Deputy Prime Minister Vũ Đức Đam (rightmost) on Wednesday visited a blockaded area in District 12, HCM City. — VNA/VNS Photo

HCM CITY — Aid packages that local authorities provide to COVID-19 patients at home should also include fruits and porridge in addition to other foods and medicines, Deputy Prime Minister Vũ Đức Đam has said.

Speaking while on a visit to HCM City’s Districts 12 and Hóc Môn on Wednesday to inspect pandemic prevention efforts, he said while treatment and social security measures are excellent, to ensure the best care for patients and prevent their situation from worsening and requiring hospitalisation, authorities need to also pay attention to nutrition.

They should be visited and examined by healthcare personnel at least twice a day, he said.

Teachers at local schools should cook the porridge for COVID-19 patients, he said.

Meanwhile, Field Hospital No 8 has announced that recovered COVID-19 patients who help take care of other patients would be paid a stipend of VNĐ8 million (US$350) a month.

Nguyễn Ngọc Châu, its deputy director, said participants would also be provided with board and lodging and protective equipment.

They could register online or contact the hospital directly, he said.

The city People's Committee has also called on people who have recovered to help with epidemic prevention tasks.

On Wednesday, the HCM City Centre for Disease Control (HCDC) said that up to now, HCM City has had 93,289 COVID-19 patients who have been cured and discharged from the hospital.

More than 5.5 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been given so far, or 78.9 per cent of the population aged over 18 years, including 210,536 people who have received two shots. — VNS

Deputy Prime Minister Vũ Đức Đam (centre) visited the police units in charge of distributing and delivering food and essentials to residents. — VNA/VNS Photo