Official Dispatch 7375/UBND-SYT Da Nang 2021 interim guidance for SARS-CoV-2 testing at production and business establishments

Pursuant to the Resolution No. 128/NQ-CP dated October 11, 2021 of the Government on the Interim Regulation on “safe and flexible adaptation and effective control over the COVID-19 pandemic”; the Decision No. 4800/QD-BYT dated October 12, 2021 of the Ministry of Health on issuing the Interim Guidance for implementation of the Resolution No. 128/NQ-CP;

In order to continue to effectively implement measures to prevent and control the COVID-19 pandemic and create favorable conditions for production and business activities in the city in the new situation, on the principle of complying with guidelines for pandemic prevention and assessment of risk of COVID-19 infection at production and business establishments by the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control, the Ministry of Health in accordance with the local situation; At the proposal of the Department of Health in the Official Dispatch No. 5121/SYT-NVY dated October 24, 2021, the Chairman of Da Nang City People’s Committee hereby agrees to provide the interim guidance on SARS-CoV-2 testing and COVID-19 prevention and control measures at production and business establishments as follows:

I. OBJECTIVES AND REQUIREMENTS

1. Objectives

a) To implement the regulation of “safety and production go hand in hand”; ensuring safety for pandemic prevention and control while organizing the recovery and development of production and business activities; minimize the impact of the pandemic.

b) To actively observe by conducting tests with continuing carry out COVID-19 prevention and control measures to promptly detect the infected cases of COVID-19, implement quarantine, treatments and cut off the infectious chain at production and business establishments, industrial parks/clusters, not to let the pandemic spread and break out.

2. Requirements

a) To determine that COVID-19 prevention and control is a central, urgent and regular task; production and business activities are organized in safe conditions for pandemic prevention and control and associated with the responsibilities of the heads of agencies, units and organizations.

b) Testing for SARS-CoV-2 at production and business establishments is organized scientifically and effectively, strictly complying with technical requirements and professional processes as prescribed.

c) Relevant agencies, units and localities are responsible for closely coordinating in implementing SARS-CoV-2 testing at production and business establishments effectively, promptly and in accordance with regulations.

II. PRINCIPLES AND IMPLEMENTATION CONTENTS

1. This guidance will be applied until the end of 2021. Based on the situation and developments of the COVID-19 pandemic, the City People’s Committee may adjust and supplement to match the pandemic control measures in the area.

2. Based on the guidelines of the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control, the Ministry of Health, the Department of Health and related agencies and units, production and business establishments must develop their plan for pandemic prevention and control. The pandemic prevention and control plan includes basic contents to promptly handle situations related to the COVID-19 pandemic at production and business establishments; responsibilities, tasks, response activities of relevant departments, agencies and units and must be based on the actual situation at the production and business establishments (references are at the Appendix 1 attached herewith).

3. The production and business establishments develop test plans and periodically report test results to agencies, units and localities within their management scope for monitoring, supervision, urging and management of actively surveillance testing activity. The development and implementation of test plan, testing frequency and rate must ensure to be appropriate to the assessed risk level, the ratio of employees residing in the area at risk, the pandemic level of the localities where the production and business establishments locate their operation establishments.

4. Production and business establishments shall carry out testing for their employees and service providers (providing meals, food, raw materials, security guards, hygiene, etc.) according to the frequency and rate of testing specified in Appendix 2 attached to this Official Dispatch. Depending on the pandemic situation, the risk level of the production and business establishments and the pandemic level of the commune or ward (where the production and business establishments are located), the production and business establishments may adjust the appropriate testing frequency and rate, based on the pandemic prevention and control measures of the local administrative or the city.

