Da Nang Party Committee Permanent Deputy Secretary cum People’s Council Chairman Luong Nguyen Minh Triet, addressing a municipal meeting on Monday, demanded that local authorities at all levels and relevant agencies to tighten measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus amid the globally complicated pandemic, especially upcoming public holidays and political events being around the corner.

Da Nang Party Committee Permanent Deputy Secretary cum People’s Council Chairman Luong Nguyen Minh Triet, delivers his instructions on COVID-19 prevention and control at a meeting on Monday.

Continuously keeping high vigilance against COVID-19 

In reality, many worldwide countries, especially Viet Nam’s neighbours are, for the time being, facing complex developments of the pandemic.

Till date, no COVID-19 locally transmitted cases have been recorded in Da Nang, but this fact does not mean that Da Nang will totally be free from the risk of coronavirus resurgence.

Meanwhile, like other Vietnamese localities, Da Nang is ringing in the forthcoming the Reunification Day (April 30) and Labour Day (May 1) holidays, and the elections of deputies to the 15^th National Assembly and all-level People's Councils for the 2021-2026 tenure on May 23, and the peak travel season with anticipated large crowds and gatherings.

Based the aforementioned facts, the general pubic, therefore, is highly recommended to be on the high alert against the deadly coronavirus.

In particular, Chairman Triet asked functional local bodies, especially the Department of Health, to prepare precautionary plans, human resources and medical supplies to be ready in all situations. Even if a COVID-19 case occurs in the city, the planned elections will still take place at any cost. The ultimate safety of local voters in this important political event must be ensured in the most serious manner.

As per instructions by municipal People's Committee Chairman Le Trung Chinh, the top priority is being given to 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 habit of wearing face masks in public a social norm.

Besides, heed should be paid to maintaining the strict practice of pandemic prevention measures in hospitals, as well as detecting and strictly handling illegal border jumpers found in the city.

In the coming time, the healthcare sector should continue to carry out random sampling for ‘pool testing’ from those in certain target groups placed at risk of COVID-19 infection, especially tourists.

According to a report released by doctor Ngo Thi Kim Yen, the Director of the municipal Department of Health, since the start of this month, Da Nang has recorded 51 imported COVID-19 cases.

Representatives from relevant agencies also urged the municipal administration to ask for permission from Viet Nam's national government on suspending the reception of commercial repatriation flights bringing home Vietnamese nationals in dire circumstances amid fears over quarantine overload predicted for the coming time.

There are currently 38 hotels serving as temporary quarantine facilities with a combined total of more than 3,200 rooms and over 5,600 beds.

“The current use of some local hotels as temporary quarantine facilities may directly affect the trading activities of other nearby accommodation establishments and family-run businesses in the neighbourhood ”, said Truong Thi Hong Hanh, Director of the Department of Tourism.

Pre-vaccination examination is performed on a medical worker.

Pushing ahead with COVID-19 vaccination drive

Under the Da Nang government-approved COVID-19 vaccination drive for the 2021- 2022 period, by the end of next year, more than 500,000 locals will have accessed a total of over 1 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine.

In detail, from April 26 to May 15, more than 8,200 residents are being inoculated. The priority groups for this phase are frontline workers. Included are medical staff and others who are currently joining the fight against COVID-19 such as members of steering committees for COVID-19 prevention and control in all districts across the city, journalists and those working in designated isolation facilities.

According to Doctor Pham Hong Nam, the Director of the Son Tra District Medical Centre, his agency is carrying out COVID-19 vaccinations for 321 people from April 26 to 28.

Under the regulations of the Ministry of Health, COVID-19 vaccination sites meet strict standards for storing and preserving the vaccines, be arranged to include designated areas for reception, waiting, clinical screening, vaccination rooms, post-injection monitoring rooms, and anaphylactic treatment rooms with one-way rule, be equipped with anaphylactic treatment boxes, and comply with epidemic prevention regulations.

Reporting by PHAN CHUNG – Translating by A.T