To:

- Ministries of: Health, Foreign Affairs, National Defense, Public Security, Transport, Information and Communications;
- The People’s Committees of provinces and central-affiliated cities.

Considering the Report of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs No. 3092/BC-BNG-LS-m dated December 22, 2020 on repatriation flights for Vietnamese citizens in the 1st quarter of 2021 and Document No. 07/BYT-MT dated January 5, 2021, the Prime Minister gives opinions as follows:

1. Due to the emergence of a new strain of Covid-19 virus which has been spreading faster in many countries, repatriation flights for Vietnamese citizens from now until the Lunar New Year will be minimized. In strictly necessary cases, each repatriation flight must be unanimously reported by the Ministries of Health, Foreign Affairs, National Defense, Public Security and Transport to the Prime Minister for decision.

2. The Ministry of National Defense shall take charge and cooperate with the Health Ministry in carefully preparing centralized quarantine facilities for Vietnamese repatriates. The quarantine period and procedures should be reviewed and considered in line with the requirements of prevention of the spread of the new virus strain, ensuring absolute safety.

3. The People's Committees of provinces and cities shall intensify the inspection of quarantine facilities (outside the areas managed by the Army) to ensure strict compliance with the regulations on pandemic prevention and control.  All cases of entry under short-term quarantine must undergo 14-day centralized quarantine, except for special cases subject to decision of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

4. The Ministry of Health, the People's Committees of provinces and cities shall strictly implement the reception, transportation and medical monitoring of persons who have completely undergone centralized quarantine. Strict actions shall be taken against violations.

5. The Ministry of National Defense and the Ministry of Public Security shall strengthen the management of cross-border entry and exit by land, waterway and sea.  The Ministry of Public Security and the People's Committees of provinces and cities shall direct the grassroots authorities to raise the awareness of the families with relatives living abroad to refrain them from repatriating to Vietnam illegally.  Those who repatriate by road and suffer financial hardship may be financed the quarantine funding by the State.

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7. The Ministry of Information and Communication shall direct press agencies to carry accurate news at a suitable frequency on the pandemic situation at home and abroad, to avoid disturbing public opinion and negatively affecting the socio-economic development in Vietnam.

8. Concerned Ministries, agencies and local governments shall strictly comply with the Prime Minister's instructions in Directive 01/CT-TTg dated January 5, 2021 and related documents on strengthening Covid-19 pandemic prevention and control.

MINISTER, CHAIRPERSON




Mai Tien Dung