Vietnam asks educational institutions to develop Covid-19 response plans

Vietnam's Ministry of Education and Training (MoET) has asked its Department of Education and Training and pedagogical universities and colleges across the country to strengthen Covid-19 prevention.

Accordingly, educational institutions need to follow these tasks. 

First of all, all educational institutions must thoroughly understand and strictly implement the government's directives and the instructions of the Ministry of Health (MoH) and the MoET on the prevention of Covid-19 and other infectious diseases, actively develop plans, and flexibly and effectively respond to possible epidemic situations.

A health worker checks disinfectant solutions and masks at a school in Hanoi. Photo: The Hanoi Times

In addition, more efforts must be made to raise awareness and change the behavior of children, students, officials, and teachers to protect the health of themselves, their families, and the community. School staff must strictly follow epidemic prevention requirements such as cleaning classrooms, wearing masks, and disinfecting hands, especially during the upcoming holidays.

Meanwhile, schools should coordinate with local health authorities to administer Covid-19 vaccination to children and students to achieve the coverage targets set by the government.

Furthermore, schools must actively and closely coordinate with the Steering Committee for Covid-19 Epidemic Prevention and Control, and local health authorities to monitor the health of staff to detect suspected coronavirus-infected cases and prevent the epidemic from spreading.

In addition, schools must work closely with parents to manage children's home study and daily travel, and monitor children's health to detect suspected cases early and prevent the spread of the disease in time.

For Hanoi, Deputy Chairwoman of the Hanoi People's Committee Vu Thu Ha said the city has instructed health centers to support medical staff in schools and to train teachers and school staff on pandemic prevention and control measures.

Nguyen Trong Khoa, deputy director of the Department of Medical Examination and Treatment under the Ministry of Health, told The Hanoi Times that the ministry is updating medical stations from central to local levels on treatment protocols for students diagnosed with Covid-19.

"Localities have been asked to strictly implement the government's instructions as well as guidelines from the MoH and MoET to ensure children's safety from the epidemic, including preparing to respond to Covid-19 infections in schools," Khoa added.