HCM City authorities have not decided on vaccinating children. — VNA/VNS Photo Đinh Hằng

HCM CITY — The HCM City Department of Health is seeking directions from the city People’s Committee on vaccinating children against COVID-19.

Multiple topics on pandemic prevention and control in HCM City, particularly vaccinations for children between 12 and 17 years old, were discussed at a meeting on the evening of October 18.

According to deputy head of HCM City’s Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control Phạm Đức Hải, after receiving specific details on what type of vaccine to use, and how and when to vaccinate, the city Department of Health will complete the report and send it to the People’s Committee for official planning.  

“The vaccination plan will follow the instructions from the Ministry of Health,” Hải said.

Speaking at the meeting, Hải praised the support from authorities and neighbouring provinces in helping HCM City fight the pandemic. 

In response to concerns on HCM City’s future outbreak possibilities, authorities will assess the rate of new cases in the community, vaccination coverage, and medical facilities’ capacity to treat patients. 

Four levels will be used to classify pandemic levels, including low, medium, high and very high risk. Each locality will draft response measures depending on the level of the epidemic, deputy executive director of the city Centre for Disease Control Nguyễn Hồng Tâm said.

Tâm said that the government has prepared plans to deal with each pandemic situation.

With regards to the reopening of on-site catering services, Nguyễn Nguyên Phương, deputy director of the HCM City Department of Industry and Trade, said that the city aims to allow operations of all types of service activities as long as safety is ensured.

Relevant authorities will consider every factor, especially risks, and advise HCM City leaders to have certain activities open in the near future.

Although the HCM City Steering Committee of COVID-19 Prevention and Control said that locals would like food services to resume normal activities, Directive 18 does not allow on-site dining.

Restaurants with customers dining on the spot are in violation of regulations and will be sanctioned.

The committee hopes that locals will be patient and strictly abide by the city’s guidelines and regulations on epidemic prevention and control.

Meanwhile, Nguyễn Văn Lâm, deputy director of the city Department of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs, said the third phase of sending out funds from the government support package ended on October 15.

The city has supported five million people financially. About 1.5 million people who have not received subsidies are those staying in neighboring provinces, hospitals or isolation zones.

The Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs received approval from the city People’s Committee to extend the support period until October 22.

If new cases are detected, HCM City will continue to offer support, Lâm said.

According to data from the management board of Industrial Parks and Hi-Tech Parks in HCM City, the number of workers returning to HCM City has increased by about 135,000 people, mostly from the Central Highlands.

At the meeting, deputy chief of the HCM City Department of Health’s office Lê Thiện Quỳnh Như also seek People’s Committee’s approval for hospitals to deploy the three-stage treatment model.

Specifically, various hospitals in HCM City will take over the resuscitation centre of the Việt Nam - German Friendship Hospital.

While Gia Định People’s Hospital will take over resuscitation duties of Bạch Mai Hospital, 115 People’s Hospital will take over that of Huế Central Hospital.

A number of COVID-19 treatment hospitals in HCM City plan to close.

By the end of this month, five hospitals will shut down, including Củ Chi Hospital 2 and 3 and the COVID-19 treatment hospitals 1, 7 and 9.

By November 30, another five hospitals, namely 2, 4, 10, 11 and 12, will close, followed by Củ Chi Hospital 1 and hospitals with COVID-19 treatment 3, 5, 8 on December 31. — VNS