5. Organize testing for SARS-CoV-2 at production and business establishments

a) Testing methods: SARS-CoV-2 antigen rapid test or RT-PCR; samples can be combined according to the instructions of the health authorities.

b) The production and business establishments shall sign a contract with units eligible to take samples and test for SARS-CoV-2 according to regulations; in case the unit performs self-testing with the SARS-CoV-2 antigen rapid test, the medical staffs of the production and business establishments must be trained by the Centers for Disease Control or Health Centers of districts; use the SARS-CoV-2 antigen rapid test on the list that has been granted a circulation registration number or an import license by the Ministry of Health and is solely responsible for the quality of the antigen test, the process and results of the test.

c) To notify the test results to the Health Centers of the districts, the Management Boards of the hi-tech parks and industrial zones or the People’s Committees of the districts within 2 hours after the end of the test day; immediately report to the management agencies, units, Centers for Disease Control, Health Centers of districts (where the units are located) when there are cases with positive results for SARS-CoV-2 (by SARS-CoV-2 antigen rapid test or RT-PCR) and immediately apply pandemic prevention and control measures and handle the cases.

d) Expenses for sampling and testing shall be covered by the production and business establishments. After agreeing on guidelines and policies on funding support for testing at production and business establishments, the City People’s Committee shall issue specific guidance documents on this matter.

III. IMPLEMENTATION ORGANIZATION

1. Production and business establishments shall

a) Base on the guidance contents, develop and implement the plans/options to ensure COVID-19 prevention and control, SARS-CoV-2 test plan for employees and service providers of production and business establishments to ensure the purposes, requirements, principles, frequency and rates as prescribed.

b) Manage, monitor, supervise, inspect and urge the implementation of measures to prevent and control the COVID-19 pandemic and test for SARS-CoV-2 at the production and business establishments.

c) Report the test results to the Health Centers of the districts, the Management Boards of the hi-tech zones and industrial zones or the People’s Committees of the districts in accordance with regulations.

2. The Department of Health shall

a) Direct the Centers of Disease Control and Health Centers of districts to coordinate with Management Boards of hi-tech zones and industrial parks, People’s Committees of districts, production and business establishments and other related units on guiding and considering the COVID-19 prevention and control plan of production and business establishments; coordinate in inspecting and guiding production and business establishments to handle and immediately overcome limitations and problems that may affect the pandemic prevention and control at production and business establishments and the city; coordinate in assessing risk, handling situations related to F0 and F1 cases, related cases and COVID-19 prevention and control at production and business establishments; provide hotline numbers, contacts for production and business establishments and employees to know and get support when needed.

b) Coordinate with the Management Boards of hi-tech zones and industrial parks; Departments of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs, Peoples Committees of districts to organize training courses for managers, enterprise’s health team and employees in need of COVID-19 prevention and control and SARS-CoV-2 testing.

3. The Management Boards of hi-tech zones and industrial parks, the Department of Industry and Trade, the Departments of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs shall

a) Assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Department of Health and the People’s Committees of districts and related units in guiding, inspecting, urging and supervising production and business establishments under their scope of management to strictly implement COVID-19 prevention and control measures the at production and business establishments; report and propose to strictly handle organizations and individuals that violate the work of COVID-19 prevention and control.

b) Request production and business establishments under their scope of management to develop and take responsibility for organizing the implementation of the plans/options to ensure COVID-19 prevention and control; especially the plan to manage employees and coordinate with local authorities and health authorities to promptly handle situations related to F0, F1 cases and related cases at production and business establishments.

c) Make a list of enterprises’ managers, health staffs and employees who need training on COVID-19 prevention and control at work and accommodation; training needs and granting of certification on training for test sampling at production and business establishments. To assume the prime responsibility for, coordinate, and send requests and proposals (quantity, time, location...) to the Department of Health to unify the training organization.

4. Departments, branches, sectors, associations and organizations: Within the scope of their functions and duties, are responsible for coordinating with the Department of Health and the People’s Committees of districts and related units in inspecting, supervising, urging and handling issues related to SARS-CoV-2 testing and COVID-19 prevention and control measures at production and business establishments.

