President Nguyễn Xuân Phúc at the event. — VNA/VNS Photo

HCM CITY — Defining wards and communes as “fortresses” in COVID-19 prevention and control shows the importance of these areas and does not mean separating them to impede the movement of goods, services and labour, affirmed President Nguyễn Xuân Phúc on October 11.

The “fortresses” in COVID-19 prevention and control in Việt Nam, particularly in the city, actually meant increasing coordination, the President said at meetings with constituents in HCM City’s Hóc Môn and Củ Chi districts.   

Sharing local pandemic-related losses of lives and properties in the past time, he said under the direction of the Politburo, the Government and the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control had put forth measures to change the strategy from "Zero COVID-19" to an adaptive and flexible, effective control of the epidemic. The President noted it was a suitable move in the context of large number of infections.

Regarding the voters’ proposal for the vaccination of children under 18 years old, Phúc said that it was a matter of special concern to the Party and State. 

Currently, the Ministry of Health and the professional council on vaccines had made related recommendations, striving to vaccinate children aged 12-18 in October and November. Pfizer had committed to supply 20 million doses of its vaccine for Vietnamese children. If the doses arrived early, their vaccination could begin late October. — VNS