COVID-19: No tolerance policy for illegal immigrants

Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam, who is also head of the National Steering Committee on COVID-19 Prevention and Control, warns about the risk from illegal entries into the country following the detection of several coronavirus infections in southern Vietnam. (Photo: VGP)

Whilst it is natural to be wary of undergoing the quarantine process, it remains vial to not harm or undermine the efforts of the community and country, Deputy PM Dam said during an ongoing conference held between the Government and centrally-run localities in Hanoi.

This comes after a group of six Vietnamese people illegally entered the nation through the border with Cambodia on December 24. Upon their detection, four of the inpiduals have since tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus, while hundreds of people who came into contact with these cases have been placed into quarantine for medical surveillance.

With the source of virus infections mainly coming from outside the country, it remains vital for the nation to tighten its management of borders, according to the Deputy PM. In line with this, it is also important to set up a system so people can provide information regarding illegal entries.

The Deputy PM also pointed out that concentrated quarantine work has not been carried out in a serious manner in several localities following a novel coronavirus (COVID-19) infection being detected at a quarantine facility in Ho Chi Minh City last month.

According to the Deputy PM, those who complete their 14-day quarantine period as regulated will also have to self-isolate and undergo medical observation at home to ensure they are free of COVID-19.

“Even though we have vaccines, we are unlikely to carry out a massive vaccination campaign until the summer of 2021,” Deputy PM Dam warned. “We have no other choice but to strictly implement preventative measures.”

Meanwhile, Minister of Public Security To Lam admitted that hundreds of people illegally enter the country each day, thereby putting increasing pressure on local police forces.

He cited statistics, indicating that approximately 70,000 Vietnamese people stranded overseas due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic have been repatriated under the Prime Minister’s instructions.

An additional hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese citizens also aspire to return home, with the number expected to keep rising ahead of the upcoming Lunar New Year holiday, which is just over a month away, said Minister Lam.

According to the police minister, a large number of Vietnamese people based in China and Cambodia will attempt to cross the border and enter the country in the near future, making it vital to strengthen border management.