Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc. (Photo: chinh phu)

“Vietnam has been determined and on time in dealing with the pandemic. Our international friends have acknowledged Vietnam’s pandemic control efforts. Vietnamese abroad are proud of being Vietnamese citizens," Prime Minister Phuc told a government meeting. 

"We cannot lose this fight. Our strategy has been on the right track. All ministries and agencies are doing everything they can to control the pandemic. We want to thank the people and acknowledge our medical officials, especially those at Bach Mai Hospital,” he stressed.   

The Prime Minister on Tuesday issued a range of stringent social distancing measures, including restricting people from leaving their homes and banning gatherings of more than two people in public. The order will apply nationwide for 15 days, starting on Wednesday in order to limit the spread of COVID-19 that has showed no signs of abating.

“The principle is that each family isolates itself from other families, one village from other villages, one commune from other communes, one province from other provinces," the directive said.

Only factories, businesses and service establishments producing and providing essential goods and services are allowed to open and asked to ensure workers follow strict health guidelines. This includes ensuring they wear face masks, keep a safe distance from each other and make sure areas are properly disinfected and sterilized.