PM orders strict enforcement of social distancing to quickly contain COVID-19
Given complicated developments of the COVID-19 pandemic, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh ordered strict enforcement of social distancing rules to achieve the goal of containing COVID-19 outbreak at the earliest.
Speaking at a national meeting on COVID-19 on Sunday, the Government chief said social distancing cannot be lengthy as it will affect socio-economic development and cause social distress.
Pham stressed the pandemic situation remains complicated and unpredictable, thus authorities must sustain vigilance against COVID-19 and ensure residents to comply with social distancing rules and to access to food and medical services.
He tasked subordinate levels to work out COVID-19 adaptive recovery plans when more vaccines are expected to arrive in the next two months.
According to Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son, head of the Government's working group on COVID-19 vaccine diplomacy, said Viet Nam received 33 million doses of vaccines as of September 4 and is expected to increase to around 50 million doses by the end of September.
As of 6:30 pm on Sunday, Viet Nam recorded 524,307 COVID-19 cases, including 520,013 community infections documented since April 27 when the fourth COVID-19 wave hit the country. Ho Chi Minh City remains the epicenter of the current wave with 251,934, accounting for 48 percent of the national caseload.
The daily COVID-19 count is expected to continue rising over the next days as localities are stepping up mass testing, said the ministry.
Among 23 cities and provinces currently undergoing social distancing, Soc Trang, Binh Phuoc, Ben Tre, Hau Giang, Bac Lieu, Ca Mau, Dong Nai, Phu Yen have brought the pandemic under control.
Meanwhile, Ho Chi Minh City, Binh Duong, Long An and Tieng Giang need to maintain drastic efforts to limit transmissions.
Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long said localities are on the right track in the fight against COVID-19 but the pandemic situation remains complicated and unpredictable.
