Strategies of processing Covid-19 infection within community and enterprises

Implementing the government's strategy of "Safe adapt, flexible and effective control of the Covid-19 epidemic", local Department of Health has issued temporary guidance on the process of detecting and handling infection (F0) in the community, production, business and industrial zones. On the basis of the guidance, localities and businesses are more proactive in Covid-19 prevention and control in the new situation.

Under the new strategy of processing infection in the province, home treating F0 under surveillance of mobile clinics would be accessible to medical services at the grassroots

Narrow blockade implemented

Dr. Nguyen Hong Chuong, Director of Department of Health, said that according to statistics during the 4th epidemic, most of the Covid-19 infections had mild symptoms or no symptoms. The rate of vaccine coverage in the province has reached more than 90% of the population getting the 1st dose and more than 70% of the population getting the 2nd dose. Faced with the fact, the province has changed its F0 treatment strategy in the community and businesses. Accordingly, when detecting F0 in the community, the province will not block the whole neighborhood as they have been doing before, but narrow down to the smallest household. F0's residence is considered a "household outbreak" and must be handled immediately after identifying information and assessing the F0 status. If the F0 is eligible for home quarantine, they will be at home. If the F0 has severe symptoms or Sp02 is less than 96%, the Rapid Response Team will be notified to transfer the patient to the hospital.

The basic difference between the two strategies at the two epidemic times is that, in the past, when F0 was detected in the community, it was thoroughly treated by sending to quarantine and treatment in hospitals; and F1 to concentrated quarantine. Areas with F0 would be heavily blocked, affecting people's activities. Currently, by the policy of narrow blockade, mild F0 treated at home through mobile medical stations will be able to quickly access medical services at the grassroots level while reducing the load on the upper levels and limiting the death rate of Covid-19 patient.

Due to the change in implementation, the organization and tasks of each unit also change. Mr. Nguyen Thanh Liem, Head of the Medical Station of Di An ward in Di An city, said that accumulated during the last epidemic, the station has monitored more than 2,000 F0 patients for home treatment and currently manages more than 800 infection cases. According to the temporary guidance on the process of detecting and handling F0 in the community in the new situation, the locality has established 3 mobile medical stations covering 9 neighborhoods. When F0 is detected in the community, the ward Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control directs and administers outbreak handling activities at the household level. The mobile medical station makes a list of F0 management in the community. If you have signs and symptoms of an emergency, you need to contact a health station for help with emergency treatment or transfer to a treatment facility. With the advice of the medical station, the ward Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control will make a decision for F0 to quarantine in the community as well as issue a certificate of completion of quarantine.

To facilitate continual production among enterprises

The temporary guidance on the process of detecting and handling F0 in the community and in production and business establishments and industrial parks also includes detailed instructionsalong with conditions for businesses having Covid-19 or suspected cases to continue production and business activities. Accordingly, in order for enterprises to continue production, there must be a written agreement among the employees and the enterprises, witnessed by the trade union at such enterprises. On the side of enterprises, it is necessary to implement blockade according to the scale of the epidemic at the production lines, workshop or the entire production facility, in which the blockade area contains employees infected by or suspected of infected by Covid-19 participating in production and business activities. Business lines and workshops must be separate from other lines and workshops to ensure environmental sanitation and disinfection and prevent cross-contamination among other lines and workshops.

Enterprises must also ensure living conditions, meals, nutrition, and on-site treatment and provide instructions for employees infected by or suspected of infected by Covid-19 to continue participating in production in the blockade area under the current regulations. Enterprises must set up medical rooms and quarantine areas at production, business establishments, and industrial parks with at least 1 doctor or nurse who has been trained to treat Covid-19 patients, oxygen tanks, Sp02 machine, medical treatment and first aid facilities for employees infected or suspected of having Covid-19. Businesses must sign cooperation agreements with hospitals, polyclinics, and mobile medical stations in the area to ensure that staffs should be on 24/7 duties and emergency vehicles to transport severe cases of Covid-19 infection in time. When going to a medical facility eligible for treatment, no death should occur.

Ms. Phan Thi Phuong Linh, Human Resources Director of Earth Corporation Vietnam in Nam Tan Uyen Industrial Park, said: “Currently, workers in Binh Duong have been injected by 2 doses of vaccines, so the Department of Health's guidance should be very timely without affecting production and business operations at the enterprises. Our company has prepared a good medical team and quarantine area. According to this guidelines, if unfortunately there are many F0 cases in the enterprise, we are still flexible in treatment and quarantine without much impact on our production and business operations as before.

Reported by Hoang Linh – Quang Tam – Translated by Vi Bao