Covid-19 preventive measures in public places, especially heath facilities, must be tightened, Kinh te & Do thi quoted Vice Chairman of the municipal People's Committee Ngo Van Quy as saying at a meeting on November 19.

Although no new local cases have been recorded in the capital city for more than three months, Hanoi's health department said the risk of the return of the coronavirus is latent, especially as winter is nearing.

Vice Chairman of the municipal People's Committee Ngo Van Quy speaks at the online meeting. Photo: Kinhtedothi.vn

“There are definitely signs of negligence in pandemic prevention in public places, especially in crowded events, shopping malls and supermarkets in the city,” Mr. Quy stressed.

He asked the competent forces to continue to strictly handle the cases of violating measures of pandemic prevention and control issued by the Hanoi People's Committee and the Ministry of Heath.

The pandemic evolution in the world continues to be complicated as the number of Covid-19 cases and deaths is increasing, especially in the US and Europe. Therefore, if efforts to control the disease were insufficient, especially when people let their guard down, there would be an elevated risk of outbreaks, the vice chairman noted.

He went on to say that there are reports of many people not wearing face masks and flouting prevention measures in medical examination and treatment establishments, schools, production and business establishments, restaurants, concentrated isolation areas, public places and crowded events in the city.

The risk of a resurgence of the Covid-19 pandemic is latent, so staying vigilant is a must, as cold and dry winter conditions favor the transmission of the virus, the vice chairman said.

He stressed that people should regularly wash hands with soap or hand sanitizers, and keep safe distancing and avoid mass gatherings.

Vietnam has gone 79 straight days without locally acquired Covid-19 cases. However, people are advised to stay vigilant and anyone who has any symptoms needs to get tested and isolate themselves until having confirmatory results.