Today's Covid News: Government empowered to combat Covid-19

Vietnam’s National Assembly (NA), the country’s highest legislative body, has decided to add Covid-19 prevention and control to its resolution of the ongoing plenum.

The resolution at the 15th NA term’s 1st plenary meeting aims to empower the Government to make better decisions in fighting against the pandemic.

Ho Chi Minh City on the first day of curfew (July 26). Photo: VTV24

Accordingly, the NA Standing Committee, the Government, and the Prime Minister are entrusted with power like that in case of declaring a state of emergency.

The power will be active in giving a number of anti-pandemic measures.

Lawmaker Ta Van Ha, deputy chairman of the NA Committee for Culture and Education, said the empowerment will remove barriers in bidding at a time when the Government needs to procure medical equipment and vaccines as quickly as possible.

Lawmaker Tran Anh Tuan, deputy director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Planning and Investment, said the move will enable the Government to decide the State budget for the fight against the pandemic and for social welfare.

A few days earlier, some lawmakers have urged the NA to issue a resolution on the Covid-19 pandemic prevention and control, saying that the legal framework would help ease the burden of work that health workers are bearing, such as cumbersome administration procedures.

In another move, the Government on July 26 decided to provide an additional VND1.5 trillion (US$67.4 million) to the Ministry of National Defence for the fight against Covid-19.

The amount will enable the ministry to receive incoming people for quarantine, prevent illegal immigration, testing, offering allowance and bonus for forces joining the battle.

Daily infections

Vietnam on Monday confirmed 7,859 locally-transmitted coronavirus cases, mostly Ho Chi Minh City (76%) and its neighbors, driving up the tally to 106,347, including 21,344 have recovered and 524 deaths.

As of July 26, more than 4.61 million doses of vaccines have been administered. While the number of people fully vaccinated surpassed 380,000.

With an aim to curb the transmission, Bac Lieu Province imposed the 6:00 PM-6:00 AM curfew daily, making it the first locality in the Mekong Delta to put out that kind of restriction.

The Ho Chi Minh City Center for Disease Control (HCDC) said that nearly 15,000 patients have recovered, including dozens on the critical list.

Military disinfects in Hanoi on July 26. Photo: Kinh Te Do Thi

Hanoi has experienced the third day of the 15-day partial lockdown that is in line with Directive 16, the country’s strictest restriction measure that requires stay-at-home orders, except for emergencies and purchase of essential goods like drugs and food.

People in the capital city closely followed the order while the authorized agencies vowed to fine those who infringe the restrictions. In the first three days, the local authorities fined violators an amount worth VND1.5 billion ($65,200) for crowd gathering and going out unnecessarily and without marks.

No big chaos was reported in shopping for the essential goods thanks to the city's good preparation of dried and fresh food and foodstuff in supermarkets. In addition, the smooth operation of online platforms and the availability of wet markets, convenience stores, and mini-shops in every corner of the city have comforted consumers.

Today, the military conducted large-scale disinfection in the city.

Hanoi reported 81 community infections today, totaling 984.

Vietnam's Covid-19 cases. Source: MoH. Chart: Minh Vu