Safety for Covid-19 prevention and control in election

Update: 13-04-2021 | 10:54:46

Contributing to the success of the election of deputies to the 15th National Assembly and People's Council deputies at all levels for the 2021-2026 tenure, the province’s health sector has set up a plan to ensure medical work for the election. Among the methods proposed, the sector will focus on safety for Covid-19 prevention and control at polling stations and is ready for quarantine facilities.

Ensuring safety

The province’s health sector sprayed disinfectant Cloramin B at the venues to collect voters' opinions and other election activities. Dr. Nguyen Hong Chuong, Director of provincial Department of Health (DoH) said that in order to serve the upcoming election, provincial DoH has set up a plan to ensure medical work for Covid-19 prevention-control and food and hygiene safety, and promptly handle any unexpected situations. In the spirit of not to be subjective and neglectful, the sector has always attached great importance to vigilance, set up plans to implement measures against Covid-19 pandemic before, during and after the election. Particularly, voters and election team officials must strictly abide by the "5K" message of the Ministry of Health; wear masks when participating in voting, install and put on the contact-tracing application, make medical declaration at the polling stations.

Spraying disinfectant at isolation areas for Covid-19 prevention and control

During the election, medical staff will check voters ‘body temperature at the entrance to electoral areas. If detecting cases with fever or cough, they will take them to isolation rooms, instruct them to vote in accordance with regulations and immediately notify health authorities while taking appropriate measures against the pandemic. For voters with isolation at home, the sector will bring mobile ballot boxes to their home and take measures against Covid-19 infection. Meanwhile, the sector will bring separate ballot boxes with disinfection to patients at concentrated medical isolation areas…

Bau Bang district has so far established 59 electoral units, including 8 at district level, 51 at commune and town levels and 57 constituencies. At each polling place, the district’s health center will arrange body temperature measuring tables. Medical staff are on duty at the polling places, guiding voters to keep necessary distance during the election…

Huynh Minh Chin, Director of Bau Bang district’s Medical Center said that the center is promoting Covid-19 prevention and control to serve the election. The center has planned to coordinate with electoral committees at all levels to implement measures against Covid-19 pandemic, effectively organize community-based anti-COVID-19 groups, get ready to receive suspected cases of Covid-19…

Concentrated quarantine zones get ready

Medical isolation is one of the effective measures in preventing the spread of Covid-19 pandemic. Cases with compulsory quarantine are those who have close contact with suspected cases of Covid-19 (F1); those passing through the center of the pandemic announced by the Ministry of Health; those coming from areas under medical quarantine and they are considered as F1. For cases of foreign experts entering, visitors entering for diplomatic purposes, public services, Vietnamese citizens on rescue flights, repatriation, they are considered as F3. In case of those who come back from pandemic-hit areas but do not go through the center of the pandemic, do not go through points announced by the Ministry of Health, do not contact Covid-19 patients, medical quarantine areas that were removed, they are seen as F2. For cases of illegal entry, they are considered as F1.

According to the province’s plan against Covid-19 pandemic, each district, town or city must establish a quarantine area with at least 100 beds to serve isolation for F1 cases. The establishment of isolation zones is planned by districts, towns and cities when medical isolation zones at medical centers are overloaded. Becamex My Phuoc social housing area with capacity of 1,000 beds and Bau Bang district’s Medical Center with capacity of 400 beds are used to make isolation for Vietnamese citizens on rescue and repatriation flights under the regulation of the Military Region 7. In case of need, the Steering Committees for Covid-19 Prevention and Control of Ben Cat town, Bau Bang district will consider and arrange medical isolation for F1 cases.

Hotels that are eligible for quarantine will be used to make isolation for F1 cases if they want to pay fees. Meanwhile, medical quarantine areas under the management of the military include provincial Military School, Thu Dau Mot city’s Military Command with a total of about 2,500-4,000 beds. The local health sector has also strictly carried out medical isolation at home, monitored health at home for cases of F2, F3. Medical isolation period is 14 days from the last time to contact Covid-19 cases or pass through the center of the pandemic. If it is impossible to determine the last contact time with Covid-19 cases or the last time through the center of the pandemic, the period for medical isolation will be calculated from the date that cases have positive test results or the first day of arriving in Binh Duong.

The province’s health sector has prepared medical isolation facilities, ensuring necessary conditions for quarantine to be able to control and prevent the pandemic. Before, during and after the election, the sector has also agreed to use health centers of districts, towns and cities as medical isolation areas. This is the preferred option for the sector to practise medical isolation on F1 cases. In case of the number of Covid-19 cases on sharp increase, these quarantine areas will receive treatment for some minor cases to reduce pressure on provincial General Hospital.

Reported by Kim Ha-Translated by K.T

Share

Safety for Covid-19 prevention and control in election

HIGHLIGHTS

MOST READ