Focusing on ensuring safety during the epidemic at Tan Thanh Border Gate area

– From July 27, 2021 to 4:00 p.m. on August 2, there were ten positive cases of SARS-CoV-2 in the province, including eight cases infected by infected cargo drivers at Tan Thanh Border Gate area (five cases are drivers and three cases are people in Tan Thanh commune infected by one F0 subject who is a driver). Facing that actual situation, the People’s Committee of Van Lang District and related sectors and units are putting all their efforts to ensure safety during the epidemic at Tan Thanh Border Gate area.

Immediately after positive cases appeared, the People’s Committee of Van Lang District issued a document to direct the cessation of all non-essential services at the border gate area (sauna, karaoke, spa, gym, electronic game points, restaurants, catering service establishments…); established two field quarantine checkpoints at the routes to the border gate area (one checkpoint on Tan Thanh – Kha Phong specialized import-export route; one checkpoint on the way to Tan Thanh market area and the entry and exit area), strictly implementing medical control procedures for all people entering and exiting the area, especially for drivers carrying goods from other places.

Mr. Do An Hien, Director of Van Lang District Health Center, said that medical forces at the two field quarantine checkpoints together with other forces strictly control drivers, if meeting all the conditions for the epidemic prevention and control, they will be allowed to enter the border gate area. Along with that, they continue to investigate and trace cases related to F0 cases who are long-distance drivers from other places.

Tan Thanh border guards checked drivers’ documents according to regulations before entering and exiting the border gate

At this time, all drivers arriving at the border gate must enter a separate area for long-distance drivers (at Bao Nguyen car park). All cargo transportation activities are handed over to the specialized driver team for implementation. Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Duc Trinh, Head of Tan Thanh Border Guard Post, said that the post arranged forces to coordinate with the Center for Border Gate Management and other sectors to closely monitor quarantine points at the border gate area. Along with that, organizing the supervision and management of drivers when arriving at the border gate, ensuring that drivers always wear face masks and are not allowed to gather in large numbers. In addition, the post continues to organize checkpoints to block trails and shortcuts to prevent people from illegally entering and exiting.

At this time, the People’s Committee of Van Lang District, functional forces and related sectors are putting all their efforts into Covid-19 prevention and control at Tan Thanh Border Gate area. Mrs. Be Thi Van, Vice Chairwoman of Van Lang District People’s Committee, Head of the interdisciplinary working group directing the implementation of urgent measures to prevent and control the Covid-19 epidemic at the border gate area in the district said that in order to control the Covid-19 epidemic, the district requested the provincial health sector to provide professional support in surveillance, classification, screening and diagnosis to promptly detect suspected cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection at Tan Thanh Border Gate area, especially for drivers from other places. Simultaneously, the district has coordinated with related units to establish a quick response team to collect and treat patients and at the same time carry out 24-hour epidemic prevention and control monitoring, including holidays, Saturday and Sunday. In particular, in order to monitor and manage drivers from other places, the district and related sectors have requisitioned Saigon – Tan Thanh Trade Center to serve as a quarantine area for drivers carrying goods to the border gate area. Currently, they are installing equipment at the center, which will be put into operation by August 4 at the latest.

Mr. Nguyen Trong Nghia, Head of the Management Board of Dong Dang – Lang Son Border Gate Economic Zone said that in recent years, the number of trucks carrying goods to Tan Thanh Border Gate area is quite large, sometimes up to more than 700 vehicles per day. In addition to taking urgent measures to prevent and control the Covid-19 epidemic at Tan Thanh Border Gate area, the board has directed the Center for Border Gate Management to actively coordinate with other sectors and forces to continue taking measures to create favorable conditions for customs clearance of goods through the border gate. As a result, although the number of trucks carrying goods to the border gate is quite large, at Tan Thanh Border Gate, there is no traffic jam.

Not only at Tan Thanh Border Gate area, at this time, Van Lang district authorities and related agencies and forces have been coordinating in organizing propaganda and launching the movement “All people participate in Covid-19 prevention and control”. Along with that, the provincial health sector and the People’s Committee of Van Lang District are focusing on vaccination against Covid-19 for people in border communes in particular and all people in the district in general (up to now, 12,000 people out of 50,000 people in the whole district have been vaccinated). With synchronous measures being implemented, Van Lang district and related agencies and units are making their best efforts to ensure safety during the epidemic at the border gate area in particular and the whole district in general.