Acting health minister warns about rapid virus spread in winter-spring at a meeting on August 27.
According to Long, the outbreak in Hai Duong, Quang Nam provinces and Danang City have basically been brought under control. However, experts also warned that Vietnam will continue to see more community cases and another outbreak may occur if the public is not cautious enough. Moreover, the authorities also have to deal with imported cases.
"We have to be strict and play for the long-term or else the virus will spread more quickly than our response. We must be fast in detecting new cases, new outbreaks and tracing contacts to ensure rapid quarantining," he said. "Our jobs will be difficult since we are trying to restore the economy at the same time. We just have to work harder."
He asked localities authorities to carry out preventative and control tasks following eight instructions. The first is to strictly follow all orders for virus prevention. The Ministry of Health has issued 50 directives.
"We are afraid that the virus will spread faster in the humid weather. What will happen if we have hundreds of cases at the same location at the same time?" he said. "Local departments of health must review their jobs and report to the local authorities. Everyone must follow regulations at quarantine centres and people who are waiting for test results must not be allowed to leave the premises."
Another issue was improving testing capacity. The National Institute of Hygiene And Epidemiology was asked to organise a training course for localities on how to use the ELISA test kit produced by Vietnam.
Hospitals must ask patients and relatives to fill in the medical declaration forms in the most suitable way. They must also ensure the hygiene and safety at hospitals.
"We are glad that Hanoi authorities had suspended three hospitals for failing to meet safety standards during a pandemic. All places can be infected, even hospitals that seem to be least vulnerable such as children and obstetric hospitals should still be careful," Long said.
The Ministry of Health has ordered to suspend medical facilities that fail to meet safety standards. If violations are repeated, the head of the facility must take full responsibility.
Safety must be ensured for all medical staff. Hospitals should test their staff more, especially employees at key departments like the ICU. They must make plans to move patients with kidney problems to other locations in case of emergencies. Hospitals must have training courses and proper protective suits for their staff.
In relation to Vietnamese people who have tested positive when travelling abroad, the Ministry of Health asked the Vietnam General Department of Preventive Medicine to maintain contact with other countries' health departments to find out more information and tighten management to detect new cases.
The Ministry of Health asked local authorities to be active in buying enough equipment that will last until next year.
