Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam chairs the meeting of the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control on April 27

At a meeting of the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control, Dam, who is also head of the committee, pointed out the high risk of pandemic spreading from neighbouring countries and transmissions through foreign experts and Vietnamese citizens returning home from abroad.

He cited a report by the health ministry as saying that a hotel staff member in Yen Bai province who had close contact with Indian experts was confirmed positive for the coronavirus.

Apart from increasing inspections in border areas, relevant forces and all-level Party Committees and administrations need to encourage people, especially border residents, to report returnees from foreign countries to competent agencies.

Any illegal entrants must be strictly handled, Dam requested, asking the Ministry of Information and Communications to step up IT application in order to serve inspections in border areas.

Overseas Vietnamese should limit travelling and observe preventive measures set by host countries. They can register for returning home in case of necessity, the Deputy PM said.

At the meeting, the committee proposed the Government not charge those who enter Vietnam via land borders for COVID-19 testing and quarantine as most of them are in difficult circumstances.

Vietnam will continue to conduct flights to bring overseas Vietnamese home, in accordance with the pandemic situation in the region, host countries and Vietnam, the meeting heard.

Regarding Vietnamese nationals in India, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported that the Vietnamese Embassy has been working to repatriate those who want to go home in the time ahead.

The committee asked vulnerable localities, especially southwestern provinces, to enhance their testing capacity, and assigned relevant ministries and agencies to review quarantine capacity.

It also suggested the Ministry of Health press ahead with COVID-19 vaccinations, promptly negotiate to access foreign vaccine supplies, and step up domestic vaccine research and production.

As of April 27, Vietnam had reported 2,857 COVID-19 cases, including 1,570 domestically-transmitted infections.

As many as 2,516 patients have been given the all-clear so far. The number of fatalities remains at 35.

The country has gone through 33 consecutive days without domestically-transmitted cases.

Party senior official instructs stepping up COVID-19 prevention measures

The permanent member of the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat on April 27 asked the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control, and Party Committees of provinces, centrally-run cities, central agencies and mass organisations to further intensify COVID-19 prevention and control measures.

In a document issued on the day, the official stressed that the pandemic is developing complicatedly across the world, with resurgence happening in many countries, especially those which are near or share the border with Vietnam such as India, Thailand, and Cambodia and Laos. Therefore, Vietnam faces a high risk of the pandemic spreading into the country.

The official, therefore, required Party Committees and administrations at all levels as well as the Vietnam Fatherland Front and organisations to focus on leading and guiding the implementation of anti-pandemic instructions of the Party Central Committee's Secretariat, the Prime Minister and the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control, as well as guidelines of the Ministry of Health.

Vigilance must be maintained at all time, particularly during the National Reunification (April 30) and May Day holidays, and the elections of deputies to the 15th National Assembly and all-level People’s Councils for 2021-2026.

The Party delegation to the Government, the Central Military Commission, the Central Public Security Party Committee, the Party delegation to the Ministry of Health, and standing boards of municipal and provincial Party Committees in border localities need to step up border patrols to prevent illegal entry and strictly handle violations.

Apart from tightening the management of entry and exit activities at border gates, communication activities should be promoted to curb illegal entry, the document said, highlighting the need to facilitate the legal entry of Vietnamese citizens as well as their quarantine in line with COVID-19 prevention and control regulations.

The official also ordered drawing up prevention plans and limiting unnecessary big gatherings, while accelerating the COVID-19 vaccination drive in line with the Government’s Resolution No. 21/NQ-CP dated February 26 on the purchase and use of COVID-19 vaccines, and vaccination coverage.

The Party Central Committee’s Information and Education Commission was asked to instruct the mass media to provide timely and accurate information about COVID-19 for the public.

Meanwhile, the Mass Mobilisation Commission, the Vietnam Fatherland Front and mass organisations at all levels, especially those at the grassroots level, continue to work to raise public awareness of the pandemic, according to the document./.VNA