speaks at the meeting of the national steering committee for COVID-19 prevention and control on October 15 (Photo: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) – Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam on
October 15 demanded serious compliance with rules on the management of people
entering Vietnam so as to prevent the transmission of COVID-19.
At the meeting of the national steering
committee for COVID-19 prevention and control in Hanoi, Deputy Minister of
Health Do Xuan Tuyen reported that as of October 15 afternoon, 38.8 million
infection cases had been reported around the world, including nearly 1.1
million deaths.
Europe is facing a new outbreak as the number of
new COVID-19 cases has been rising sharply there. Many European countries have
re-imposed measures in efforts to contain the resurgence, he noted.
Meanwhile, Vietnam has gone through 43
consecutive days without new . It has reported 1,124 cases
of COVID-19 so far, including 35 fatalities.
Tuyen said the (MoH) has
worked with other ministries and sectors to draft procedures for the entry,
monitoring and health quarantine of those entering Vietnam from “safe
countries” via commercial flights.
At present, people entering Vietnam have to
undergo COVID-19 testing three times, instead of twice like previously regulated,
so as to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
The MoH is managing information about those
entering the country, and it will provide access rights for local authorities
and health and police forces in the time ahead so as to facilitate the monitoring
of these persons in their localities, the deputy minister added.
At the meeting, experts emphasised three groups
that may trigger COVID-19 transmission: people entering Vietnam illegally,
those entering legally but not adhering to disease prevention and control
rules, and some imported goods.
Discussing procedures and measures to manage
persons coming from abroad, they also stressed the need to create favourable
conditions for foreign entrepreneurs, investors, workers, and experts to enter
Vietnam so as to meet domestic production and business demand.
Deputy Minister of Transport Le Anh Tuan
suggested relevant agencies soon issue detailed guidance for the reopening of
commercial international air routes, with priority given to routes linking with
safe countries, so as to help realise the “twin targets” of fighting against
COVID-19 and promoting economic growth.
Given the rapid spread of COVID-19 around the
world, Director of the MoH’s Department of Preventive Medicine Dang Quang Tan
said although the domestic disease situation has been brought under control,
staying vigilance is a must since winter with favourable weather for the virus
development is coming.
Disease prevention and control measures still
need to be continued, especially communications to raise public awareness, he
added, recommending big and populous localities like Hanoi, Da Nang and Khanh
Hoa to make the wearing of face masks compulsory and fine any who refuses to do
so like in Ho Chi Minh City.
Echoing the view, Deputy PM Vu Duc Dam pointed
out that as is spreading rapidly in the world, with almost 400,000 new
cases every day, Vietnam must not be off guard but consolidate all forces and
ready all anti-pandemic measures.
He requested serious management and quarantine
of people entering the country, stressing that they still have to be monitored
for another 14 days after finishing their quarantine period so as not to enable
a new outbreak./.
Source: VietnamPlus
