Completing legal procedures related to declaring the end of the COVID-19 epidemic

On the afternoon of June 3, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh , Head of the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control, chaired the 20th meeting of the Steering Committee.

Also attending at the Government headquarters were comrades: General To Lam, Politburo member, Minister of Public Security ; Do Van Chien, Secretary of the Party Central Committee, Chairman of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front; Party Central Committee members: Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha, Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Nguyen Khac Dinh; members of the Steering Committee; leaders of central departments, ministries and branches.

After 20 meetings, the National Steering Committee has completed its tasks and in the coming time, the Steering Committee will be strengthened to suit the situation.

WHO in Vietnam makes 7 recommendations for Vietnam

According to the Ministry of Health 's report at the meeting, since the beginning of the epidemic, the country has recorded over 11.5 million cases, more than 10.6 million recoveries (92.1%). The average number of cases per month in 2021 was 144,000 cases, in 2022 it was 816,000 cases; the mortality rate (death/case) in 2021 was 1.86%, in 2022 it was 0.1%.

To date, the total number of vaccine doses administered is more than 266 million. The rate of basic vaccination for people aged 12 and over is approximately 100%; the rate of 3rd vaccination for people aged 18 and over is 82.0%; the rate of 4th vaccination for people aged 18 and over at high risk is 89.3%; the rate of 3rd vaccination for children aged 12 to under 18 is 69.4%; the rate of 1st and 2nd vaccination for children aged 5 to under 12 is 92.5% and 76.6%.

On May 5, 2023, WHO declared the COVID-19 outbreak no longer a public health emergency of international concern, but the pandemic is not over. WHO recommends that countries transition from emergency response to sustainable, integrated, long-term management of other threats.

The Prime Minister requested to strengthen propaganda, dissemination, raise vigilance, and clarify the differences between group A and group B epidemics in order to have appropriate measures.

On May 6, 2023, the Ministry of Health chaired a meeting with the WHO Representative in Vietnam and relevant units. At the meeting, the WHO Representative in Vietnam made 7 recommendations for Vietnam: Do not be subjective, negligent, or lose vigilance, continue to maintain national capacity, achievements, and prepare for possible future events, avoiding possible overload of the health system.

Include COVID-19 vaccination in national immunization (lifelong vaccination), increase booster shots, especially for high-risk groups; Focus on key surveillance to detect new variants early; improve treatment capacity to reduce deaths, closely monitor changes in transmission levels and severity of cases;

Prepare vaccines, diagnostic and treatment facilities, ensure long-term and always available supply chains; Continue to communicate and mobilize community participation;

Continue to review and update the national response plan, be ready and flexible, if necessary, to re-establish public health and social measures, based on the epidemic situation and risk assessment; Continue research, transfer of vaccine technology and study related post-COVID-19 conditions, need to closely monitor in the context of increasing infections, be ready to improve intensive care capacity to ensure that when the number of cases increases, the health system is not overloaded.

Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha speaks at the meeting.

COVID-19 disease has met the criteria for group B infectious disease

Concluding the meeting, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh stated that the National Steering Committee unanimously assessed that COVID-19 has met the criteria for group B infectious diseases as prescribed in the Law on Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases. The declaration of the end of the epidemic is in accordance with the provisions of law; the authority to decide to transfer COVID-19 from group A to group B belongs to the Ministry of Health.

In the coming time, the Prime Minister requested ministries, branches and localities to continue completing legal procedures related to declaring the end of the epidemic; continue to study the 7 recommendations of WHO, not to be negligent, subjective, or lose vigilance, develop a plan to prevent and control COVID-19 suitable for the new situation, especially strengthening grassroots healthcare, preventive medicine and mobilizing and using resources.

Continue to promote the spirit of solidarity, overcome the consequences of the epidemic, stabilize people's lives, especially those suffering the consequences and impacts of the pandemic, especially thousands of orphans; honor and reward those with merit, collectives and individuals with outstanding achievements, promptly resolve policies and regimes for those participating in epidemic prevention and control and preventing and combating corruption and negativity, strictly handle violations and profiteering.

Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Nguyen Khac Dinh spoke at the meeting.

The Prime Minister assigned the Ministry of Health to summarize the epidemic prevention and control work in June, thereby drawing lessons for the epidemic prevention in the coming years if there is a pandemic so as not to be passive and surprised; guide ministries, branches and localities; review, proactively implement or propose competent authorities to amend or abolish relevant regulations; complete the Plan for sustainable control and management of the COVID-19 epidemic for the period 2023 - 2025.

At the same time, prepare necessary conditions to respond to possible pandemics and the possible return of COVID-19; continue to deploy COVID-19 vaccination in accordance with the situation, research the annual COVID-19 vaccination in the expanded immunization program, and report to the Prime Minister if it is beyond the authority.

Based on the guidance of the Ministry of Health and regulations of the Law on Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases, the People's Committees of provinces and cities direct specialized agencies to review the epidemic situation, declare the epidemic, and declare the end of the epidemic in the area according to their authority.

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/thu-tuong-pham-minh-chinh-hoan-thien-thu-tuc-phap-ly-lien-quan-toi-viec-cong-bo-het-dich-covid-19-post250265.html