Immediate measures are to be taken to combat the transmission of disease whilst halting the potential spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) to the wider community, said Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc during a regular cabinet meeting on COVID-19 prevention and control held in Hanoi on March 13.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc speaks at a regular cabinet meeting
on COVID-19 prevention and control measures 

During the meeting PM Phuc singled out several ministries, sectors, and localities for praise following their recent great efforts in the fight against the COVID-19 epidemic, as well as highlighting the assistance given by organisations and businesses.

The PM detailed how the government is ready to provide a huge volume of goods to serve citizens in any potential situation, whilst emphasizing the need for people to provide accurate health declarations amid fresh outbreaks of the COVID-19 globally.

According to a report by the National Steering Committee on Epidemic Prevention and Control, it is estimated that between 2,000 and 3,000 Vietnamese nationals travel by air when returning to the country from Europe each day. Therefore, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs, along with the Ministry of Education and Training, should take steps to inform Vietnamese nationals who intend to return home about the necessity of filling out a mandatory electronic health declaration. Moreover, new arrivals in the nation are being encouraged to go into isolation for 36 hours after entry.

National airlines have been asked to guide foreign passengers traveling to the country by air to wear face masks on flights whilst also providing them with helpful information regarding the nation’s epidemic prevention measures. Airports are now distributing face masks for free, with their use being required when entering Vietnam.

Due to the nature of a globalised world, the nation faces a high risk of further COVID-19 outbreaks if foreigners entering the country are not brought under strict control. This is largely because any COVID-19 cases discovered on a flight involve the subsequent search for other passengers which is a time-consuming process and ultimately leads to the wider spread of the disease.

Experts in attendance at the meeting stressed that the government's active involvement in the fight against the epidemic and drastic measures aimed at controlling the behaviour of local people are crucial in combating the COVID-19.

The sustained efforts of both the government and people in implementing recommendations and measures will serve to protect lives and the wider community, while consequently helping to control the epidemic in an effective manner, they noted.

Regarding the global situation there have been a total of 126,500 COVID-19 cases occurring throughout 109 countries and territories worldwide, of which over 4,600 people have died. Over the past two weeks the number of COVID-19 cases outside of China has surged 13-fold, whilst the number of epidemic-hit nations has also trebled.