NOTIFICATION

PRIME MINISTER’S CONCLUSION IN MEETING OF STANDING GOVERNMENT MEMBERS ON COVID-19 PREVENTION AND CONTROL

In the morning of May 07, 2020, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc chaired a meeting with standing members of the Government on COVID-19 prevention and control with the participation of Deputy Prime Ministers Truong Hoa Binh, Pham Binh Minh, Vu Duc Dam and Trinh Dinh Dung; Minister, Chairman of the Office of the Government Mai Tien Dung, Deputy Chief of the Office of the Party Central Committee Nguyen Dac Vinh, representatives of leaders of Committee for Culture, Education, Youth and Children of the National Assembly, Central Propaganda and Training Commission, People's Committee of Hanoi and People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City, and members of the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control (hereinafter referred to as “National Steering Committee”).

After listening to the reports from the National Steering Committee and the Office of the Government as well as opinions from the Deputy Prime Ministers and other attendees, the Prime Minister gave the following directions:

1. The Prime Minister commended the National Steering Committee and local governments, especially the healthcare sector, for their great effort in the fight against COVID-19. There are no new cases in the community for 21 consecutive days and all newly detected cases are people returning from abroad and already placed under quarantine to prevent community transmission. All localities across the country face low risk, or very low risk, of infection.

However, the pandemic is progressing unpredictably around the world with many countries having high numbers of infected cases and deaths. Thus, ministries and local governments must stay alert and strive to prevent COVID-19.

2. Our country has entered a new phase of the fight against COVID-19, which is also the start of economic recovery. All ministries, citizens and enterprises need to establish a new normal for socio-economic activities for our society to go back to normal, with a focus on economic recovery activities.

3. The following measures against COVID-19 shall continue to be implemented:

a) Strictly prevent imported cases. All persons entering Vietnam must be quarantined for 14 days; excluding investors, experts and highly-skilled workers, who shall be subject to suitable quarantine measures and placed under the supervision of enterprise owners and local healthcare authorities to prevent community transmission.

b) Be ready to respond to recovered cases testing positive again in the community. The National Steering Committee must maintain quick response teams and promptly detect, localize, isolate and eliminate hotspots efficiently. Under the direction of the Ministry of Health and People's Committees, local healthcare authorities must ensure all shifts are covered to promptly handle any COVID-19-related situation. COVID-19 prevention shall be the top priority of the healthcare sector and provinces and central-affiliated cities, especially large cities and key areas.

c) Enforce mandatory use of face masks in public places, outside of workplaces and schools and on public transit; and maintenance of hand hygiene and personal hygiene.

d) Further enhance capacity of COVID-19 laboratories, prepare machinery and reagents, and satisfy all conditions for testing. Follow and update COVID-19 situation and diagnostic reagents and techniques around the world and in Vietnam to fine tune tests as suitable to COVID-19 prevention and control.

dd) Conduct research into treatment regimens, and provide guidelines and training for grassroots healthcare establishments concerning monitoring of the community's health and guidelines on handling of suspected or confirmed COVID-19 cases or cases of other infectious diseases (if any). 

e) Prepare hospitals and treatment facilities and satisfy requirements for treatment of COVID-19 cases and other possible infectious diseases.

4. Restrictions may be lifted as follows:

a) Rules concerning distancing and number of seats on public transit (aircrafts, coaches, watercrafts, trains, etc.) may be removed.

b) Business, commercial and service establishments may reopen and have distancing rules lifted but must adopt safety measures such as use of face masks and hand disinfection. Restaurants and other food and drink establishments are only required to practice hand disinfection. Bars and karaoke services are not yet permitted to reopen.

c) Sports activities and activities with large number of participants may take place providing that safety measures such as use of face masks and hand disinfection are taken.

d) Healthcare establishments may operate normally to meet people’s demand for healthcare services.

dd) Schools and classrooms are not required to implement distancing rules; students do not have to wear face masks in class. Schools shall disinfect surfaces, clean rooms, classrooms and toilets, keep rooms and classrooms airy, and ensure that students maintain their personal hygiene and regularly wash their hands more frequently. 

Ministry of Education and Training and People's Committees of provinces and central-affiliated cities shall formulate plans for the high school graduation examination, organize this examination properly and ensure honest and impartial examination results.

5. Ministries and People’s Committees shall adopt measures and perform assigned tasks properly, including important tasks such as resolution of difficulties for enterprises; promotion of investment and business operations; provision of fiscal and monetary packages before the conference between the Government and enterprises on May 09; and focus on accelerating assistance for people facing difficulties due to the pandemic according to the Government’s Resolution No. 42/NQ-CP , ensuring that such assistance is transparent and delivered to the intended recipients, and preventing profiteering.

Relevant ministries, especially Ministry of Planning and Investment, Ministry of Industry and Trade, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, etc., shall vigorously promote investment from domestic and foreign corporations and enterprises.

6. Regarding customs clearance at minor border checkpoints on Vietnam - China border:

a) Reopen Binh Nghi, Na Hinh, Na Nua and Po Nhung minor border checkpoints and border crossing points at the request of the People’s Committee of Lang Son; and Bac Phong Sinh border checkpoint and Ka Long border crossing point at the request of the People’s Committee of Quang Ninh.

b) For other minor border checkpoints and border crossing points, People's Committees of border provinces shall, based on the situation in each province, carefully consider and maximize COVID-19 prevention and control effort to reopen minor border checkpoints and border crossing points in their provinces following the rules stated in the Government's Decree No. 112/2014/ND-CP dated November 21, 2014 on management of land border checkpoints and the Government's Decree No. 14/2018/ND-CP on border trade, and ensure procedures infectious disease prevention and control; and only reopen minor border checkpoints and border crossing points with large goods flow, especially for fishery and agricultural exports and ingredients imported for domestic production. These border checkpoints and crossing points shall be reopened for trade only, not for entry and exit; and such reopening shall not enable smuggling or trade fraud.

7. Ministry of Culture - Sports and Tourism shall urgently provide directions and guidelines for local governments to develop communications plans for safe destinations, which shall include specific and practical activities that suit the COVID-19 situation of each locality; boost domestic tourism; proactively organize the market and prepare plans to restart the international tourism market at the suitable time.

8. Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Public Security, Ministry of National Defense, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Transport and People’s Committees of provinces and central-affiliated cities shall continue to perform their respective tasks properly, including bringing stranded overseas Vietnamese back to Vietnam in a manner that ensures public order and suits our quarantine and receipt capacity.

9. Ministry of Finance shall enhance funding management and ensure timely allocation of funding for COVID-19 prevention and control for ministries and local governments. Funding must be used in compliance with regulations. Do not let state property sustain loss. All violations must be strictly handled as per the law.

10. Meetings of standing members of the Government and meetings of the National Steering Committee may convene less frequently and only convene when there are guidelines and important matters needing decision.

Ministry of Health shall proactively handle and regularly direct COVID-19 prevention and control, promptly report crucial matters arising to the National Steering Committee and the Prime Minister for consideration and decision; and prepare summaries of COVID-19 prevention and control, including rewards for organizations and individuals with exemplary achievements in the fight against COVID-19.

For your reference and compliance./.