2.Prime Minister: To be quick to take advantage of every hour and every minute against the COVID-19 pandemic

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc speaking at an online meeting with 5 localities​

Recalling the proverb "He who sees through life and death will meet most success", the Prime Minister said that this time, the pandemic came from many sources, becoming more complicated, it was necessary to deploy prevention measures in many aspects at the same time; 40,000 people in and out of Bach Mai Hospital in the past time must be monitored and screened; the patient No. 178 must be punished (due to his/her unstraight and dishonest declaration) for deterrence and education.

Jointly attending the meeting were Deputy Prime Ministers at the videoconference point of the Government Headquarters and local leaders at the points: Hanoi Ho Chi Minh City, Hai Phong, Da Nang, Can Tho and in isolated facilities concentrated in the areas.

Punishing the patient No. 178 for deterrence and education.

In conclusion, the Prime Minister highly appreciated leaders and people of big cities for making important contributions to the prevention and control of the COVID-19 pandemic in our country, especially the serious implementation of Directive 15 such as isolation and social distanceing, not getting crowded with people, stopping unnecessary services, circling the outbreaks promptly. The supply of essential goods to the people is guaranteed, having reserved 4-5 times more reserves than usual. Appreciating the strict handling of violations, the Prime Minister pointed out an example of one case in Hanoi that an individual was fined 200,000 VND for not wearing a mask in public.

On this occasion, the Prime Minister agreed that the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Public Security would coordinate the punishement on the patient No.178 (due to his/her unstraight and dishonest declaration) for deterrence and education.

Recalling the view that this is now a "golden time" and "golden hour" in the prevention of the pandemic, the Prime Minister emphasized that it is necessary to focus more on direction and administration, not to be subjective, "fighting the pandemic is the same as fighting enemies". Vietnam had 12 days and nights of victory in Dien Bien Phu in 1972, now we have 15 days or more to win over the pandemic, not letting it break out in Vietnam to protect our people's life and health. "This is the great, but honorable responsibility of us all."

The Prime Minister also emphasized the spirit as stated in the telegram of the Vietnam People's Army Command on April 7, 1975, as “more rapid, speedier, and more daring. Enlist every hour, every minute, rushing to the front, liberating the South. Decisive battle and full victory! "This spirit needs to be applied to the current pandemic prevention of our country.

Based on the situation of the pandemic, the Prime Minister suggested that specific and appropriate solutions should be specifically identified for each city, locality and residential area. Supervision and inspection activities should be prioritized to strengthen in high-risk places such as office buildings, concentrated residential areas, people's markets, shopping centers, hospitals, new urban areas with high population density and transportation hub, etc.

Lottery service agreed to suspend

In the continuation of the practice "going to each lane, knocking each house", everyone from other places to residential areas must be specifically monitored and declared. It is required to ensure the absolute isolation of areas where people are infected with areas without infected persons so that the infection can be immediately stopped, zoned and suppressed with the "4-to-do on-site guideline". Any level overloaded should give timely notification for support​.

View of an online meeting of the Government with 5 localities

Therefore, the capacity of on-site testing and rapid diagnosis of suspected cases must be strengthened. It is neccesary to focus on improving treatment capacity for all levels, training in treating doctors, health staff, including retired health staff.

It is necessary to set up the central system of each city to monitor changes in the pandemic prevention and treatment. All conditions must be available, ensuring immediate response to the worst situation such as food, field hospitals, and contingency forces, including the possibility of emergencies and more serious cases.

Other hospitals should be increasingly mobilized to treat COVID-19 patients in some localities.

"You, comrades, must continue to review and supplement the city's medical capacity in terms of human resources, equipment, service delivery capacity and on-site mobilization ability," said the Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister agreed to stop passenger flights to Vietnam and minimize trips to and from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to the provincial airports in the next 2 weeks.

Large cities, the places where labor-intensive manufacturing enterprises, especially industrial zones, need solutions to ensure social security for workers like some of the cities have done.

The Prime Minister agreed with the proposal of the Ministry of Finance, in the spirit of Directive 15, to suspend lottery service for 15 days, starting from the beginning of the next month.

The Prime Minister asked big cities to minimize administrative procedures and promote the use of online public services, considering this a mandatory task in the pandemic period.

Provinces and big cities should continue to widely propagate among the people about the Prime Minister's Directive 15 to make our people understand and forecast the worst situations to prepare the best plan and minimize the pandemic's consequences, avoid misunderstanding and misrepresentation, causing confusion among our people. After all, it should make each citizen understand and unanimously support the leaders of governments at all levels and the Government in this peak period.

The Prime Minister recalled that, in the case of Bach Mai Hospital and Buddha bar, there must be a specific plan in the spirit of drastically finding, localizing, and making large-scale isolation by technology and other methods to minimize infection from these outbreaks.

Recalling the proverb "He who sees through life and death will meet most success", the Prime Minister said that the first match we won was by identifying the pandemic as an enemy and actively attacking it; this time, the pandemic came from many sources with more complexity; therefore, multiple aspects (fronts) need to be deployed. The important thing is that at the same time, all of us are united; all of us work together, and react faster and more effectively to each situation in each city. "With that, we have faith in winning the COVID-19 pandemic in major cities of Vietnam and the success of big cities is a success for the whole country," said the Prime Minister.

At the meeting, the city leaders reported the situation of the pandemic prevention, affirming that they would strictly implement the Prime Minister's Directive 15.

From isolated areas in 5 big cities, officials, soldiers and staff all affirmed the highest working spirit for the community and for the people, ensuring the safety of our citizens.

According to officials in the isolation area in the city. Da Nang, the isolation area has many objects such as students, the elderly, children, monks but the officers and soldiers have all tried to meet the requirements of the citizens. There was a case of difficulty like a citizen from Nghe An when he heard of his father's death, intending to leave the isolation area, the officials then met, comforted and assisted him in  setting up an altar for offering incense to his father.

The representatives on duty in the isolation area in Can Tho said that the people highly appreciated the spirit and service attitude of officials and soldiers and affirmed to ensure good care for the lives of the people and always serve the isolated people considerately.