PM demands stronger anti-pandemic actions in face of Omicron

A health worker handles samples collected for COVID-19 testing (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi – The Prime Minister has requested all ministries, sectors, and localities to ramp up efforts against COVID-19 in the face of the new variant Omicron.

According to the PM’s official dispatch issued on December 19, the COVID-19 pandemic remains highly unpredictable around the world amid the emergence of Omicron, which has been found to spread much faster than the Delta variant.

Though Vietnam hasn’t seen any Omicron cases, the numbers of infections, patients in critical condition, and related deaths have still been on the rise, and the healthcare systems in some localities have become overloaded, it said.

Facing that fact and the high possibility of recording Omicron in the country, the PM asked the Ministry of Health to keep a close watch on the global pandemic situation to make timely guidelines, propose necessary and appropriate measures to the PM, and increase monitoring so as to detect any new variant early.

All ministries, sectors, and provincial-level People’s Committees have to step up the application of COVID-19 prevention and control measures, boost examination, and strictly deal with those who violate anti-pandemic rules.

The Government leader told the Health Ministry and provincial-level administrations to organise as safe and fast as possible vaccination and ensure that no persons subject to vaccination are left without full inoculation, especially the ones in high-risk groups.

They were also requested to increase training in home treatment to avoid overloading at higher-lever hospitals and enhance the capacity of the healthcare system at all levels.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Information and Communications was demanded to promptly complete IT tools and work with relevant sides to conduct uniform and effective application. This ministry also needs to coordinate with the Party Central Committee’s Information and Education Commission to step up communications to raise public awareness of the pandemic, Omicron, and prevention measures, according to the dispatch.