National steering committee for covid 19 prevention and control

Viettel technicians are installing monitoring cameras at centralized isolation places in the Northern region. (Photo: SGGP)

On the evening of May 5, while presiding at the virtual meeting with his vice chairmen Duong Anh Duc and Ngo Minh Chau, steering committees for the prevention of Covid-19 in districts, Chairman Phong said that all leaders, heads of departments, sectors, the Chairman of Thu Duc City People’s Committee and districts must strictly comply with the government’s preventative measures.

Deputy Chairman Duong Anh Duc reported that from April 30, the city has set up three inspection teams to supervise the implementation of Covid-19 prevention regulations in business establishments and eateries. While paying a visit to the restaurant The King at 102-104 Le Lai in District 1 on May 4, inspectors discovered four Japanese and four Chinese people were singing in a karaoke room in the restaurant. One Chinese man has not completed his self-isolation.

Mr. Duc fretted that these eateries with karaoke rooms will highly likely run a risk of Covid-19 spread; therefore, he suggested unscheduled visits to these venues. A representative from the People’s Committee in District 1 said 199 karaoke parlors, discotheques, and theaters have shuttered following the authorities’ order. However, 28 eateries still opened and the King restaurant is one of them.

Chairman Phong showed his dissatisfaction with the case, asking that the chairman of the People’s Committee in the ward, where The King restaurant is located, must be held accountable.

Furthermore, he proposed to withdraw the business license of the restaurant for falling foul of the Covid-19 prevention regulations.

Speaking at the meeting, Professor Nguyen Tan Binh, Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health, reported 263 cases of Covid-19 in the city including 69 locally-transmitted cases and 190 imported cases, 236 recoveries while 27 people are being treated at Cu Chi Hospital, Children’s Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City and Hospital for Tropical Diseases. All patients are in stable condition without severe complications.

According to Director Binh, from April 30 will now, the health sector has carried out 5,995 tests on people in parks, traditional markets, supermarkets accidentally; all were negative.

Moreover, the health sector has had a scenario in preparation for more locally-transmitted cases and for the upcoming election of deputies to the 15th National Assembly and to the people’s councils at all levels in the 2021-26 tenure following the Ministry of Health’s guidelines.

Concluding the meeting, Chairman Phong, Head of the Steering Committee for Covid-19 prevention, highly appreciated the Department of Health and other agencies’ efforts to maintain the impressive achievements in preventing Covid-19 in two years.

He also affirmed that the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic has not yet come to an end, while the virus has more and more dangerous variants. Worse, HCMC has 3 high-risk groups including quarantine groups in centralized isolation areas; self-quarantined groups at homes, and illegal immigrants. The city authorities need to focus on controlling these risks, said Mr. Phong.

Hanoi (VNA) – Deputy Minister of Defence Lieut. Gen. Vu Hai San on May 11 emphasised the necessity of activating the COVID-19 prevention and control system at the highest level in the army.

While chairing a meeting of the Defence Ministry’s Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control on the same day, San, who is also head of the committee, said he highly values the efforts of army units in fighting the pandemic and that early preparations would help reduce the risk of infection.

All officers and soldiers need to uphold their determination in “fighting the pandemic like fighting the enemy”, he said, affirming that the army has always been among the leading forces joining the Party, State, Government and people to combat the pandemic.

Participants said COVID-19 continues to be complicated and unpredictable around the world, especially in neighbouring countries, which poses a big threat to Vietnam.

To continue to minimise the number of infections and fatalities and contain the spread of the pandemic, military units must continue to strictly implement documents from the Government, the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control, the Central Military Commission, and the Defence Ministry and its Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control, they said./.

VNA

Attending the event were Standing Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam, who is also head of the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control, representatives of relevant ministries and agencies, and leaders of the provinces and centrally-run cities.

At the teleconference, representatives of ministries, agencies and localities reported on the COVID-19 situation and proposed more active and effective solutions to combat the pandemic.

Based on these proposals, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh will make conclusions on urgent, stronger, more drastic and faster solutions for more effective pandemic prevention and control, in the spirit of “fighting the pandemic like fighting the enemy.”

On May 29 morning, Vietnam logged 87 new locally-transmitted COVID-19 cases, raising the total number of infections in the country to 6,657, including 5,164 domestic and 1,493 imported ones.

Source: VNA

Speaking at an online working session between the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control and representatives from ministries and agencies, the PM ordered scenarios to guarantee safety during the upcoming elections of deputies to the 15th National Assembly and all-level People’s Councils for 2021-2026.

He said under the Party leadership and with joint efforts of the Government and authorities at all levels and people, Vietnam has basically contained the pandemic.

Chinh said the new local-transmitted infections were partially due to the lax attitude of many localities, authorities, Party organisations and people, plus the long holidays.

The leader stressed the need to stay calm and keep a cool head to assess the situation and take suitable methods, thus fulfilling the goals of socio-economic development and COVID-19 combat.

Technological measures should be stepped up in the pandemic fight, he said, emphasising the importance of observing the Ministry of Health’s 5K message – khau trang (facemask), khu khuan (disinfection), khoang cach (distance), khong tu tap (no gathering) and khai bao y te (health declaration), plus the vaccination drive.

Cities and provinces need to improve their testing, quarantine and forecasting capacity, and put forth scenarios, the PM said, asking them to minimise adverse socio-economic impact of social distancing and seriously follow quarantine regulations.

Chinh also urged the Ministry of Public Security to work harder so as to prevent illegal immigration.

Regarding COVID-19 vaccines, he said the Government and the committee are making efforts in negotiations to soon acquire more vaccines.

Source: VNA

Trong said that since the pandemic broke out in early 2020, Party and State leaders and the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control have made close and drastic directions, and mobilized the involvement of the entire political system in the fight.

He lauded the joint efforts made by agencies, localities, forces and organizations, the support and solidarity of Vietnamese people, as well as the assistance of foreign friends.

Noting that the pandemic is developing more complicatedly and unpredictably, the Party chief stressed the importance of maintaining high vigilance to prevent the pandemic from spreading and breaking out, and actively get measures and scenarios ready to promptly deal with any possible circumstances.

The Party committee of the Government should focus on directing and mobilizing resources to accelerate the purchase and injection of COVID-19 vaccines, maintaining support for homegrown vaccine research and development, promoting international cooperation in pandemic prevention and control and vaccine supply, and quickly removing legal problems related to the selection and purchase of vaccines, stated Trong.

It is also necessary to strictly control entry into the country, ensure security and safety in important fields and regions and production areas which gather a large number of laborers, and strengthen the leadership, direction and governance over the implementation of socio-economic development solutions, he added.

Vietnam is dealing with the fourth wave of COVID-19 outbreaks that have spread on the largest scale and at the fastest pace ever, causing many difficulties for prevention and control and socio-economic activities. The country has to date recorded over 9,900 infections, including nearly 4,000 active patients and 55 deaths.