transport according to the Ministry of Health s Decision No. 1246/QD-BYT dated March 20, 2020.

3. In concentrated quarantine establishments

To take specimens for carrying out SARS-CoV-2 test by testing technique to look for the viral genetic material (ARN) of SARS-CoV-2 (RT-PCR/RT-LAMP technique, etc.):

- In case people aren t tested for SARS-CoV-2 at border gates or their testing results are not clear, to take samples right after they arrive concentrated quarantine establishments. If anyone s test result is positive, such person shall immediately undergo concentrated quarantine at the medical establishment, be taken testing samples, and be treated in accordance with current regulations applicable to infected cases. To continue the quarantine, medical monitoring and supervision until the second collection of samples for people whose test results are negative.

- For all cases, the testing samples shall be collected for the second time on the 6th day from the date of entry or as soon as there arises suspected symptoms. If anyone s test result is positive, such person shall immediately undergo concentrated quarantine at the medical establishment, be taken testing samples, and be treated in accordance with current regulations applicable to infected cases. People who have had close contacts with the infected cases shall continue undergoing 14-day quarantine.

If his/her second testing results is negative with Covid-19, he/she may arrive to his/her accommodation[5]to continue his/her quarantine, ensuring the quarantine for the full 14 days, and to take measures to prevent and control the pandemic in accordance with guidance of the Ministry of Health.

Using private vehicles for the travels from quarantine establishments to their accommodations is required and shall comply with regulations of the Ministry of Health.

4. In accommodations

- To take strictly the measures of medical monitoring, quarantine, prevention and control of the pandemic, to avoid contacting with the community and to immediately inform medical agencies as soon as there arises suspected symptoms.

- Daily, to make a list of the people who contact with people entering Vietnam with their full names, telephone numbers until the end of the 14^thdate.

- Local medical agencies shall perform medical monitoring according to regulations and take samples for SARS-CoV-2 test by testing technique to look for the viral genetic material (ARN) of the virus (RT-PCR/RT-LAMP technique, etc.) on the 14^thday from the date of entry or as soon as there arises suspected symptoms. In case their testing results are certainly or suspiciously positive with Covid-19, to immediately quarantine them in the medical establishments, to take testing samples, take care of them, and to give them the medical treatment according to current regulations applicable to infected cases.

IV. DIVISION OF PERFORMANCE

1. Ministries, branches

- To propose the list of people entering Vietnam for working and to coordinate with the People’s Committees of localities and the Ministry of Public Security (the Vietnam Immigration Department) in considering and handling, based on demands of agencies and organizations under their management.

- To coordinate with People’s Committees of localities to direct the relevant units to organize the management of the people who enter Vietnam, including separating the travel, taking medical examination, taking testing samples, monitoring strictly the transportation of experts to their quarantine establishments; managing quarantine establishments; taking measures to ensure the security and order, and ensuring the safety in prevention and control of the pandemic.

- To inform and guide agencies and organizations in the localities who want to entry and experts for ensuring the compliance of regulations in this Guidance and relevant guidance and directive documents of the National Steering Committee, the Ministry of Health.

- The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Health shall update the list of medical agencies competent to test SARS-CoV-2 and to provide certificates of having negative result with SARS-CoV-2 in the relevant countries in this Guidance.

2. Provincial People s Committees

- Based on demands of agencies and organizations in the localities, provincial People s Committees shall decide the list of people entering Vietnam for working and to coordinate with the Ministry of Public Security (the Vietnam Immigration Department) in considering and handling.

- To check and update the quarantine establishments in localities, ensuring prevention and control of the pandemic in accordance with guidance of the Ministry of Health.

- To direct relevant units to organize the management of the people who enter Vietnam, including separating the travel, taking medical examination, taking testing samples, monitoring strictly the transportation of people entering Vietnam to their quarantine establishments; managing quarantine establishments; taking measures to ensure the security and order, and ensuring the safety in prevention and control of the pandemic.

- To inform and guide agencies and organizations in the localities who want to entry and experts for ensuring the compliance of regulations in this Guidance and relevant guidance and directive documents of the National Steering Committee, the Ministry of Health.

- To assign the Health Departments of provinces and cities to act as a focal point in taking responsibilities for: taking test samples, testing for Covid-19, monitoring, supervising and handling infected or suspected cases for people entering Vietnam within the resources of localities.

- To organize the inspection and supervision of the implementation of the Covid-19 pandemic prevention and control measures in the chosen concentrated quarantine establishments and of the implementation of the pandemic prevention and control for people entering Vietnam and relevant cases.

- To organize or to direct units, enterprises, hotels to organize the travels of experts according regulations. Using private vehicles for the travels of experts during the 14 days is required and shall comply with the guidance of the Ministry of Health.

3. Immigration agency

- To coordinate with relevant units in formulating the plans of management for people entering Vietnam.

- To manage the list of all people who work with people entering Vietnam and to proactively provide such list to relevant units for the implementation of the Covid-19 pandemic prevention and control measures.

- To strictly comply with regulations and guidance on Covid-19 prevention and control, to proactively inform the people entering Vietnam and relevant cases to current regulations of Covid-19 prevention and control of Vietnam, and give them the guidance on such regulations.

* All Appendices are not translated herein.