Ensuring a safe election amid COVID-19 epidemic

However, the current situation with the COVID-19 epidemic in Vietnam is complicated, the number of new cases continues to increase across many localities. Therefore, at a recent meeting of the Permanent members of the Government on the preparation for the elections of deputies to the 15th NA and all-level People's Councils for 2021-2026, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh asked the relevant ministries, sectors, organisations and local authorities to focus on successfully organising the elections, ensuring absolute safety in terms of security and order, especially in the fight against the COVID-19 epidemic.

It is the great responsibility of the People's Committees of provinces and cities to achieve that goal. Accordingly, People's Committees and Departments of Health of provinces and cities across the country should implement well the official dispatch of the Ministry of Health on directing attached units and heads of units to review and regularly update the epidemic situation forecast of all localities; supplement appropriate plans and solutions, and prepare to promptly respond to all scenarios of COVID-19 epidemic prevention and control in order to well serve the elections.

Localities should supplement election plans for voters on duty in epidemic prevention and control, are being isolated or treated for illness. Particularly in localities where cases are detected, each polling station must arrange a temporary isolation area for people suspected of being infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus. At the same time, it is necessary to ensure and implement social distancing, comply with the Health Ministry's 5K message: Khau trang (facemask) - Khu khuan (disinfection) - Khoang cach (distance) - Khong tu tap (no gathering) - Khai bao y te (health declaration) in the election area; and refrain from letting people with symptoms of cough, fever or suspected infection or infection with SARS-CoV-2 virus participate in election teams and election activities.

In the spirit of ensuring absolute safety for election day, the entire political system, branches, levels and localities need to deeply grasp, strengthen discipline, and strictly implement the directives, dispatches, guiding documents of the Party, the State, the NA, the Government and the Ministry of Health on the implementation of measures to prevent and control the epidemic within the scope of their management.

In addition, it is necessary to regularly assess the safety criteria for COVID-19 epidemic prevention and control to ensure no infections at agencies, offices, and units; as well as monitoring the daily fluctuating epidemic situation to prepare scenarios and promptly adjust personnel plans and epidemic prevention procedures, ensuring flexibility, creativity, compliance with regulations, and readiness in any situation.

The health sector of provinces and cities, especially localities that have recorded COVID-19 cases, should focus all resources on speeding up the progress of tracing and testing. In particular, it is necessary to focus on taking samples for COVID-19 testing at production units, factories, docks, bus stations and in the community on a regular and continuous basis. Medical units in the election organising areas should guide the election service units to properly measure body temperature, separate voters, disinfect hands before and after writing and voting; regularly clean the area, disinfect surfaces, and clean the exterior at election locations.

In addition to the involvement of the entire political system from central to local level, the efforts of the entire health sector and each citizen need to be upheld. Fullparticipation in the elections must go hand in hand with the implementation of epidemic prevention measures as proposed by the health sector, seriously and thoroughly implementing the 5K message. Only in this way will the election of deputies to the 15th NA and all-level People's Councils for 2021-2026 take place in both a successful and safe manner.

(Source: NDO)