On the continuation of preventive measures against COVID-19 with the new circumstance
Hanoi, April 24th, 2020
COVID-19 has spread widely around the world with millions of infected cases and hundreds of thousands of deaths, resulting in severe socioeconomic impacts on a global scale. After three weeks of social distancing in accordance with Directive No. 16/CT-TTg issued by the Prime Minister on March 31st, 2020, the nation has timely identified and managed outbreaks, continuing to control and minimize community spread. Most of the infected cases have recovered and no death reported yet. However, the pandemic continues to develop in a complicated way. The risk of outbreaks remains high, negatively affecting the economy, the society and people’s lives.
In order to effectively implement measures to prevent and control the pandemic, resume and continue to grow the economy, ensuring social security and stability, the Prime Minister has ordered:
a) Unify the awareness and actions, effectively consolidate the stance of ‘fighting the pandemic as if fighting the enemy,’ mobilizing the whole political system and all people. Disciplines, laws, and the responsibility of leading figures shall be upheld. Execute preventive measures against the pandemic as directed by the Political Bureau, Secretariat Committee, National Assembly, Government, and Prime Minister. At the same time, continue to develop businesses and production activities to resolve employment issues in accordance with the management of the Chairpeople of the People’s committees of provinces and municipalities with specific requirements;
b) Personnel, party members and officials shall be exemplary, leading the effort of implementing preventive measures against the pandemic;
c) Strictly follow the principles for preventing and controlling the pandemic: halting, detecting, quarantining, containing, and stopping outbreaks while providing effective treatment, minimizing fatality; ‘4 on-the-spots’ strategy, leaving absolutely no room for negligence and complacency;
d) Relaxing of previously implemented pandemic prevention and control measures is permitted in accordance with the development of the pandemic; socioeconomic activities shall be resumed on the basis of maintaining effective control of the pandemic, especially in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and other major cities.
a) People shall wash their hands regularly with soap or hand sanitizers, wear face masks when going outside, maintain a safe distance during social interactions, and avoid gathering in large numbers at public places with the exception of offices, schools, and hospitals;
b) Festive activities, religious ceremonies, sports tournaments, and other crowded events in public places and stadiums and other non-essential events continue to be suspended.
c) The suspension of non-essential businesses (entertainment facilities, beauty salons, karaoke shops, massage parlors, bars and discos, etc.) and other services must continue at the discretion of the Chairpeople of the People’s committees of provinces and municipalities.
d) Other commercial services (wholesalers, retailers, lottery ticket vendors, hotels, lodging establishments, restaurants and eateries, etc.) with the exception of the establishments as mentioned in point c of section 2 above and sports training centers, monuments and attractions may resume operations but must practice pandemic safety measures as follows: Provide employees with protective gears, measure body temperature of visitors; set up facilities and supplies for hand washing and sterilization at the establishment and maintain a safe distance during social interactions.
đ) Intra-province and inter-province passenger transport activities may resume provided that pandemic safety measures are in place as instructed by the Ministry of Transport: passengers and drivers shall wear face masks; facilities, soaps, and hand sanitizers shall be sufficiently available for passengers.
In the case of air transport, air-appropriate safety measures shall be implemented to ensure the safety of passengers and prevent the spread of the disease.
e) Reduce and spread out the number of students in each classroom as well as arrange for students to attend classes, lunch, and group activities at different time frames to avoid large gatherings; disinfect the classrooms; utilize online learning and implement pandemic preventive measures for students.
g) Factories and manufacturing facilities may resume operations and shall adopt pandemic prevention and control measures for all employees.
h) Heads of agencies, units, organizations, and facilities are responsible for designing appropriate working plans for their establishments to ensure the safety of their employees; do not organize non-essential meetings and conferences of large numbers; tasks, especially those with deadlines or statute of limitations as per laws and public services for the people and businesses shall not stagnate.
Events for the political, economical, or social purposes that are deemed essential shall be at the discretion of provincial-level and local governments and shall maintain measures to prevent the spread of the disease, such as wearing face masks, sterilizing hands, spacing out seats; conducting health checks; parties and ceremonies shall not be organized.
a) High-risk provinces, municipalities, and areas shall continue to strictly implement pandemic preventive measures in accordance with Directive no. 16/CT-TTg issued by the Prime Minister on March 31st, 2020.
b) Average-risk provinces and municipalities:
– Advise the people to avoid going out unless necessary and conform with pandemic preventive measures.
– Do not gather over 20 people in public places with the exception of offices, schools, and hospitals; maintain a minimal distance of one meter during social interactions.
c) Low-risk provinces and municipalities:
– Encourage people to avoid going out unless necessary and conform with pandemic preventive measures.
– Do not gather over 30 people in public places with the exception of offices, schools, and hospitals; maintain a minimal distance of one meter during social interactions.
d) The Chairpeople of the People’s committees of provinces and municipalities involved shall decide the parameters of high-risk areas and direct the implementation of pandemic preventive measures in accordance with Directive no. 16/CT-TTg issued by the Prime Minister on March 31st, 2020.
a) Timely detection, quarantine, containing and effective management of outbreaks; utilizing information technology to search for and identify potential cases.
b) Appropriate allocation of treatment facilities upon patient admission, prevention of spreading at medical establishments as well as the safety of medical staff, pandemic workers, the elderly, people with underlying health conditions and those vulnerable.
c) Providing guidelines to prevent and control the pandemic at manufacturing facilities, business and service establishments, and modes of transport.
a) The Ministry of Industry and Trade and other ministries and divisions involved shall focus on the expedition of export contracts with EVFTA countries; prepare necessary conditions and goods, especially goods with advantages and potentials for exportation to immediately resume operations once other countries remove their restrictions and reopen markets.
b) Continue to screen and ensure supplies as well as transportation, providing raw materials for production and exportation.
c) Promote the development of local markets, making measures available for stimulating demand and boosting the consumption, especially e-commerce and retailing systems to ensure sufficient supplies of essential goods for the people under any circumstance; slowly resume domestic tourism.
d) Proactively research and develop plans to resume socioeconomic activities, maintaining safety measures for preventing and controlling the pandemic.
PRIME MINISTER
Nguyen Xuan Phuc