Entering 'new normal', preparing for comprehensive socio-economic recovery

Provincial leaders are concerned, conduct online dialogues with enterprises to get ready to resume production

Reporter: Sir, how is the epidemic prevention and control in the province so far? Recently, the province has basically controlled the epidemic, the infection rate has decreased significantly, so what are the measures to gradually control the epidemic to achieve the current results in the province?

Mr. Pham Tan Hoa: It can be affirmed that the Covid-19 epidemic situation in the province has been controlled, as of September 28, 2021, the province has 11 "green-zone" localities, 4 "yellow-zone" localities” and has no “red-zone” or “orange-zone” localities. The province has 12 out of 15 localities that have not recorded any chain or cluster of new cases; 3 localities recorded new cases, however, the source of infection was identified and the epidemic was treated, isolated F0, F1 timely. The number of cases F0 decreased sharply, from the beginning of September 2021, an average of over 300 cases per day and from the second half of September until now, it has been less than 200 cases per day.

In particular, the number of infectious cases screened in the community decreased significantly. Specifically, the week had the highest number of cases (from August 4 to 10, 2021) with 1,664 cases; the week from September 1 to 7, 2021 with 479community cases; the week from September 8 to 14, 2021 with 229 community cases; The week from September 15 to 21, 2021 with 76 community cases and from September 22 to 26, 2021 with only 31 community cases. The ratio of the people taking testing samples with positive results out of people taking testing samples by single RT-PCR tended to decrease within 14 days, from 0.05 percent on September 8, 2021, to only 0.002 percent on September 21, 2021.

Currently, the whole province has entered a "new normal" in order to restore production and trade of enterprises and prepare for the comprehensive implementation of socio-economic recovery of the province

Currently, the whole province has entered a "new normal" in order to restore the production and trade of enterprises and prepare for a comprehensive implementation of socio-economic recovery.

To get the encouraging initial results as above, it is thanks to the province's strict implementation of the directives of the Government, the Provincial Party Committee and the active support of central ministries and branches in epidemic prevention and control. At the same time, the province determined to focus on drastically implementing the "3 frontal attacks" such as strictly implementing social distancing; community screening tests; and vaccinating the entire population from 18 years old and older. In addition, it must be affirmed that the trust and companionship of people and enterprises in the province is one of the important factors.

Reporter: In the whole process of epidemic prevention and control, what do you think the highlight for Long An to be different from other provinces and cities to gradually control the epidemic is? What are the province's effective epidemic prevention and control models?

Mr. Pham Tan Hoa: The Provincial Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control identifies the right goals, chooses the right strategies, and organizes to implement drastic, synchronous and effective solutions for epidemic prevention and control measures corresponding to each specific region and area.

The province carries out a community screening campaign throughout the province to ensure that F0s are quickly separated from the community and taken to treatment timely. It actively controls the epidemic in factories, enterprises and inns to minimize community spread; ensures zoning and isolating immediately at the place of production, inns.

For inns where outbreaks have arisen, the province actively expands the density, moves people timely, and organizes disinfecting and cleaning the areas. The Steering Committee, the Command Department and the sub-committees have strengthened inspection to the isolated areas, blockades, inns, facilities for collection and treatment, etc. From there, timely direct, guide and help localities to correct limitations and shortcomings. By September 28, 2021, the rate of injecting the first shot vaccination reached 98.8 percent, the second shot was nearly 21 percent. The Provincial Steering Command, command centers of districts and communes and departments and branches are on duty 24 hours to receive and solve difficulties of people in the process of implementing measures to prevent and control the Covid-19 epidemic. 

The province maintains some field hospitals to be ready to receive and treat Covid-19 patients

Reporter: The welfare work in the province has been ensured over the past time, no people lack food, so what support has the province deployed to them?

