To put forward responding options to Covid-19

The Covid-19 situation is now very complicated. In order to provide more information about the proactive response for the prevention and combat of Covid-19 in the province in the near future, Binh Duong newspaper had an interview with Dr. Huynh Thanh ha , Deputy Director of Health Department.

Binh Duong province arranged a quarantine area at provincial Military School to be ready for patients.

-In addition to China, South Korea is now also a country that has high risk of Covid-19 transmission. In order to proactively respond, a number of provinces and cities in Vietnam have already took into project of welcoming Vietnamese workers, students from Korea in need of returning. How is the preparation of Binh Duong province for this reception, doctor?

-Covid-19 is spreading quickly in some countries in the world. In particular, in Korea, the epidemic is happening quite complicatedly, the number of infected cases is increasing daily. Due to the situation of Covid-19 in South Korea, Vietnam also has a very high contagion risk, because the number of Vietnamese employees, students living in Korea. South Korea has advocated closing universities. Therefore, many Vietnamese students, including Binh Duong students, who are studying in South Korea, have a need to return to Vietnam at present. Hence, Binh Duong province also prepared response plans.

-What are these plans, doctor?

-Currently, Ministry of Health has not had written instructions, specific directions to Korean workers in Vietnam, the Vietnamese to Korea, or Vietnamese workers, students in South Korea want to return to Vietnam. However, Binh Duong province currently is implementing three approaches. Accordingly, for people from Korea to Vietnam and from high-risk areas, if they have symptoms of respiratory tract infections such as fever, cough, dyspnea, medical quarantine will be carried out in hospital for laboratory sampling, and daily health examination.

For citizens, students, workers returning from South Korea, they are monitored, supervised in the community, in dormitories of enterprises under the supervision of medical and local authorities. Health condition of these subjects is monitored daily . To have a specific solution, Binh Duong awaits the direction of Ministry of Health in the nationwide online meeting on 25 Feb. Based on the actual performance, in the coming time, medical sector will consult Provincial People's Committee, Steering Committee about each plan according to the epidemic situation.

At airports, the control of people from South Korea have been implemented by Ministry of Health. Upon the reception of notification from airport surveillance system on subjects for quarantine living in the area of Binh Duong, medical sectors will arrange transportation means to pick up the subjects at the airport to take the prescribed quarantine and avoid the spreading during the transportation process.

Right after the nationwide online meeting of Ministry of Health on 25 Feb, PPC also held meetings with departments, agencies, and localities on 26 Feb to assess the epidemic situation and direct subsequent response schemes.

-So the prevention and combat of Covid-19 requires further enhancement. What are recommendations of medical sector to agencies, sectors, and localities to further strengthen prevention and combat of Covid-19, doctor?

-In order to actively respond to possible disease situations, departments, branches and localities need further strengthening prevention and combat activities of Covid-19 in each locality. Especially, departments such as: Department of Labor-Invalids and Social Affairs, Department of Health, Department of Education-Training, Department of Foreign Affairs, public security, military, Management Boards of Industrial zones, provincial Labor Federation, People's Committee of districts, towns, cities... must focus on managing foreigners coming to Binh Duong. The important thing is to acquire information about people from epidemic regions, from abroad to Vietnam, and residing in businesses or in the community. At the same time, agencies, sectors, and localities need to cooperate well with medical sectors to consult, monitor and instruct these subjects to implement prevention measures.

-A lesson from some people in South Korea is when they did not comply with disease prevention regulations, and leading to a widespread of disease. So, what are your recommendations to people to protect themselves and the community?

-In the prevention and combat of this disease, the important thing is the awareness of people, they must understand and comply with the regulations, this will help the authorities to control well the epidemic situation.

Some recommendations, firstly, all people must always be wary of Covid-19, because the current disease condition in the world is still quite complex, and the infection risk of Vietnam is very high. Secondly, it is necessary to collaborate closely with the authorities upon request. Especially in compliance with the regulations on disease prevention and combat. In addition, travel itineraries must be declared. Person that have symptoms such as fever, cough, shortness of breath, need to be immediately taken to medical centers for examination, consultation, treatment as well as the next measures.

People need to wear facemasks when they are out, especially in contact with crowds; Wash your hands regularly with soap; Do not spit in public, and dispose of face masks safely and appropriately.

- Thank you, Doctor!

Reported by Hong Thuan - Translated by Ngoc Huynh