Hanoi (VNA) – Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuchas ordered the health sector to conduct all necessary measures to makeCOVID-19 vaccines available in Vietnam this month either through purchasing or from UN organisations.

He made the request while chairing a meeting of permanent Government members on pandemic prevention and control work held in Hanoi on February 15, inresponse to complicated developments recorded in several localities nationwide.

The PM also required accelerating the research and productionof domestic vaccine. 

He assigned the Health Ministry to decide options, partnersand types of imported vaccines; identify priority subjects for vaccination; andcoordinate with the Finance Ministry in arranging needed financial sources.

Lauding prompt and drastic efforts made by the health sectorand many localities since January 27 to date, he underscored the fact thatnecessary social distancing measures have been implemented while thousands ofmedical personnel have been sent to COVID-19 hotspots.

However, the situation remains complicated with a number ofpandemic-hit areas like Hai Duong and Hanoi yet to curb their local outbreaks,Phuc noted.
The Government leader highlighted the need of more drasticimplementation of his Directive 05 on urgent COVID-19 prevention and controlmeasures, particularly in quickly zoning off outbreaks, larger scale testing,and speedy contact tracing.

He agreed to proposals to halt the organization of festivalsand activities of mass gatherings, and told the education ministry tocoordinate with localities to carry out online teaching in some localities.

He ordered restriction to Lunar New Year visits and travelin the first lunar month and strict adherence to COVID-19 prevention measures,particularly wearing masks in public areas, with stricter sanction ofviolations.

The PM ordered localities to re-conduct COVID-19 testing forforeign experts and tightly manage quarantine sites to avoid cross infections,with the army tasked with managing these sites.

He approved the enforcement of social distancing underDirective 16 in the entire Hai Duong province, adding that Hanoi and Ho ChiMinh City can implement the measure in high-risk areas.

Ensuring food security, promoting local farm produceconsumption, and tight monitoring of entry-exit activities are also necessary,according to PM Phuc.
In the past 12 hours to 6pm on February 15, 40 cases ofCOVID-19 were recorded, raising the national count to 2,269, according to theNational Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control.

Among the new cases, 38 are in Hai Duong province and two inHanoi./.