Preventing the spread of the COVID-19 epidemic: Strictly controlling drivers carrying export goods

– Currently, in the province, there have been cases of drivers carrying export goods from other localities to the province positive for Sars-Cov-2. In order to control outbreaks in the province and prevent the COVID-19 epidemic from infecting the province, relevant agencies and forces have been strengthening control of drivers carrying export goods through border gates in the province.

According to the statistics from the Management Board of Dong Dang – Lang Son Border Gate Economic Zone, at present, on average, every day, there are from 1,000 to 1,200 trucks carrying goods to Huu Nghi International Border Gate and Tan Thanh Border Gate.

Corresponding to that number of vehicles, there are at least 2,000 people following goods trucks from other places to the province every day. This poses a high risk of disease spreading into the province.

Mr. Nguyen The Toan, Director of Department of Health, said that over the past time, drivers and goods owners from epidemic areas entering and exiting the border gate area have always maintained a high level. Therefore, although rapid tests are carried out for drivers and goods owners before entering the province as well as the border gate area, the new strain of COVID-19 virus has a long incubation period, so it is very difficult to control them all.

A medical officer at the inter-sectoral checkpoint for COVID-19 control at Huu Nghi International Border Gate conducted medical checks on drivers

Facing that situation, the Provincial Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control has upgraded the level of epidemic prevention and control to the highest level, setting up six inter-sectoral health quarantine checkpoints at the entrances to and out of the province in the following districts: Huu Lung, Chi Lang, Trang Dinh and Bac Son. At these checkpoints, drivers and people accompanying cargo vehicles must perform a quick test for COVID-19, the forces at the checkpoints only allow drivers of vehicles to enter the province when the rapid test result is negative for Sars-Cov-2 or vehicle drivers and accompanying people have a negative PCR test paper within 72 hours, if the PCR test paper is over 72 hours, the rapid test is still required.

Along with that, the whole province continues to maintain five field quarantine checkpoints entering and exiting border gates and two checkpoints in the entrance area of ​​Bao Nguyen parking lot and Xuan Cuong parking lot. All these checkpoints are responsible for strictly implementing the medical control process for vehicle drivers entering and exiting the border gate.

In addition to setting up quarantine checkpoints on the gateways to enter and get out of the province, in the face of the fact that due to local congestion, the number of vehicles carrying goods has to wait on inner-provincial roads (most of which are in Lang Son city), in order to control drivers and goods owners, Lang Son City People’s Committee has established an inter-sectoral checkpoint to control the COVID-19 epidemic at Hoang Dong golf course.

At the same time, the Provincial Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control has directed the Management Board of Dong Dang – Lang Son Border Gate Economic Zone to request parking lot businesses to strictly follow regulations on controlling the number of vehicles remaining in parking lots.

Mr. Nong Hai Thang, Director of the Center for Border Gate Management said that for Xuan Cuong parking lot at Huu Nghi International Border Gate, they only allow a maximum of 600 vehicles to enter the parking lot, and for Bao Nguyen parking lot at Tan Thanh Border Gate, they allow a maximum of 400 vehicles. Along with that, the center has coordinated with border guards to arrange accommodation at the border gate area. All drivers and goods owners must enter the arranged place and eat on the spot after handing over vehicles to the specialized driver team.

According to the leader of Department of Health, the epidemic situation in the area is still complicated. Therefore, the strict control of drivers and people accompanying cargo trucks from other localities to the province is very necessary at this time to ensure the effective implementation of the “dual goals”, preventing and fighting the epidemic while ensuring favorable conditions for customs clearance of goods through the locality.