The Da Nang Party Committee has released an official dispatch which instructs all local departments, agencies and district-level authorities to strictly practice protective measures against COVID-19.

The Da Nang preparatory move came after more new locally transmitted coronavirus infections were confirmed in some northern Vietnamese localities over recent days, ending nearly two months of no local transmission in Viet Nam.

Some highly noticeable instructions to which the general public must pay special heed are specifically stipulated as below.

The public must ensure the strict practice of the Health Ministry-mandated 5K (in Vietnamese) motto: namely ‘Khau trang’ (Face mask) – ‘Khu khuan’ (Disinfection) – ‘Khoang cach’ ‘Distance’ - ‘Khong tu tap’ (No gatherings) – ‘Khai bao y te’ (Health Declaration) in a bid to prevent the spread of the virus. In particular, focus should be on making the public habit of wearing face masks a social norm.

Also importantly, it is a must-do to increasingly inspecting the practice of pandemic prevention measures in workplaces, residential areas, and such places facing a high risk of coronavirus infections as supermarkets, railway stations, airports, schools, hospitals, factories.

Strict penalties will be imposed on any violations of Viet Nam's national government-mandated pandemic prevention and control regulations, especially cases of not wearing face masks at public places.

Heed will be paid to limiting the organisation of unnecessary large gatherings, events and festivals, especially before and during Tet.

Closer eye, accompanied with strict inspections and medical interventions, will be set on recent arrivals from some northern localities which are Viet Nam’s coronavirus hotspots for the time being.

Also, functional local bodies must increase their regular patrols and inspections over major entry/exit points in Da Nang in order to detect and handle those who are found taking advantage of road traffic activities to commit illegal acts, especially the smuggling of foreign nationals into Vietnamese territory.

Viet Nam reported 34 new COVID-19 community cases over the past 12 hours to 6:00 on 30 January, according to Viet Nam's National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control.

The national count of COVID-19 stands at 1,739, with 1,448 recoveries and 35 virus-related deaths as of Saturday morning.

More than 21,850 people who had close contact with COVID-19 patients or came from pandemic-hit areas are under medical monitoring nationwide.

Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long said on Saturday morning that the ministry had approved the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine. This is the first inoculation licensed for distribution in Viet Nam. AstraZeneca has committed to provide 30-50 million doses in 2021, 50,000 of which should be available in Vietnam in February, according to the health ministry.

By PHAN CHUNG- Translated by A.T