A huge number of visitors to Ba Ria-Vung Tau during Reunification Day on April 30 and International Labor Day on May 1. The prime minister has ordered the enhancement of Covid-19 prevention and control measures - PHOTO: NLDO

HCMC – The prime minister has criticized eight cities and provinces as they have shown signs of neglect in the fight against Covid-19, while the pandemic is emerging increasingly complicated.

Specifically, the governments of Danang, Ba Ria-Vung Tau and Khanh Hoa must effectively follow the requirements of the national steering committee for Covid-19 infection prevention and control and the Ministry of Health, the local media reported.

Vinh Long, Dong Thap and Tien Giang should learn from experience as they had slowly deployed the Ministry of Health’s recommendations on ensuring equipment for pandemic prevention and control and testing capacity.

In addition, Danang, Ha Nam and Yen Bai were required to clarify the responsibility of individuals and collectives, even criminal liability, in an objective, fair and strict manner, in line with the law.

The prime minister also hailed Vinh Phuc, Hanoi, HCMC, Quang Ninh, Haiphong and Lam Dong for their rapid response to the pandemic.

According to the Government leader, many localities have been heedless and subjective, so he asked for better enhancement of Covid-19 prevention and control measures.

The entire political system is actively involved in the fight against the pandemic and many pandemic prevention and control measures have been employed. To date, the country has basically brought the pandemic under control.

However, it is showing more complicated developments, while many people have failed to comply with regulations on prevention and control, especially wearing face masks in public places and avoiding large gatherings.

Therefore, the Government leader asked ministers, secretaries of the Party Committees, chairmen of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committees and chairmen of localities to continue to comply with directions of the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat, the Government, the prime minister and the national steering committee for Covid-19 infection prevention and control. Those who are subjective, heedless and irresponsible will face heavy sanctions.

They should review and improve the prevailing regulations on Covid-19 prevention and control, enhance inspections and place responsibility on specific agencies so that they become more active and flexible in curbing the pandemic.

The Ministry of Health was told to intensify inspections into equipment for Covid-19 prevention and control in localities.

Further, localities and the Ministries of Health, Foreign Affairs, National Defense, Public Security and Transport must tighten control over immigration.

The prime minister also asked for further cooperation among agencies, adding that they should be more active, creative, flexible and effective in dealing with specific situations.

As for the Covid-19 vaccination, the Ministry of Health must review the remaining vaccine doses and accelerate the vaccination. Meanwhile, the national steering committee for Covid-19 infection prevention and control must seek ways to access the most Covid-19 vaccine sources possible and make use of relations to buy vaccines and test kits.

It is necessary to effectively use the budget for Covid-19 prevention and control and encourage residents and enterprises to get involved in the fight against the pandemic.

The Ministry of Health was assigned to follow the conclusions of the Politburo and decisions of the Government on the import, production and injection of Covid-19 vaccines, get updates on the local and foreign markets to ask for the Government’s opinions at a Cabinet meeting in May and prepare for a situation of 30,000 Covid-19 cases.