Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh speaks at online meeting between the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control with the steering committees of 63 provinces and cities (Photo: VNA)

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on December 10 requested increased vigilance as the COVID-19 pandemic continues developing complicatedly, with the appearance of the new and more contagious variant Omicron in many countries around the world.

Speaking at an online meeting between the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control with the steering committees of 63 provinces and cities, PM Chinh, who is head of the national steering committee, required extra efforts to reduce the numbers of new cases, severe cases, and fatalities.

He asked localities to continue implementing the Government’s Resolution 128/NQ-CP dated October 11, 2021 on safe and flexible adaptation to and effective control of the COVID-19 pandemic. No locality is allowed to issue regulations contrary to those by the upper level, he stressed.

Highlighting the need to provide sufficient vaccines and treatment drugs, the Government leader urged boosting the study and transfer of production technologies at home with safety and efficiency ensured and people’s lives put first and above all.

At the meeting, members of the national and local steering committees focused their discussion on the situation and causes of the complicated developments of the pandemic in the past time, vaccine allocation and vaccination process, as well as the demand for and ability to respond to treatment drugs.

They also exchanged views on measures to restore socio-economic activities, and maintain production and business./.