Mr. Pham Tan Hoa: The province determines that ensuring social security is extremely important and has an organic relationship with the results of epidemic prevention and control. Therefore, the province issued a general plan to implement Resolution No. 68/NQ-CP, dated July 1, 2021 of the Government; Decision No. 23/2021/QD-TTg, dated July 7, 2021 of the PM and implemented in the most complete and synchronous manner. As of September 27, 2021, the province has provided support for 424,452 people from various target groups with a total budget of over 326 billion VND. In which, direct support for 126,778 people with an amount of over 216 billion VND.

In addition, the Provincial Bank for Social Policies lends to 8 businesses to pay wages to 1,482 employees with the amount of 3,971 billion VND (with 0 percent interest rate) and is reviewing the records of 11 enterprises. In addition, the province has called and mobilized organizations and individuals inside and outside the province together with localities to implement social security policies with a total amount of tens of billions of VND.

At the same time, provinces, districts, communes and branches set up hotlines to fully receive and promptly handle proposals and petitions of difficult people.

Reporter: In the upcoming plan, what orientations will the Board of Directors perform in the context of the "new normal", in terms of taking samples, testing, vaccination, and treatment?

Mr. Pham Tan Hoa: In the coming time, the Provincial People's Committee will continue to thoroughly understand, implement and effectively implement the guiding spirit of the PM in "taking communes, wards and townships as fortresses", "people are as soldiers, service centers and subjects in epidemic prevention and control", in association with improving the operational efficiency of community Covid-19 groups and properly and fully implementing the "5T" message of the Ministry of Health. Health care, ensuring good social security work, not leaving any people lacking food or clothes, bringing medical services to the closest people right in communes, wards and townlets; ensure people's safety, security, order and social safety.

The entire-population vaccination is one of the three important "frontal attacks" in the province's Covid-19 prevention and control

For testing work and some measures to prevent and control the epidemic, the province continues to strictly implement Official Telegram No. 1409/CD-BYT, dated September 15, 2021 and Official Telegram 1436/CD-BYT, dated September 19, 2021. With the motto that rapid testing is key and important to soon control the epidemic; The speed of testing must be faster than the rate of epidemic spread.

However, for the community screening test to be economical and effective, it is necessary to identify areas and people at high and very high risk. When a positive case is detected, quickly localize and divide sampling places, organize many sampling teams to strive in 12 to 24 hours to test, complete tracing and organize a narrow blockade.

For the treatment of Covid-19 patients, the province focuses on doing good treatment, especially on the 1st and 2nd level, in order to minimize the transfer to the 3rd level; strengthen training, consultation, remote treatment consultation, ensure to transfer line smoothly and timely.

At the same time, the province continues to review and establish more mobile medical stations so that the care and treatment of Covid-19 patients are more timely, better and more effective, minimizing the rate of death. It implements narrow isolation within the family and close contact with relatives.

To gradually transform some district hospitals back to their original functions to receive and treat non-Covid-19 diseases. At the same time, maintain some field hospitals to be ready for collection and treatment. The province will continue to request the Ministry of Health to support treatment drugs to reduce the mortality rate.

The province continues to request the Ministry of Health to support vaccines and focus on deploying the second shot for people who have had enough time to get the first shot.

For restoring production and socio-economic development, the province has issued Plan No. 2962/KH-UBND, dated September 13, 2021 and Official Letter No. 9108/UBND-KTTC, dated September 16, 2021 of the Provincial People's Committee on restoring production and trade of enterprises in the province.

Regarding social security work, the province continues to support self-employed workers and special people according to Resolution 68 of the Government and Decision No. 23 of the PM.

For education and training, the province continues to carry out teaching and learning for students at all levels according to the set plan. Simultaneously, it directed the Department of Education and Training, the Department of Information and Communications to coordinate with the Study Promotion Association to deploy the program "Network and computers for students" launched by the PM. In the immediate future, the province focuses on supporting 754 poor and near-poor students to have learning devices immediately in September 2021.

Reporter: Thank you, sir!

By Pham Ngan – Translated by Duc Tam

Source: https://baolongan.vn/buoc-vao-trang-thai-binh-thuong-moi-chuan-bi-tien-toi-toan-dien-phuc-hoi-kt-xh-a122634.html