DIRECTIVE

ON CLIMAX STAGE OF COVID-19 CONTROL EFFORT

In March 2020, the fight against COVID-19 continues with the participation of the whole political system, all ministries and all citizens. The situation is still under our control; our efforts are highly praised by the international community and the leadership of the Communist Party and the State is receiving full support from the people.

However, the pandemic is progressing unpredictably with rapid increase of confirmed cases and deaths and no sign of stopping. In Vietnam, there were only 16 cases in February, yet, in only 20 days (March 6 - 26), there are 137 new cases in 23 provinces and cities, which is 8,5 times higher than the number previously recorded. The total number of positive cases now stands at 153. Transmission to healthcare workers and community transmission have taken place, especially in a number of large cities, becoming a cause for concern among people. Our country has entered the climax stage of the fight against COVID-19.   

For efficient control and proactive prevention of COVID-19 on a national scale and for the protection of people's lives and health, the Prime Minister hereby assigns the following tasks:

1. Ministries, local governments and all people shall keep up the fight against COVID-19 and sacrifice financial gains for this fight; set people’s lives and health as the ultimate goal; intensify their efforts to adopt the solutions and perform the tasks concerning COVID-19 prevention and control as directed by the Politburo, the Secretariat, the Government and the Prime Minister; tighten discipline, avoid complacency and facilitate measures for early detection of transmission sources, timely quarantine, fast hotspot localization and thorough containment of the disease.

2. Provincial People’s Committees shall implement restriction of mass gatherings from March 28 at 12:00 AM to the end of April 15, 2020 as follows:

a) Stop all meetings and gatherings with more than 20 people in one room; do not form groups of more than 10 people outside office buildings, schools or hospitals; and keep a distance of at least 2m in public spaces.

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c) Suspend operations of service providers in their provinces, excluding those providing essential goods or services. Chairpersons of People’s Committees of provinces and central-affiliated cities shall decide the types of businesses that must suspend their operations.

d) Limit people’s movement, especially movement from infected provinces and cities to other localities. Ministry of Transport shall direct restriction of flights and passenger transport from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to other parts of the country. Suspend or reorganize public transit to limit movement and mass gatherings, excluding vehicles transporting goods.

The Prime Minister and competent authorities shall consider and strictly handle heads of local governments that fail to stop mass gatherings.

3. Ministry of Health, Ministry of National Defense, Ministry of Public Security and People’s Committees of provinces and central-affiliated cities shall:

Local governments at all levels, especially grassroots level, local police, commune-level police and local youth volunteers shall strictly monitor self-quarantined persons and restrict their communication with other people; and enforce mandatory quarantine on persons refusing quarantine as regulated. 

b) Continue to tighten control on all persons entering Vietnam by land (especially via borders with Laos and Cambodia), water and air. Enhance capacity for quarantine of all entrants in quarantine zones; focus on safety of entry managers, workers at border checkpoints, in quarantine zones and in other civil quarantine establishments. Provide suitable regulatory plans for receipt, classification and screening of entrants to avoid overloading quarantine zones located along land borders.

c) Ministry of Health shall direct medical service streaming to meet people’s healthcare demand; prepare plans to provide better care and the best protection for doctors and health officials, especially in hospitals treating COVID-19 cases; and give material assistance for provinces bordering Laos and Cambodia.

d) National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control shall continue to direct ministries and local governments to prepare the manpower, medical equipment, drugs and COVID-19 prevention and control plans necessary in case of widespread infection, including mobilization of facilities from organizations and enterprises; formulate plans for emergency declaration and report to the Prime Minister before March 28, 2020.

Provinces and cities shall expand testing. Large cities shall increase their testing capacity and perform early testing for timely quarantine.

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5. Ministry of Information and Communications and Ministry of Health shall continue to promptly provide adequate and transparent information on COVID-19 situation; focus on informing restriction of mass gatherings as well as encouraging and instructing voluntary health declaration and early detection and report of suspected cases to authorities. 

6. Ministries shall actively improve their performance to adapt to the ongoing fight against COVID-19; promote use of information technology and online direction, management, working, learning and administrative procedures; and give instructions and encouragement for people to switch to online public services and administrative procedures.

7. The Prime Minister would like to request people to remain calm and continue to support and trust in our anti-COVID-19 measures. Each citizen should become a soldier in this fight. People should avoid mass gatherings; leave home only when it is absolutely necessary, regularly wash their hands, wear facemasks in public spaces, look after their own health; avoid visiting healthcare establishments unless extremely necessary and follow recommendations from competent authorities, especially the elderly and persons with existing conditions.

8. Vietnamese Fatherland Front and other mass organizations shall enhance cooperation with governments at all levels in encouraging people to adopt anti-COVID-19 measures voluntarily and mobilizing resources for COVID-19 prevention and control from organizations, enterprises and people.

Central Committee of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union shall enhance the pioneering and voluntary spirit of the youth by actively supporting governments at all levels and people in the fight against COVID-19.

9. Besides fighting the pandemic vigorously, ministries shall also focus on adopting specific and effective solutions for current business challenges to ensure social security./.

THE PRIME MINISTER




Nguyen Xuan Phuc

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Chỉ thị 15/CT-TTg năm 2020 về quyết liệt thực hiện đợt cao điểm phòng, chống dịch COVID-19 do Thủ tướng Chính phủ ban hành