Hanoi (VNA) – The GeneralDepartment of Logistics's Military Medical Department has devised a plan to ensure mꦰilitary medics to maintain the safety of Hanoi and northern provinces amid complicated developments of theCOVID-19 pandemic, in addition to sending staff to support southern localities.

Director of the department Maj. Gen. NguyenXuan Kien said in Hanoi, the army deployed over 1,500 officers and soldiers,including more than 400 working at 22 checkpoints, and set up three quarantine facilities currently serving 1,233 people. Since April 1, more than 30 soldiers have transported 14,656 people to concentrated quarantine facilities. The army also established 143 teams tocollect samples for COVID-19 testing and set up seven testing labs with 25 RT-PCR machines with a daily capacity of 10,000 samples.Since August 11, 24 out of 134,557 tested samples have been found positive tocoronavirus SARS-CoV-2. As many as 38 vaccination and 13 intensive care teamswere also established, giving over 14,000 vaccine shots. The Central Military Hospital 108, the MilitaryHospital 103 and the National Institute of Burns will be ready to treatcritically ill COVID-19 patients with 300-500 beds each. The Military Hospitals 354 and 105 and theMilitary Institute of Traditional Medicine will offer 300-500 beds each totreat patients in moderate and serious conditions while setting up 135 testing,82 vaccination and 27 intensive care teams if necessary. In northern provinces, the army plans todeploy over 21,000 beds to treat patients in mild, moderate, serious andcritical conditions, Kien said, adding that they are also ready to cope with ascenario with 500,000 COVID-19 patients and more. The General Department of Logistics also suggestedpurchasing 17 items of equipment and materials for the fight against the pandemic, especially for the establishment of temporary COVID-19treatment hospitals./.