OFFICIAL TELEGRAM

ON ENHANCEMENT OF COVID-19 PREVENTION AND CONTROL

From THE PRIME MINISTER to:

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to progress unpredictably around the world with increases in new cases and deaths in many countries, especially some of our neighboring countries. In Vietnam, although the disease is under control, the threat of another outbreak is ever present, especially from persons entering our country legally and illegally; some have started to relax their vigilance or not comply with prevention and control measures, and vaccine hesitancy has appeared.

To protect our COVID-19 prevention and control achievements, accomplish the dual targets and best protect people’s health, especially during upcoming holidays, the Prime Minister Prime Minister requests you to perform the following tasks:

1. Ministries, ministerial-level agencies, Governmental agencies and People's Committees of provinces and central-affiliated cities shall remain on full alert to COVID-19 risk, enhance leader’s responsibility, and vigorously, consistently and efficiently take prevention and control measures with the motto of “active prevention, early detection, quick quarantine, effective treatment, complete elimination and fast situation stabilization”.

Ministers, heads of ministerial-level agencies and heads of Governmental agencies shall take responsibility for COVID-19 prevention and control in areas under their management. Chairpersons of People’s Committees of provinces and central-affiliated cities shall take primary responsibility for COVID-19 prevention and control in their provinces and cities; and report to party executive committees at the same level for consistent directions.

The Minister of Health shall give professional directions, proactively advise on and propose matters that are interdisciplinary or beyond their competence; expedite regulatory bodies and governments at all levels to follow directions of the Government, Prime Minister and National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control; and submit consolidated reports on the situation and results to the Prime Minister.

2. Ministries, ministerial-level agencies, Governmental agencies and People’s Committees of provinces and central-affiliated cities shall robustly give directions for the following measures and inspect and supervise proper adoption thereof:

a) Strictly comply with the 5K requirements of the Ministry of Health, especially mandatory use of face masks in public places, in mass gatherings and on public transit.

b) Regulatory bodies, units, organizations, enterprises, etc. shall regularly self-assess their compliance with COVID-19 prevention and control requirements and measures, and update the assessment results to the COVID-19 prevention map.

c) Regularly inspect and expedite adoption of COVID-19 prevention and control measures in areas under their management, especially healthcare facilities, schools, tourism establishments, production establishments, wet markets, supermarkets, airports, transport hubs, etc.; and strictly penalize organizations and individuals failing to comply with prevention and control requirements.

d) Proactively update and complete plans for response to all outbreak situations.

dd) Upon detection of a confirmed case, focus on giving directions and immediately taking hotspot identification, tracing and quarantine measures; do not let the disease spread out. Quarantine, blockage and social distancing measures must be adopted in a practical and efficient manner, ensuring safety but not disrupting business operations more than necessary and minimizing adverse impact on business operations and people’s daily life.

e) Continue to limit non-essential mass gatherings; take safety measures strictly, especially use of face masks, disinfection, etc., according to regulations during essential mass gatherings.

3. The Ministry of Health shall:

a) Review and complete national COVID-19 prevention and control plans, ready for all situations.

b) Review and complete COVID-19 prevention and control measures as suitable for new situation, and provide guidance on safety measures applicable to mass gatherings and frequently crowded facilities.

c) Urgently and properly implement the Government’s Resolution No. 21/NQ-CP dated February 26, 2021 on purchase and use of COVID-19 vaccines; distribute vaccines and organize vaccination according to the pandemic situation before the vaccines expire, ensuring absolute safety. Continue to obtain vaccines from other sources around the world proactively while enhancing domestic vaccine research and production.

d) Promote proactive screening and large-scale testing of those having cough, fever, breathing difficulty or respiratory tract infection and other cases at high risk of infection in the community.

4. The Ministry of National Defense, Ministry of Public Security and People's Committees of provinces and central-affiliated cities shall continue to control entry and exit along borders strictly.

The Ministry of Public Security and People's Committees of provinces and central-affiliated cities shall further search and quickly detect illegal entry to Vietnam in areas under their management and strictly handle these cases as prescribed by law, especially in border provinces and along the southwest border.

5. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Public Security, Ministry of National Defense, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Transport and People's Committees of provinces and central-affiliated cities shall properly control entry to Vietnam, quarantine and medical monitoring after quarantine within their competence and, concurrently, prepare to safely receive more people into Vietnam as suitable for the pandemic situation to facilitate development.

Relevant ministries and People's Committees of provinces and central-affiliated cities shall properly manage and supervise facilities where persons entering Vietnam are quarantined to prevent cross-infection and community transmission.

6. The Ministry of Information and Communications, Ministry of Health, Vietnam Television, Voice of Vietnam, Vietnam News Agency, People's Committees of provinces and central-affiliated cities and press agencies shall continue to carry out communications activities for people to keep vigilant, vaccinate against the disease and take preventive measures according to regulations voluntarily./.

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