On January 16 afternoon, the Department of Preventive Medicine under the Ministry of Health sent an official dispatch to the health departments of provinces and cities nationwide requesting to strengthen epidemic prevention and control during the Tet holiday and festival season.
Particularly, the Ministry of Health asked localities to mobilize resources along with the participation of departments, agencies, unions and socio-political organizations in fighting against infectious diseases, especially during the Tet holiday.
Disease control centers and preventive medicine units have to regularly and closely monitor the epidemic development, notably the surge in cases of respiratory virus infections and severe cases of viral pneumonia.
Medical examination and treatment facilities were required to perform well the work of timely treating patients, minimizing severe cases and deaths related to viral respiratory infectious diseases and pneumonia; controlling the cases of respiratory tract infections; and preventing cross-contamination in hospitals and healthcare facilities.
Besides, it is important that the medical facilities make plans, assign tasks in detail and organize personnel on duty 24/7 during the Tet holiday; strictly carry out reports related to infectious diseases according to regulations; ensure enough medicines, vaccines, biological products, supplies, chemicals, equipment and human resources to deal with epidemic situations ahead.
According to the assessment of the Ministry of Health, the high demands of trade and travel along with unusual weather changes in the Tet holiday and Lunar New Year festival season will be favorable conditions for disease-causing elements to further spread, increase the number of infections, especially in children with weak resistance and the elderly with underlying medical conditions and those patients being susceptible to infectious diseases.
