The global COVID-19 situation is still unpredictable. The number of new cases shows no sign of slowing down while more infectious virus variants have been recorded in more than 50 countries, among which, 20 have reported community transmission. There is a surge in the number of citizens coming back to Vietnam at the end of the year. Therefore, our country is at great risk of a new wave of infection. To enhance COVID-19 prevention and control, especially during major events of our country and the New Year, and to follow the direction of Mr. Vu Duc Dam, Deputy Prime Minister and Head of the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control, dated 07/01/2021 regarding enhancement of management after centralized quarantine, the Ministry of Health (standing body of the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control) hereby requests you to perform the following tasks:

1. Review and strengthen organization of handover, receipt and transport of persons having completed centralized quarantine to their lodgings for health monitoring for the next 14 days (starting from the date of issuance of the decision on quarantine completion). To be specific:

- The rule is that when a local government receives a person who have completed centralized quarantine, all conditions must be met and all documents and test results must be available.

- Units handing quarantined person over and units receiving quarantined person: health authority of the locality where the quarantine facility is located, quarantine organizer, quarantined person and health authority of the locality where the person stays after completing quarantine; in case the latter health authority is located far away from the person’s lodging, sign a document on the receipt with the former health authority and notify the latter health authority in writing.

2. Direct relevant units and individuals to perform the following tasks:

- Quarantine facility management units shall give instructions on how to self-monitor health condition for 14 days at home or in lodging to persons having completed centralized quarantine. Avoid meeting other people or visiting crowded places, regularly take measures against the disease following the 5K message of the Ministry of Health and other personal protective measures.

- Departments of Health (standing bodies of the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control) of provinces and cities where quarantine facilities are located shall send lists of persons having completed quarantine upon issuance of the decision on quarantine completion (including at least phone number and/or email and lodging address of these persons and photocopies of relevant documents) to Departments of Health of provinces and cities where these persons come to stay and relevant units for health monitoring for the next 14 days.

- Enhance use of information technology applications in management and monitoring of quarantined persons.

- Quarantined persons must make a declaration with the party cell secretary of the neighborhood or head of the village (neighborhood) when they arrive at their lodgings and make a commitment to self-monitor their health conditions, proactively notify local health authority of their health conditions upon arrival and keep a diary of their close contacts for the next 14 days.

3. Transport from quarantine facilities to lodgings

3.1. By road vehicles:

- Use separate vehicles (provided by persons having completed quarantine or units inviting entrants or quarantine facility heads or local governments); register the vehicles with quarantine facility management units in advance, and do not transport large number of people on one vehicle (accompanied by the driver or/and supervisor only).

- Persons having completed quarantine, drivers and/or accompanying persons (if any) must wear face masks throughout the trip, regularly use hand sanitizer when entering and exiting the vehicle and throughout the trip, install and activate the tracking application (Bluezone) continuously and take personal protective measures.

- Avoid having close contact (<2m) with other people during the trip.

- Avoid stopping along the way for food; it is recommended to travel directly from the quarantine facility to the lodging.

3.2. By aircrafts and watercrafts:

- Notify transport units of transport of persons having completed centralized quarantine in advance for them to know and formulate plans for adoption of measures against COVID-19 (such as seating arrangement, infection prevention and control measures, etc.) on their vehicles.

- Persons having completed centralized quarantine shall take personal protective measures and infection prevention measures in a serious manner according to regulations of transport units throughout the trip, regularly wear face masks and use hand sanitizer when entering and while boarding the vehicle and throughout the trip, make health declaration, install and activate the tracking application (Bluezone) continuously and take personal protective measures according to regulations.

4. Departments of Health of provinces and cities where persons having completed centralized quarantine come to stay shall receive information on those coming to stay in their provinces and cities, formulate health monitoring plans for these persons for the next 14 days (starting from the date of issuance of the decision on quarantine completion) and carry out such monitoring.

For your reference and compliance.

With sincere thanks./.

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