5. People’s Committees of districts shall:

a) Assume the prime responsibility for guiding, inspecting, urging and supervising production and business establishments under their management scope (except the industrial parks) to strictly implement COVID-19 prevention and control measures at production and business establishments; report and propose to strictly handle organizations and individuals that violate the work of COVID-19 prevention and control.

b) Coordinate with the Department of Health, the Management Board of hi-tech zones and industrial parks; the Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs, related agencies and units to handle issues related to COVID-19 prevention and control at production and business establishments located in the area; assist in risk assessment and application of appropriate pandemic prevention and control measures; minimize the impact on production and business at production and business establishments.

This Official Dispatch amends the content of testing at production and business establishments specified in the Plan No. 164/KH-UBND dated September 21, 2021 of the City People’s Committee and other official dispatches on testing of production and business establishments. Relevant agencies, units, organizations and individuals shall implement this Official Dispatch; promptly report and propose to handle difficulties and obstacles in the course of implementation, ensuring the effectiveness of pandemic prevention and control in the city.

The Chairman

Le Trung Chinh

Appendix 1

DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF PLANS FOR COVID-19 PREVENTION AND CONTROL AT PRODUCTION AND BUSINESS ESTABLISHMENTS

1. Pursuant and refer to the guidance of the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control, the Ministry of Health, the Department of Health¹ and related agencies, units, production and business establishments shall develop plans for COVID-19 prevention and control of the units. The following contents must be noticed:

a) The plan for regular risk assessment according to the Decision No. 2194/QD-BCDQG at production and business establishments, clearly stating the assessment frequency (week per time), responsible department and risk assessment report.

b) To supervise and inspect the implementation of COVID-19 prevention and control measures at the units during the process of working, production, business, during meals, collective activities, etc. for employees, partners, service providers, etc. (according to the principle of people separation, shift division, restriction contact and concentration).

c) The units’ handling plan when detecting F0, F1 cases, related cases at the units (including a temporary quarantine plan; coordinating with the local Health Centers and local authorities to locate zones and accurately assess risk cases for medical quarantine).

d) Not to employ the employees who are the case of concentrated quarantine, at-home quarantine and employees reside in areas under lockdown or reside in localities with pandemic at level 4 risk. If it is necessary employ them, there must be a plan for working and producing during quarantine approved by the health agencies; to carry out COVID-19 testing as a medical quarantine case.

dd) The plan to manage the list of employees by each workshop, working department, or shift; to request employees to commit to strictly implement pandemic prevention and control measures according to regulations at work and place of residence, carry out daily mandatory medical declaration by QR code to manage epidemiological factors and signs of the disease.

e) Activities and responsibilities of the COVID-19 Team of production and business establishments.

g) To set up hotlines within production and business establishments and district health centers and local authorities.

h) To set up regulations on handling of violations and rewards in the work of COVID-19 prevention and control at the units.

2. All cases of individuals and organizations entering production and business establishments must be managed, observed and monitored through medical declarations, strictly followed 5K rules, and recorded in contact logs.

3. For the transportation and circulation of goods and production materials in to and out of the city, it shall follow the guidance on transport to ensure safety and COVID-19 prevention and control in current documents of the Ministry of Transport and the Department of Transport of Da Nang City.

4. Be honest and promote efficiency in risk assessment; to immediately handle and overcome existing difficulties and problems that may affect the pandemic prevention and control at production and business establishments and the city.

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¹ – The Decision No. 2194/QD-BCDQG dated May 27, 2020 of the National Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control on promulgating “the Guidance on prevention, control, and assessment of the risk of COVID-19 infection at the workplaces and dormitories for workers”;

- The Decision No. 2787/QD-BYT dated June 05, 2021 of the Ministry of Health on the promulgation of the guidance for pandemic prevention and control plans when COVID-19 cases are recorded at the production and business establishments or industrial parks;

- The Official Dispatch No. 5522/BYT-MT dated July 12, 2021 of the Ministry of Health regarding the COVID-19 prevention and control plan template for production and business establishments and the form of commitment to prevent pandemic at boarding houses for workers;

- The Official Dispatch No. 4226/SYT-NVY dated September 09, 2021 of the Department of Health of Da Nang on operation of the COVID-19 safety teams and the quarantine areas at the enterprises.