Both Da Nang Party Committee Secretary Nguyen Van Quang and municipal People's Committee Chairman Le Trung Chinh on Saturday afternoon stressed the need for the health agency to maximize the use of available resources to gear up for rolling out mass vaccination campaigns in the most effective and fastest practices.

Da Nang Party Committee Secretary Nguyen Van Quang (left) delivered his instructions at the Saturday meeting. Photo: PHAN CHUNG

Mr Quang affirmed that the health sector now has enough data for epidemic risk assessment of COVID-19 outbreak in Da Nang. The health officials were asked to continue to give advice to the municipal government to identify appropriate measures to fight COVID-19 as the city enters a new phase in the fight against the deadly disease.

Da Nang has relaxed some of its COVID-19 restrictions in yellow and green zones. The city will continue plans for mass testing to find hidden COVID-19 infections.

A total of 2,400 cases have been found in scope of 5 rounds of mass testing. Strict social distancing measures have been very effective in slowing the spread of the virus in Da Nang as well as reducing the severity and spread of infection.

Da Nang is taking all necessary measures to stop the spread of the virus in apartment buildings and alleys which are at high risk for COVID-19. Authorities in Cam Le, Thanh Khe and Hai Chau districts have taken timely and effective measures to evacuate their local residents from high-risk areas in a bid to reduce contact rates in the population, and thereby reducing transmission of the virus.

Secretary Quang directed these districts to ensure good and safe living conditions for evacuated people, and enhance monitoring of the places where evacuated people are living in an attempt to reduce the risk of SARS-CoV-2 spreading between them.

Mr Quang highlighted need for other districts of the city to take the initiative to adopt such measures in case of necessity.

He stated that many people who have already completed their compulsory quarantine period tested positive for the virus subsequently, therefore calling for enhanced COVID-19 measures in designated quarantine facilities as well as tighter surveillance over people who have already completed their compulsory quarantine period and are self-isolating at home.

Municipal People’s Committee Chairman Le Trung Chinh (right) called on relevant agencies and authorities at local level to issue travel permits to eligible people and businesses in order to facilitate their movement for essential activities after 8:00 am on September 5. Photo: PHAN CHUNG

Municipal People’s Committee Chairman Le Trung Chinh emphasized the need to put in place measures to ensure that there is no disruption to production and social activities after the city eased some of its COVID-19 restrictions from 8:00 am on September 5. The focus must be on issuing travel permits to eligible people and businesses in order to facilitate their movement for essential activities, Mr Chinh directed.

Mr Chinh asked authorities at local level and relevant agencies to enhance supervision of construction sites, industrial parks, companies and departments to ensure their strict compliance with the commended COVID-19 precautions after an increased number of their employees return to work.

Chairman Chinh stated that the city has seen a downward trend in coronavirus cases in recent days, urging the health sector to trace all contacts of confirmed cases in order to break the chains of transmission.

The health agency was asked to speed up vaccinations as a large amount of COVID-19 vaccines will be distributed in Da Nang in the coming time. Mr Chinh stressed the need to deploy about 2,000 healthcare workers to vaccination sites to administer vaccines to residents across the city.

The heed must be paid on increasing from the existing 1-2 vaccination points to 3-4 ones in each district in efforts to help local residents not go far away from their homes and allow space for social distancing.

Reporting by PHAN CHUNG – Translating by H.L