The highest priority at the complex and unpredictable developments of COVID-19 pandemic must be given to staying calm and keeping a cool head to assess the real situation and take more suitable measures, thus fulfilling the “dual goals” of driving socio-economic recovery and fighting COVID-19.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh presides over an online working session on Friday between the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control and representatives from ministries and nationwide localities. (Photo: VNA)

These statements were made by Prime Minister (PM) Pham Minh Chinh whilst chairing an online working session on Friday between the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control, and representatives from national ministries and agencies, and nationwide localities.

Da Nang Party Committee Secretary Nguyen Van Quang and Party Committee Deputy Secretary cum People's Committee Chairman Le Trung Chinh participated in this important online meeting.

The online meeting took place amid Viet Nam facing its fourth wave of the virus with community infections sweeping 16 nationwide localities.

Addressing the event, PM Chinh underlined a must-do for all nationwide localities to draw up scenarios to guarantee the ultimate safety during the upcoming elections of deputies to the 15^th National Assembly and all-level People’s Councils for 2021 - 2026 term which are slated to take place on May 23.

The national government chief pointed out to the fact that new locally-transmitted infections registered in recent days were partially due to the lax attitude of  authorities, and people of some Vietnamese localities, plus the recent long back-to-back holiday break.

Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam delivering his instructions on COVID-19 prevention and control at the Friday event (Photo: VNA)

The pandemic combating motto should be changed from defence to proactive fight and the proactive fight should remain as the key measure, he highlighted.

In particular, depending on the practical situation, coronavirus-stricken localities should apply lockdowns or social distancing measures on the narrowest possible scale to avoid their negative impacts on their communities.

In his perspectives, Deputy PM Vu Duc Dam also called for the enhanced public awareness of detecting cases of illegal entry and residence in their locales. Overseas Vietnamese, if not necessary,  should not return home at this challenging time.

Da Nang Party Committee Secretary Nguyen Van Quang and Party Committee Deputy Secretary cum People's Committee Chairman Le Trung Chinh participate in the Friday meeting.

According to latest report by the Ministry of Health, 15 new domestically-transmitted COVID-19 cases were detected in Viet Nam in the past 12 hours to 6:00 am on May 8, thus brining the total number of COVID-19 infections in the country amounted to 3,152, including 1,746 domestic cases. Of which, 176 cases were found since the latest wave of outbreaks hit the country on April 27.

Reported by NGOC PHU – Translated by A.T