In a telegram sent to localities on December 6, the Ministry of Health said that the epidemic has recently become complicated in many countries, especially when the Omicron (B.1.1.529) variant appeared.
Epidemiologist Tran Dac Phu (senior advisor of the Public Health Emergency Response Center) also warned that `vigilance is needed`, because Omicron’s ability to spread quickly can overload the system.
Therefore, the Ministry of Health requires localities to continue to fight the epidemic, with the strategy of `5K principle + vaccines, treatment drugs + technology + people’s awareness`.
Monitor, test, and quarantine people entering the country, especially those coming/returning from countries and areas that have recorded and spread new strains such as southern Africa (South Africa, Botswana, Namibia).
Localities sent samples suspected of being infected with the Omicron variant to the Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology and the Pasteur Institute for testing and virus gene sequencing.
In the dispatch, the Ministry of Health also asked localities to focus on stratifying treatment, ensuring enough oxygen, ventilators, emergency beds, medication use… The top priority goal is to minimize deaths.
Industrial parks, schools, hospitals, production facilities, markets, supermarkets, railway stations, airports, bus stations… strengthen epidemic prevention and control.
A screen displays a syringe and the variant name Omicron in Toulouse, southwestern France on December 1.
Working with the Ministry of Health last week, Mr. Kidong Park, WHO representative in Vietnam, and Mr. John MacArthur, Director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Southeast Asia, proposed 4 elements.
The first is to strengthen surveillance and testing to detect Omicron infections early.
Minister Nguyen Thanh Long said that the Ministry of Health is closely coordinating with WHO and the US CDC in epidemic prevention and response to new strains.
Le Nga