Experts urge solutions for "safe coexistence" with COVID-19

Experts discussed measures for both fulfilling disease prevention and safe operation of the relevant sectors during a meeting of the National Steering Committee on COVID-19 Prevention and Control on the morning of April 20.

At the meeting, delegates suggested that there must be adjustments in direction to adapt to the new developments of the disease. The goal is to live safely with COVID-19 but remain wary while taking advantage of the stable situation to boost production and business operation.

As the pandemic may persist for a long time, the government has urged authorities and the public not to be complacent in the fight against the disease and to boost the economy at the same time.

For that reason, the Steering Committee asked the Ministry of Health to continue to closely review all regulations relating to the admission of people to medical examination and treatment at health facilities, as well as to be responsible for providing guidance on ensuring safety at work.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade was asked to formulate and issue instructions on safe production and business operation for enterprises, production units and factories. The Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs should provide regulations and framework guidelines to ensure safety for workers at both production facilities and in freelance operations.

In particular, localities are responsible for guiding, inspecting and supervising the implementation of disease prevention and control regulations by supermarkets, wet markets and shops, as well as freelance workers and street vendors.

For the safety of travelers, students and tourists, representatives from the relevant ministries also stated that they would review previous guidelines on disease prevention while updating new preventive measures in adherence to general guidance from the health sector.

Regarding safe schooling, Deputy Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Huu Do said that in addition to previously issued guidance, his ministry would coordinate with the health sector to supplement it with new measures, such as asking students to wear face masks when going to school, teaching in shifts and ensuring a safe distance for students in the classroom, in addition to combining classroom learning with online learning.

Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Trinh Thi Thuy said that her ministry has prepared guidelines to ensure safety for tourism, entertainment, cultural and sports establishments as and when these facilities are allowed to operate again.

Five more COVID-19 patients given all-clear

On the same day, the Steering Committee confirmed that five more COVID-19 patients were given the all-clear in three treatment facilities across the nation, lifting the number of total recoveries to 207.

The discharged patients include two foreigners and three Vietnamese.

Patient 228 was released from the General Hospital of Nho Quan District in the northern province of Ninh Binh after being hospitalised for two weeks. The 29-year-old man tested negative for the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) causing COVID-19 three times, on April 12, 14 and 19.

Two other patients – both Vietnamese returnees from Bangkok, Thailand – recovered at the Cau Treo International Border Gate Regional Hospital in the central province of Ha Tinh. They are Patient 210, a 26-year-old woman, and Patient 238, a 17-year-old girl.

The remaining two are foreigners who are both linked to Ho Chi Minh City’s largest COVID-19 cluster Buddha Bar in District 2. The duo – Patient 224, a 39-year-old Brazilian man, and Patient 236, a 26-year-old British woman – received treatment and recovered in the city’s Cu Chi District Field Hospital.

All of them are now in stable condition with no fever, cough or shortness of breath.

After being discharged, the five patients will continue to be quarantined and monitored for the next 14 days.

As of April 20 at noon, Vietnam had reported no new COVID-19 cases over the last four consecutive days. The country’s total confirmed cases still stands at 268 with zero deaths. With the latest five discharges, the recovery rate in Vietnam has now risen to 77%.