Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam at the teleconference on COVID-19 response in HCM city, June 17, 2021. (Photo: VNA)

Speaking at a teleconference on Thursday, Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Truong Son said the local COVID-19 situation in the city remains “very complicated” after 15 days of social distancing, but in terms of epidemiology, there are opportunities to control the chains of infection. 

HCM City has readied a treatment plan for the scenario of recording 5,000 patients and also geared up equipment for severe cases, he said. From Friday, it will pilot self-collection of samples for COVID-19 testing and home-quarantine of F1s.

Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam told  the teleconference that as HCM City is a big municipality experienced in the pandemic combat, its restriction measures should be carried out on the smallest possible scale. 

“Authorities need to detect affected areas to seal off as soon as possible to avoid extended citywide social distancing. Epidemiological surveys must be accelerated to classify safe zones for easing restrictions while control over high-risk areas must be tightened,” said Mr.Dam.

For industrial parks, the Deputy PM requested the city to sustain “strong” measures and increase screening tests so as to detect any COVID-19 cases within the first three days since their infection.