Sustaining Vigilance, Upholding Sense of Responsibility Amid Complex COVID-19 Evolution

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh called on authorities and individuals to sustain vigilance and uphold the sense of responsibility amid complex evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic in the world while chairing a meeting on COVID-19 response on Monday.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh chairs a meeting on COVID-19 response, April 26, 2021. Photo: VGP

The meeting was attended by Deputy Prime Ministers and leaders of the ministries of health, national defense, public security, foreign affairs, transport, and government office.

Concluding the meeting, PM Pham said the COVID-19 pandemic is evolving complicatedly around the world as evidenced by rising number of new infection cases and fatalities in many countries, including those to Southwest of Viet Nam.

Domestically, the country faces a high risk of potential resurgence of COVID-19 as precautious measures have not always been implemented seriously.

Given this, it is hard to complete the dual goal of socio-economic development and pandemic containment, the Government chief said.

The Government chief ordered ministries, agencies, localities, organizations and citizens to uphold the sense of responsibility and stay vigilant against the pandemic to protect public and individual health, seriously implement the preventive measures, focusing on the following tasks:

1. Heads of ministries, agencies and local authorities at all levels shall direct regular updates of the domestic and international pandemic developments in order to design proper response measures and scenarios, in which responsibilities of each organization and individual must be clarified.

2. For individuals: Seriously implement the 5K (in Vietnamese) message, especially mask wearing. For agencies, units and organizations, strictly abide by the regulations on COVID-19 safety protocols, regularly self-assess pandemic prevention and control requirements and measures and update self-assessment results on the anti-pandemic map system. Competent authorities shall have to strictly fine organizations and individuals that violate related laws.

3. The Ministry of National Defense, Ministry of Public Security, provincial-level People’s Committees, and relevant ministries and agencies shall strengthen supervision and inspection of the observation of the protocols on mandatory quarantine at concentrated sites and designated accommodations, as well as medical surveillance.

4. Ministers, heads of ministerial-level agencies and government bodies and chairpersons of provinces and centrally-run cities shall direct to reduce activities of mass gatherings; in case of necessity, the organizing units shall be responsible before the law for implementing regulations on pandemic prevention and control.

5. Chairpersons of provinces and centrally-run cities shall be responsible for ensuring the pandemic prevention and control, observation of preventive measures by organizations and individuals within their administrative boundaries. They shall be considered for penalties if the virus spreads to communities.

Border localities, especially Southwestern border provinces shall proactively work with the Ministry of National Defense and the Ministry of Public Security to coordinate with the neighboring countries in strengthening patrols and control of entrants via land and sea borders; be determined to prevent and strictly fine illegal entrants.

6. The Ministry of Health shall be more proactive in international cooperation to expand access to COVID-19 vaccine sources and quick test technologies while creating more favorable conditions for domestic vaccine manufacturing.

7. The working group membered by deputy ministers of foreign affairs, national defense, public security, health, and transport shall be responsible for strengthening control of entry of Vietnamese citizens, diplomats, foreign investors, and technical experts in accordance with the instructions provided by National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control.

8. The Ministry of Information and Communications, Ministry of Heath, Viet Nam Television, Voice of Viet Nam, Viet Nam News Agency, People’s Committees of provinces ad centrally-run cities, and press agencies shall continue to communicate on the pandemic, COVID-19 vaccination, and preventive measures in accordance with current regulations.

Source: VGP