Public cooperation is the decisive factor to win the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, emphasized Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh presides over an online meeting on COVID-19 response,
Government Office, Ha Noi, August 15, 2021. Photo: VGP

Addressing an online meeting on COVID-19 response on Sunday morning, the Government chief said the pandemic situation remains very complicated or even serious in some areas.

Given the situation, Pham underscored the need to continue fighting the pandemic like fighting an enemy, considering it as the first priority in the nation now.

He urged subordinate levels to sustain high level of vigilance, stand ready for worse scenarios, rapidly conduct tests on high-risk groups to detect infected cases and to isolate the transmission sources.

Depending on the pandemic situation, each locality shall decide if F0s could be isolated and treated at home or at centralized quarantine sites.

PM asked the Ministry of Health and localities to consider giving priority to vaccinating those aged above 50 while calling on each individual to take whatever vaccine once it is his/her turn as the best vaccine is the one that one can get the soonest.

He demanded probe on COVID-19 vaccine sales as all COVID-19 vaccines are being administered freely to citizens.

Pham took the occasion to reiterate that the Government calls on businesses and localities to seek vaccine supply sources in order to help the Ministry of Health to acquire vaccines as much and as soon as possible.

The PM also asked local authorities to set up channels to receive and handle citizens’ requests to make sure that no one is left hungry or medically untreated.

Viet Nam is now struggling with the fourth COVID-19 wave, prompting 19 southern localities along with Phu Yen, Khanh Hoa, Da Nang, and Ha Noi to imposed social distancing rules to limit spread of the virus.

To date, the Southeast Asia country has confirmed 265,464 cases, including 96,985 recoveries and 5,437 deaths.

Of the national caseload, 261,463 are locally transmitted cases reported in 62 cities and provinces since April 27 when the fourth wave erupted./.