President Nguyễn Xuân Phúc visits a mini market which supplies essential goods in Bạch Đằng Ward. —VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — President Nguyễn Xuân Phúc asked Hà Nội’s authorities to continue large-scale testing to detect high-risk COVID-19 areas.

He made a visit to healthcare facilities and residential quarters in the capital city on Friday to inspect the pandemic prevention and control.

Speaking during a working session with local authorities, he said Hà Nội stood at high risk of COVID infection due to its high population density and it is a trading hub of the whole country.

He highlighted that the priority now was to control virus transmission, making the city a safe place that could provide aid to other localities.

He said social distancing measures under Directive 16 had been applied strictly across the city. Local residents had expanded ‘green virus-free zones’ and narrowed ‘red zones’ with creative ideas to separate F0 and F1 from the community and reduce the fatality rate.

The President spoke highly of Hà Nội’s authorities for increasing treatment capacity to 30,000 cases and serving F1 cases to 60,000-65,000.

The municipal Party Committee and People’s Committee had listened to public feedback and made adjustments to administrative procedures in terms of travel permits.

President Phúc emphasised that the target of the city must be not allowing hospital overcrowding and not increasing severe cases, especially high fatality rates.

He recommended solutions such as social distancing, testing, vaccines and increased use of technology.

“COVID-19 vaccines are a lifesaving solution to reduce the number of serious cases and reduce mortality. The city’s authorities need to focus on red areas, vaccinate the elderly, the poor and people with underlying diseases with specific strategies,” he said.

He asked the city to protect the health of frontline workers, soon complete the second jabs for them and apply technology in tracking down infections.

At the same time, the city needed to ensure goods supply for local people and prepare medical equipment such as oxygen, strictly control gateways in response to the worst scenario when the pandemic spreads widely.

He ordered the city’s authorities to seek solutions to support businesses facing difficulties so that they could maintain operation and contain the pandemic. The city needed to prepare plans to recover the economy, especially financial, science-technology solutions and take tough measures on social distancing.

The city’s authorities must pay attention to caring for residents in locked down areas, he said.

President Phúc on Friday presented VNĐ40 billion mobilised from private sources to the city’s authorities and people, hoping the capital city would soon overcome the pandemic.

On Friday Phúc visited a COVID-19 treatment facility of Hà Đông General Hospital at Pháp Vân-Tứ Hiệp student dormitory in Hoàng Mai District. A 19-floor building with 252 rooms equipped with power, water and private restrooms has been put into operation to accommodate 2,000 patients.

The same day the President visited a virus-free residential area in Mai Động Ward, Hoàng Mai District, one of the first places in the city to apply the ‘green zone’ model.

He also presented gifts to officers on duty at checkpoints and residents of Bạch Đằng Ward, Hai Bà Trưng District. — VNS