PM orders strict enforcement of social distancing rules during upcoming long holiday

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has signed official telegram No. 1108/CD-TTg, requesting provincial and municipal People’s Committee to strengthen COVID-19 prevention and control during the upcoming national public holiday.

This year’s National Day (September 2) falls on Thursday, thus employees will have two days off, on Thursday and Friday plus weekend.

As the COVID-19 pandemic has not been fully controlled, especially in southern localities while the number of community infection cases has risen over the past days, the upcoming four-day holiday may increase the risk of contracting or spreading the virus.

From that perspective, the Government chief tasked Chairpersons of provincial and municipal People’s Committees to uphold the sense of responsibility for the ultimate goal of protecting people’s health and lives; continue serious and effective implementation of preventive measures.

In localities where social distancing order is imposed, authorities shall have to strengthen the enforcement of the order, request people to stay where they are, and strictly handle those who deliberately violate regulations on COVID-19 prevention and control.

Authorities must ensure social security, social order and safety to help people rest assured as well as people’s access to health services.

For other localities, authorities must ensure serious enforcement of preventive measures, resolutely halt festivals involving large gatherings of people, entertainment venues and tourist sites.

Frontline forces shall have to sustain vigilance to timely detect and handle emerging pandemic-related issues, PM Pham ordered.

As of 7:00 pm on August 30, Viet Nam’s national COVID-19 patient tally reached 449,489, including 445,291 domestic cases confirmed since the fourth COVID-19 wave broke out in Viet Nam. Of the total, 228,816 patients have recovered and exited hospitals while the death toll stood at 11,064.