Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc speaks at a government meeting on COVID-19 Prevention and Control on Monday in Hà Nội. — VNA/VNS Photo Thống Nhất

HÀ NỘI — Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc has asked Hà Nội and HCM City to strictly follow regulations ensuring people wear facemasks in crowded places or while using public transport and that all the violations should be dealt with.

He made the request at a government meeting on COVID-19 Prevention and Control on Monday in Hà Nội.

Because Hà Nội and HCM City are the country’s two largest centres, it would be difficult to resolve if the disease returned, Phúc said.

The PM also asked other localities to strengthen dissemination to provide local residents with necessary information on disease prevention and control.

Nguyễn Thanh Long, acting Minister of Health said the ministry was very concerned that some agencies were not serious about quarantining people entering Viet Nam.

He said some units still neglected quarantine work, especially monitoring people who were quarantined at home. This would leave risks for COVID-19 prevention.

A number of people and units who are in charge of COVID-19 prevention have begun showing signs of negligence in the work, Long said.

He suggested the Government continue directing localities to enhance COVID-19 prevention and ensure strict supervision of people entering who are isolated at centralised facilities or at home.

According to the Ministry of Health, the pandemic has been basically controlled across the country. However, the risk of COVID-19 intrusion was always permanent, especially when the number of flights to bring Vietnamese citizens and experts have been increased including both commercial and international flights.

Extra vigilance is needed as the winter is coming which created favourable conditions for the spread of some infectious diseases.

Participants at the meeting agreed that because the COVID-19 situation was complicated globally, it was essential to closely supervise the implementation of regulations on immigration, avoid the transmission of the virus among quarantine areas as well as in the community.

While appreciating efforts of agencies, Phúc said the risk of disease was high as some cities in the world faced a large number of cases over the past weeks. A harsh winter would facilitate the spread of COVID-19, he said.

The PM requested localities, agencies and people to be vigilant.

Localities were asked to fully implement disease prevention and combat and that all violations should be strictly punished.

“The leaders of each locality and unit have to take responsibility to the Prime Minister and authorised agencies,” the PM said.

He said illegal entry to the country should be prevented and immigrants should be advised to avoid taking part in services that drew large crowds.

The Ministry of Health was ordered to regularly inspect the disease prevention work at health facilities and publicise regulations on prevention for people entering the country. — VNS