Raising awareness and responsibility of citizens amid COVID-19 pandemic

ABO/NDO – The prevention and control of the COVID-19 epidemic in Vietnam has now been pushed to a new level. The health sector has increased the testing capacity of units by two to three times compared to previous epidemic waves; each branch at each level has proactively developed their plans and scenarios as well as prepared for all situations. Therefore, according to the Government's assessment, the epidemic situation in the country is now basically under control.

However, results from the efforts of the whole society, Party committees, authorities at all levels and the health sector in the fight against COVID-19 may be completely useless with the risk of outbreaks on a very large scale if there are still cases of people with a lack of sense of responsibility, lack of self-discipline, uncooperative reactions, failure to strictly follow the recommendations of the health sector, even intentionally violating regulations on epidemic prevention such as avoiding isolation, not complying with isolation regulations, joining mass gatherings, making false statements in medical declaration records, and so on.

In the past few days, Vietnam has recorded a number of new cases in the community due to patients' lack of awareness of disease prevention for the community. For example, patient No.2,899 in Ha Nam did not comply with the regulations on home quarantine, still in contact with others to spread the disease to many people. Recently, a couple (patients No.3,633 and No. 3,634) in Hanoi did not make medical declarations according to regulations, spreading the disease to three people. Many places in Hanoi have been temporarily blocked due to the two patients. The authorities said that this is one of the typical cases of non-compliance with the regulations of the health sector in epidemic prevention, leading to community infection of COVID-19.

A classroom is being disinfected during students halting going to school due to COVID-19 outbreak in many cities and provinces across the country. (Photo: VNA).

In addition, the authorities have continued to detect cases of deliberate violations such as: bringing foreigners into Vietnam illegally; escaping from concentrated isolation areas; non-complying with home quarantine regulations; and not making medical declarations or making false declarations.

At a recent virtual meeting with localities on the epidemic prevention and control, the Prime Minister directed to strictly and publicly handle violations, even against state officials and employees. According to the Law on Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases, acts of concealing, failing to declare or not promptly declaring cases of infectious diseases; failing to comply with infectious disease prevention and control measures at the request of competent agencies and organisations... are strictly prohibited and may be handled administratively or examined for penal liability.

In the face of the complicated developments of the COVID-19 epidemic in the world and in the country, along with the strict and drastic implementation of solutions to respond to and prevent the epidemic, the sense of responsibility and self-discipline of each citizen is an important factor in disease prevention and control. Everyone needs to regularly update their information about the epidemic situation, enhance awareness, and take appropriate and timely protective measures.

In particular, it is necessary to continue to strictly follow the Ministry of Health’s 5K message: khau trang (facemask), khu khuan (disinfection), khoang cach (distance), khong tu tap (no gathering) and khai bao y te (health declaration), with the aim of keeping ourselves and the community safe from the COVID-19 pandemic.

In addition, hospitals need to strictly implement screening, classification, threading and control of patients coming for medical examination and treatment to avoid COVID-19 infection at hospitals. Localities need to strengthen inspection and handling of medical facilities that do not comply with epidemic prevention and control measures and are irresponsible in receiving high-risk or suspected cases of SARS-CoV-2 virus, causing risk of spreading the disease to the community.

(Source: NDO)