HCM City (VNA) – TheGovernment will give priority to Ho Chi Minh City in allocating COVID-19vaccines amid a strong surge in infection cases in the city, giving it 25percent of the total vaccine doses received, according to Prime Minister PhamMinh Chinh.

At a working session with thecity’s officials on July 11, the Government leader said at least 2 milliondoses will be provided for the southern metropolis from now to the end of July.

He asked HCM City to conductvaccination effectively and on schedule, noting that it must stay calm,persistent, and resolute while taking suitable and effective measures.

The PM said the citywideenforcement of social distancing measures under the PM’s Directive 16/CT-TTg isa difficult but right and necessary decision that has gained support fromcentral agencies, people, experts, and scientists.

The implementation ofDirective 16 has affected local people’s life and economic activities, as wellas neighbouring provinces and the entire country, he said, expressing his hopethat people will sympathise with the city and the Government.

The PM requested HCM City tohave stronger determination and take more drastic actions in imposing Directive16 and prioritise resources for the pandemic combat so as to soon return tonormal.

The city must put people’slives and property above all, guarantee sufficient essential goods for locals,minimise fatalities, and ensure equal access to COVID-19 vaccine for allresidents, he went on.

At the same time, HCM Cityshould support those who lost their jobs and the homeless, and ensure that no pandemic-hitpeople are left without help, while promoting production and businessactivities,

PM Chinh said the whole nationhas high hopes for HCM City, adding that the city should view difficulties andchallenges as momentum and optimise the assistance from ministries, sectors,and people.

Chairman of the municipalPeople’s Committee Nguyen Thanh Phong reported that the city recorded 12,058infection cases between April 27, when the fourth wave of COVID-19 infectionshit the country, and 6am on July 11.

Eight temporary hospitals forCOVID-19 treatment with 29,730 beds have been set up in the city.

The city has also identifiedfive groups of focal measures on testing, treatment, vaccination, concurrentquarantine and production, and support for pandemic-hit people, he noted.

Also on July 11, the PM andother Government officials inspected anti-COVID-19 measures in Thu Duc city,the Vinmec Central Park general hospital, and the Savipharm JSC in the TanThuan export processing zone in District 7./.