President Nguyễn Xuân Phúc during his field trip to HCM City. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — President Nguyễn Xuân Phúc has asked HCM City to continue to strictly implement the current high level of social distancing measures.

During his field trip to the city on Friday he emphasised to city leaders that the first and most important goal at this point is to protect the health and safety of people and to minimise fatalities. 

The president said the city needed to strictly implement social distancing measures with each family isolating itself from other families, one village from other villages, one commune from other communes, one province from other provinces.

The city must proactively and urgently issue cards to allow motorbike drivers, taxi drivers and volunteers to deliver and support food, goods for the people.

They should also prioritise vaccinating frontline forces, the president said.

He suggested the city should have on-site consulting doctors for people in each area and improve the efficiency of the hotline to help people in need.

He also requested the city increase the treatment network not only for COVID-19 patients but also for other diseases, and to improve vaccination procedures.

The president said he supports the city’s proposal to extend the social distancing period by two weeks, starting from August 2. He also asked the city's leaders to prepare plans to resume production after social distancing.

As of July 30, HCM City has undergone 61 days of social distancing to prevent the COVID-19 pandemic, including 19 days of social distancing at the highest level.

The city has recorded more than 80,000 infections with an average of nearly 3,400 cases every day, most of them in isolation or lockdown areas. 

During the meeting with the city's leaders, the president also praised the city's efforts and support of other localities and agencies for helping HCM City to fight the pandemic.

After the meeting with HCM City leaders, the president on Friday visited Bình Dương Province, the second largest COVID-19 hotspot in the south. — VNS