In his report, Chairman of HCMC People’s Committee Nguyen Thanh Phong confirmed the high quantity of new infections each day, but assured that most of them are in quarantined areas.
He informed that in the upcoming time, the city will focus on fulfilling the five core solutions:
· Medical units in HCMC must evaluate the current status and map Covid-19 hot spots in each district of the city based on the data of infections. From this, suitable plans about Covid-19 test sample collection must be prepared, along with decisions on quarantined areas and large-scale test collections, for timely handling of new hot spots.
Healthcare institutes in the city must form outbreak investigation teams, including the fast response force and voluntary medical students, to cooperate with the local police in order to effectively track F0 and F1 in their assigned areas for isolation and quarantine as soon as possible.
At quarantined areas in the neighborhoods, group testing of 5 people at a time using quick test kits must be carried out to pinpoint potential infections. Any group receiving a positive result will then go through a single PCR test to correctly identify the true F0, followed by swift tracking of the close contacts for further tests. This process is repeated once every 2-3 days.
In other highly potential areas in HCMC, group testing of 10 people at a time will be carried out, depending on the testing capability of the city, but results must be delivered within 24 hours and 12 hours for group testing and single testing, respectively. This process is repeated once every 5-7 days.
The city receives more devices to perform CPR from sponsors, the Health Ministry, and other regions in the whole country to serve this important task in order to eliminate virus sources in the community.
· Regarding the vaccination task, HCMC has already prepared a detailed plan for the fifth round, including the establishment of a Vaccination Coordination Center under the responsibility of a Vice Chairperson of HCMC People’s Committee.
In each district, there is a vaccination center, directed by a district leader. This center has sufficient equipment and human resources, together with an emergency team, to serve the local community. There will be 623 vaccination locations in 312 wards of HCMC, working from 8am to 8pm to serve 120 people each day.
Certain capable hospitals are chosen as vaccination locations for those with chronic diseases and high-risk people.
The fifth round will vaccinate 1.1 million doses to the community in 2-3 weeks.
“Besides observing the 5K rule and a social distance of 2m (6ft), the city will implement IT for vaccination appointments and administrative information input”, said Chairman Phong.
· The city continues to follow the treatment plan of 20,000 cases in HCMC, approved by the HCMC Health Department. Meanwhile, 50,000 beds are ready to accept Covid-19 patients.
· Regarding economic activities, Chairman Phong informed that HCMC has delivered instructions to manufacturing facilities, export processing zones, industrial parks, hi-tech parks to maintain their operations, but strictly follow all Covid-19 prevention regulations. They have to evaluate the infection risk every day, and update this report to the Covid-19 map accordingly.
Businesses are encouraged to allow their workers to stay on-site for both working and quarantine purposes. Any enterprises not able to satisfy safety criteria must cease their operation immediately.
· The city is now using a hotline to take care of the vulnerable and the poor sited in HCMC during the social distance time.
Chairman Phong concluded that after 2 days applying Directive 16, the traffic flow decreased by 60-70 percent. The city has saved special lanes for certified vehicles by the HCMC Transport Department at 12 border gates into HCMC, positively reducing congestions as reported on July 9.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh stressed that HCMC has been correct in applying Directive 16 at present, wholeheartedly supported by its residents. However, in the upcoming time, the city needs to be more determined to carry out the above solutions, adjusting any weaknesses on the way.
“The most important thing is not to leave anyone face a shortage of essential commodities during this 15-day period and minimize deaths caused by Covid-19. The health of all citizens must be the top priority right now” requested the Prime Minister.
Seeing various negative impact of this outbreak on people living in HCMC, Prime Minister Chinh directed that the city must strictly follow Resolution No.68 by the Government regarding financially supporting employees losing their job due to Covid-19, lottery vendors, scrap wandering collectors, and the vulnerable. Any unnecessary administrative procedures must be eliminated to deliver help to those in need as soon as possible.
More support centers must be created, with their own hotlines and Internet portal to receive report from the community about eligible cases.
The Prime Minister also mentioned the minimization of cross-infections in quarantined areas and hospitals. Simultaneously, the living standards of the healthcare staff must be taken good care of so they are strong to perform their duty.
He then asked that HCMC carry out the vaccination plan safely and effectively so that there is no infection between people coming for vaccination, and assured that 25 percent of the received vaccine will be delivered to the city.
Prime Minister Chinh praised the city on its idea of turning the elimination of Covid-19 hot spots around the city into a contest, with encouraging rewards to boost the spirit of those on duty.
Finally, he instructed that the Health Ministry prepare enough human resources and medical equipment for HCMC to fight against Covid-19, the Transport Ministry ensure smooth commodities flow in and out the city, the Agriculture and Rural Development Ministry take care of produce supply for the city, the Industry and Trade Ministry be responsible for other essential goods for the city, and the Labor, Ware Invalids and Social Affairs Ministry take charge of delivering financial aids to the poor in the city so that no one is left uncared.
In the meeting, Standing Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh said that HCMC should focus on testing, tracking F0, carrying out the vaccination campaign in this 15-day period, in hope of coming back to the new normal state as soon as possible.
He added that the city should include vehicle drivers, service providers, and members of the community healthcare team in the list of vaccination priority.
Secretary of the HCMC Party Committee Nguyen Van Nen expressed the appreciation of the city to people in other parts of the country, saying that each encouragement received, be it spiritual or physical, has greatly boosted the fighting spirit of HCMC residents.
Before this meeting, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh paid a visit to the field hospital accepting Covid-19 patients and the centralized quarantine area located in Thu Duc City, Vinmec Hospital, and Tan Thuan Export Processing Zone in District 7.
He reminded the necessity of maintaining a distance between patients, of protecting the healthcare staff from infection, and of implementing the ‘3 on-site rule’ (staying on site, working on site, and fighting Covid-19 on site).
