Public Telegram No. 597/CD-BCD on implementation of regulations on concentrated quarantine for COVID-19 prevention and control

PUBLIC TELEGRAM

On strict compliance of regulations on concentrated quarantine and management after completion of concentrated quarantine for COVID-19 prevention and control

__________

To:

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

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

The National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control, the Ministry of Health promulgate documents guiding the management of concentrated quarantine, particularly handover after completion of the quarantine (the Official Dispatch No. 425/CV-BCD dated January 19, 2021, the Public Telegram No. 1640/CD-BCD dated October 15, 2020 and the Decisions No. 878/QD-BYT dated March 12, 2020; 1246/QD-BYT dated March 20, 2020 and the Decision No. 3468/QD-BYT dated August 07, 2020, the Official Dispatch 425/CV-BCD dated January 19, 2021). However, a number of concentrated quarantine establishments (under the military and civilian management) have not strictly complied with the current regulations. Currently, the COVID-19 pandemic remains complicated all around the world, the new variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus have been continuously recorded, the number of infected and fatal cases continues increasing. Therefore, the risk of outbreak from the Vietnam-entering persons and spreading into our community is very high.

Implementing the direction of the Prime Minister, the Ministry of Health (the standing agency of the National Steering Committee) requests ministries, ministerial-level agencies, government-attached agencies and People's Committees of provinces, centrally-run cities to maintain the anti-epidemic spirit with the highest level of vigilance, not to be subjective or neglectful; to attach responsibility to heads of localities and units for the implementation of COVID-19 prevention and control activities and direct the implementation of the following contents:

1. To strictly comply with the directions of the Political Bureau, the Secretariat, the Prime Minister, the National Steering Committee and the Ministry of Health on strict management of entry into Vietnam; to strengthen the direction, inspection, supervision and strict handling for organizations and individuals violating regulations on concentrated quarantine, handover after completion of the quarantine and management at home and places of residence after completion of concentrated quarantine and other relevant documents on immigration management.

2. Chairpersons of People's Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities shall direct to implement the following tasks:

- Applying the concentrated quarantine for at least 14 days for persons entering Vietnam according to the current regulations, implementing management and health monitoring at their home or places of residence for the next 14 days after completion of concentrated quarantine.

- Checking the facilities in the concentrated quarantine establishments, ensuring the close supervision of the quarantined persons. In the concentrated quarantine establishments, there must be enough cameras to monitor quarantined persons’ compliance of COVID-19 prevention and control measures as prescribed. Those cameras must be operated continuously and connected to the surveillance system appointed by the Ministry of Information and Communications.

- Reviewing the handover, transport and receipt of those who have completed concentrated quarantine to their places of residence according to the Official Dispatch 425/CV-BCD dated January 19, 2021 of the National Steering Committee regarding the Guidance on handover and management after completion of concentrated quarantine.

- Requiring persons who have completed their concentrated quarantined period to implement the following contents:

+ Implementing pandemic prevention and control measures and self-monitoring their health at home or places of residence, at the same time, proactively notifying the local medical agencies of places of residence immediately upon returning from quarantine establishments.

+ Using information technology applications for supervision of pandemic prevention and control during the period of health monitoring at home or places of residence.

+ Making daily health declaration to local medical staff. If showing symptoms of fever, cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, fatigue, chills, loss of taste, immediately coming to medical establishments for prompt management guidance as defined.

+ Not being allowed to leave home or places of residence; If compulsorily leaving for working or other necessary work, reporting to the local police and health agency and strictly complying the Ministry of Health’s 5K recommendation (in Vietnamese) (mask - distance - no gathering - disinfection - health declaration); avoiding mass gatherings, not going to crowded places.

+ If it is necessary for them to move to other localities, the agencies or units receiving experts (for experts) or Vietnamese citizens must notify the Centers for Disease Control of provinces or cities where they stay in advance for sending notification to the Centers for Disease Control of the destination provinces or cities for continuous management and monitoring of their health as defined.

+ Must be tested for SARS-CoV-2 on 7^th day (from the date of completing concentrated quarantine). If the test result is negative, continuing to monitor the health according to regulations until the end of 14-day period. In case of positive test result, quarantine at the medical establishments shall be applied as prescribed.

- Directing the provincial-level Departments of Health to implement the following contents:

+ The Departments of Health of provinces or cities where the concentrated quarantine is conducted must send dossiers including lists of persons completing concentrated quarantine (with their phone number or/and e-mail, address of residence after quarantine) and photocopies of relevant papers such as decisions or certificates of quarantine completion, test results as prescribed, plan for movement for the handover (via documents, e-mail ...) to the Departments of Health of provinces or cities where the persons completing the concentrated quarantine are received for residence and confirm the handover. The localities of residence shall not receive those without the complete dossier for handover, confirmation of handover or plan for movement.

+ Directing local medical agencies to supervise, monitor health and take specimens for SARS-CoV-2 testing for persons having completed the concentrated quarantine according to regulations.

- Strengthening the activities of community-based COVID-19 prevention and control teams, mobilizing the Vietnam Fatherland Front and socio-political organizations to monitor and supervise the implementation of pandemic prevention requirements for persons who have completed the concentrated quarantine and return to the localities for residence.

- The Steering Committees for COVID-19 prevention and control of provinces and cities shall inspect each establishment's concentrated quarantine implementation at least every 15 days.

2. The Ministry of Health:

- To review and complete regulations on concentrated quarantine, health monitoring after the concentrated quarantine, to guide and organize training courses for localities upon new guidance.

- To assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with Ministries of National Defence; Public Security; Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs; Foreign Affairs; Culture, Sports and Tourism and relevant agencies in regularly inspecting and urging the implementation of concentrated quarantine, health monitoring after completion of concentrated quarantine in the provinces and centrally-run cities, especially in key locations.

- To receive information about violations at concentrated quarantine establishments for reminding and report to the National Steering Committee for proposals for timely handling according to regulations.

- To report and propose to the Prime Minister to praise and commend units and individuals with achievements, to consider and handle agencies and individuals that violate the regulations on concentrated quarantine.

3. The Ministry of Information and Communications shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Ministry of Health in, directing the completion of the application for management of Vietnam-entering persons upon entry into Vietnam, in the quarantine establishments and health monitoring for the next 14 days after completion of concentrated quarantine; provide tools with application of information technology to manage and monitor the health of Vietnam-entering persons; be the focal point to manage the surveillance system of cameras in concentrated quarantine establishments, monitor the implementation of and compliance with the regulations in concentrated quarantine establishments and promptly notify the Ministry of Health of violations of regulations on COVID-19 prevention and control to propose solutions for timely handling.

4. The Ministry of Defence shall direct the concentrated quarantine establishments managed by the military to strictly implement measures to prevent the pandemic in concentrated quarantine establishments, guide persons completing the quarantine to fulfill their commitments according to regulations and coordinate with the provincial-level Departments of Health in organizing the handover of those completing the quarantine to localities, places of residence.

5. The Ministry of Public Security shall direct the local police to coordinate with medical agencies in managing and supervising the implementation of health monitoring at home or places of residence of Vietnam-entering persons.

The Ministry of Health (the standing agency of the National Steering Committee) shall request the People's Committees of provinces and cities, ministries, ministerial-level agencies and government-attached agencies to urgently direct and organize the implementation.

Sincerely./.