Public Telegram 1699/CD-TTg on strengthening the prevention and control of COVID-19 pandemic

PUBLIC TELEGRAM

On strengthening the prevention and control of COVID-19 pandemic

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THE PRIME MINISTER

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

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

The COVID-19 pandemic remains complicated and breaks out again during winter in many countries all over the world with the number of infected cases constantly increasing. After 88 consecutive days without community transmission, Vietnam has confirmed cases infected from people on entry during their quarantine period in Ho Chi Minh City. There has been a situation of negligence, subjectivity, improper and incomplete implementation of pandemic prevention and control measures.

In order to firmly maintain the achievements of pandemic prevention and control and protect people s health, the Prime Minister hereby requests ministries, ministerial-level agencies, and government-attached agencies, People s Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities:

1. To continue strictly implementing the strategy of closely controlling the transmission sources from other countries, thoroughly identifying a zone; to effectively treat the pandemic in the country; to intensify vigilance against the pandemic risks, uphold the responsibility of leaders, calmly respond to all pandemic situations, and drastically, synchronously and effectively implement proposed pandemic prevention and control measures.

2. Provinces and cities, especially centrally-run cities shall direct the 5K requirements for the pandemic prevention and control as recommended by the Ministry of Health, including the mandatory masking, disinfection at quarantine areas, concentrated residential areas, and public places such as markets, supermarkets, schools, production establishments; airports, seaports, stations, etc., and on public transport vehicles, especially in medical examination and treatment establishments. Accommodation establishments, schools, and medical examination and treatment establishments are required to regularly assess the implementation of requirements for, and guidance on the pandemic prevention and control, publicize the self-assessment result on the map of safe living with COVID-19.

Chairpersons of People s Committee of provinces and centrally-run cities shall direct the inspection and drastically urge the implementation of proposed pandemic prevention and control measures, especially the measures of wearing face masks, disinfection and at places with high risks of pandemic transmission; regularly organize to inspect and settle responsibility of heads of units and establishments committing violations, handle violating organizations and individuals in accordance with the Government’s Decree No. 117/2020/ND-CP dated September 28, 2020, on sanctioning of administrative violations in the health sector.

3. With regard to cases of COVID-19 infection in Ho Chi Minh City:

a) The Ho Chi Minh City People s Committee shall direct to seriously and quickly track all F1 and F2 of newly detected cases, with the highest spirit in order to achieve maximum results and avoid transmitting to F3.

b) The Prime Minister affirms that such cases of infection caused by a serious violation of regulations on pandemic prevention and control. The Prime Minister requests the Ministry of Transport, the Commission for the Management of State Capital at Enterprises to direct the review for clarifying responsibility and strictly handle relevant organizations and individuals and report to the Prime Minister. The Ministry of Health and Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee shall be responsible for monitoring such settlement.

4. The Ministry of National Defence and the Ministry of Public Security shall continue to strengthen border management, strictly manage entry activities, and thoroughly prevent cases of illegal entry.

5. To continue flights carrying diplomats, experts, investors, high-skilled workers, and their relatives to Vietnam and bring Vietnamese workers to work abroad for the realization of dual goals, economic recovery; and flights to Vietnam must strictly comply with pandemic prevention and control measures as prescribed.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall act as a focal point, review and settle the Vietnamese people returning home from other countries; assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Transport in researching and proposing to bring Vietnamese people back to Vietnam in conformity with their domestic reception, management capacities, and pandemic prevention and control requirements; direct overseas representative missions to consider and allow only really necessary cases to return home (including returning home during the Lunar New Year) and send the list of returnees to the Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of Transport to carry out work related to entry operations and flight organization.

Relevant ministries and agencies, People s Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities shall urgently implement the Prime Minister s direction in the Official Dispatch No. 3298/VPCP-QHQT dated November 28, 2020, on supporting Vietnamese citizens who are stuck in other countries; quickly carry out procedures at airports to timely bring them to quarantine establishments according to plans, ensuring safety in the pandemic prevention and control. The Ministry of National Defence shall prepare concentrated quarantine establishments.

The Ministry of Transport shall direct: (1) To sell tickets for persons on entry in a public and transparent manner, ensure to sell tickets for the right persons, avoid increasing prices or seeking for profits, strictly handle all cases of violations; (2) To minimize flights carrying persons on entry for quarantine in Hanoi; (3) To strictly comply with quarantine methods for flight crew and flight attendants according to the pandemic prevention and control requirements.

6. All cases of entry shall be subject to concentrated quarantine at quarantine establishments managed by the army and eligible civil quarantine establishments managed by local authorities. Procedures for, regulations on, and period of, quarantine must be strictly complied with. Relevant ministries and agencies, People s Committees of provinces, and centrally-run cities shall strictly manage and monitor quarantine establishments for persons on entry, prevent cross infection and transmission to the community.

7. To continue suspending mass gathering activities and events in case of unnecessary; in case of organizing such activities and events, pandemic prevention and control measures as prescribed such as wearing face masks and disinfection, etc. should be strictly complied with.

All levels, branches, and localities must consult the health agency when organizing events and activities in contact with those who come from other countries, especially countries at high risks.

8. If the community transmission occurs, the measure of social distancing shall be taken for areas with high risks, and such areas shall be reasonably localized, not to apply social distancing in a wide scope, avoid affecting to the people s life and production and business activities.

9. To continue ensuring the capacity for the health system both in the spirit of vigilance and always ready to respond to all pandemic situations, improve the capacity of examination, treatment, quick traceability, and testing. In the immediate future, it is aimed at ensuring the safety of important political events of the country, especially the National Party Congress.

The Ministry of Health shall direct the health sector to ready to respond to all pandemic situations.

The Ministry of Health shall soon have solutions on coordinating with other countries in producing and purchasing vaccines from other countries, research to domestically produce vaccines, and report to the standing government for consideration and decision.

10. The Ministry of Information and Communications, the Ministry of Health, the Radio The Voice of Vietnam (VOV), the Vietnam News Agency, People s Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities, and press agencies shall continue to communicate on the pandemic prevention and control, with the aim of popularizing the non-subjective spirit for all organizations and individuals in Vietnam; guide people to stay alert; prevent negative and fabricated information causing confusion among people./.