OFFICIAL TELEGRAM

ON ENHANCEMENT OF COVID-19 PREVENTION AND CONTROL MEASURES IN HEALTHCARE ESTABLISHMENTS

FROM MINISTRY OF HEALTH TO:

People’s Committees of provinces and central-affiliated cities.

On 27/01/2021, after 57 days without community transmission, community transmission was identified in Hai Duong and Quang Ninh provinces. Confirmed cases in Hai Duong are connected to a case in Japan that tested positive for the new “super infectious” virus variant B. 1. 1. 7.

In response to this extremely serious development of the COVID-19 pandemic and to implement the Prime Minister’s Directive No. 05/CT-TTg dated 28/01/2021 on some urgent COVID-19 prevention and control measures, the Ministry of Health, standing body of the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control, and the Treatment Subcommittee request People’s Committees of provinces and central-affiliated cities to direct their affiliates and heads of relevant units to perform the following tasks in an urgent manner:

1. Heads of healthcare establishments shall urgently maintain and tighten control over patient screening and streamlining according to the guidelines in Official Dispatch No. 1385/BCDQG dated 19/3/2020; perform another assessment according to the criteria for hospitals safe from COVID-19  promulgated together with Decision No. 3088/QD-BYT dated 16/7/2020 and criteria for clinics safe from COVID-19 promulgated together with Decision No. 4999/QD-BYT dated 01/12/2020; update the assessment results to the online software, immediately resolve existing issues and continue to strictly review and comply with regulations on COVID-19 prevention and control measures promulgated together with Decision No. 5188/QD-BYT dated 14/12/2020. Adopt the “5K” message seriously; and impose penalties upon those refusing to wear facemasks.

2. Vigorously take measures to protect front-line healthcare workers, ensuring that no worker is infected. Provide sufficient personal protective equipment and infection control equipment for healthcare workers. Review ventilators and other equipment, medicines and materials used for COVID-19 prevention and control. Cooperate with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) or hospitals capable of testing for SARS-CoV-2 using Realtime RT-PCR technique in urgently collecting samples from all healthcare workers (may consider pool testing).

3. Healthcare establishments shall make up prescriptions and dispense medications for chronic diseases for a longer period of time for all patient groups (maximum 03 months).

4. Indicate early SARS-CoV-2 testing for patients following the guidelines in Official Dispatch No. 5268/BYT-KCB dated 01/10/2020 to detect the disease early on, place confirmed cases in strict isolation and prevent the disease from spreading in hospitals; collect samples from random inpatients in hospitals, prioritizing those at high risk (may consider pool testing according to risk assessment)

5. For healthcare establishments located in Hai Duong province, Quang Ninh province and Red River Delta:

- Organize treatment and streamlining of patients with severe and non-severe illness, refer patients to another level of services where necessary.

- Raise COVID-19 prevention and control to the highest level.

- Collect samples from all patients in the emergency department and intensive care unit and at least 30% of all inpatients of other departments to detect risk early on (may consider pool testing according to risk assessment).

Local governments shall review and report to the Treatment Subcommittee (Medical Services Administration), including difficulties and request for support from higher levels of services (if any), on a regular basis.

For your reference and compliance. Heads of healthcare establishments and heads of relevant units shall take responsibility for COVID-19 prevention and control in areas under their management.

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