Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh speaks at the event. (Photo: VNA)
The PM said the COVID-19 pandemic continued to be complicated, unpredictable, and difficult to forecast.
“An outbreak could occur anytime and anywhere. Therefore, we must not be complacent and should not let our guard down and draw experience in pandemic prevention and control to adjust our approach relevant to the new situation,” he noted.
He asked agencies and localities to clearly define the goal of preventing, controlling, and repelling the fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic and quickly stabilising the situation.
A normal state could be returned to the country soon, serving the "dual" goals of preventing the spread of the pandemic to stabilise production and business with the motto of taking care of and protecting people's health as the first and foremost task, he said.
Regarding the implementation of the "vaccine strategy", the Government leader directed agencies to step up solutions to buy vaccines as quickly and much as possible. The transfer of vaccine production technology should be pushed up and promptly put products into wider testing.
A detailed rapid vaccination campaign should be mapped out in all provinces, cities, ministries and agencies, he said.
They were also assigned to develop plans and scenarios for COVID-19 prevention and control and organise the High School Graduation Exam in 2021 to ensure effectiveness and safety while complying with the law as well as reducing inconveniences for students and their parents.
At the conference, sectors and localities have heard reports on the situation of COVID-19 pandemic nationwide, especially in localities with complicated developments such as Ho Chi Minh City, Bac Giang and Bac Ninh.
The prevention and control of COVID-19 pandemic in industrial parks and export processing zones and implementation of the vaccine strategy to achieve the herd immunity; the realisation of the "dual" goals of effective pandemic prevention and control and ensuring socio-economic development were also touched upon./.