Official Dispatch No. 4095/UBND-KGVX dated November 19, 2021 on guiding medical quarantine at home for persons making close contact (F1) by People’s Committee Of Hanoi City

To:

- Departments and ministries of the City;
- People’s Committees of districts.

Given the complicated epidemic development in recent weeks in the area with multiple new confirmed cases in the community and rapid increase in number of persons making close contact. On November 16, 2021, Chairperson of People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City issued Official Telegram No. 23/CD-UBND on continuation of COVID-19 management measures in the City in the new normal.

Implementing Announcement No. 565-TB/TU dated November 18, 2021 of City Committee regarding conclusion of Standing Committee of City Committee and Guidelines on medical quarantine at home for persons making close contact (F1) under Official Dispatch No. 5599/BYT-MT dated July 14, 2021 of Ministry of Health on reduced quarantine period, pilot medical quarantine at home for F1, and management of COVID-19 patient treatment; in order to stay active in preventing, controlling COVID-19 epidemic, and reducing risk of infection, People’s Committee of the City implements medical quarantine at home for F1 as follows:

1. Regulated entities

1.1. Individuals who made close contact with a confirmed case (hereinafter referred to as "F1");

- Individuals living in the same house as F1 may quarantine at home with F1;

- Individuals directing caring and assisting F1 may quarantine at home with F1.

...

...

...

2. Scope

Within the City except for 4 districts of: Ba Dinh District, Hoan Kiem District, Dong Da District, and Hai Ba Trung District.

3. Requirements

Requirements regarding facilities, equipment, and eligibility of individuals under medical quarantine at home, other people in the house, medical personnel, and relevant entities: Conform to guidelines of Ministry of Health under Official Dispatch No. 5599/BYT-MT dated July 14, 2021 reduced quarantine period, pilot medical quarantine at home for F1, and management of COVID-19 patient treatment. (Provisional guidelines on medical quarantine at home for COVID-19 management for persons making close contact (F1) attached thereto)

4. Procedures

- When an F1 wishes to be placed under home quarantine, he/she must apply to Steering Committee for COVID-19 epidemic management of ward, commune (via medical stations) where the individual lives.

- Medical station of ward, commune after receiving applications shall submit list of applicant to Steering Committee for COVID-19 epidemic management of ward, commune.

- Steering Committee for COVID-19 epidemic management of ward, commune which receives the list shall assign an inspection team to verify, assess, and examine facilities in quarantine location registered by the F1. The inspection team consists of: Representative of People’s Committee, police officer, medical personnel of medical station of commune, ward; representative of neighborhood, hamlet/Community COVID team.

- Inspection team shall verify and assess requirements for conducting medical quarantine at home registered by F1. Criteria for assessing requirements for conducting medical quarantine at home shall conform to Official Dispatch No. 5599/BYT-MT dated July 14, 2021 of Ministry of Health (with inspection record produced).

...

...

...

- Steering Committee for epidemic management of commune, ward shall issue Decision on medical quarantine at home for F1 (this Decision must specify responsibilities of local government in supervising individuals undergoing medical quarantine at home).

- Once an F1 is quarantining at home, guidelines under Official Dispatch No. 5599/BYT-MT dated July 14, 2021 of Ministry of Health will be applied.

5. Organization for implementation

5.1. Department of Health

Direct affiliated medical entities to implement specialized measures, guide, and supervise implementation of home quarantine for F1; assess implementation and submit reports on implementation results to People’s Committee of the City.

5.2. People’s Committees of districts

- Immediately direct People’s Committees of communes, wards to review households/residences eligible for implementing home quarantine (under section 3 of Official Dispatch No. 5599/BYT-MT) to ready for cases where F1 wish to quarantine at home, submit review reports before November 26, 2021 (via Department of Health) for presentation to People’s Committee of the City and Hanoi City Committee.

- Direct People’s Committees of communes, wards, local authorities, and community COVID teams to thoroughly investigate and trace cases of F1 in order to classify and decide on eligibility for home quarantine/hotel quarantine (when quarantined individuals submit written commitment)/concentrated quarantine; develop home quarantine solutions within their management, assign specific roles, implement tasks as per the law, and organize inspection and supervision of home quarantine.

- Heads of local authorities are fully responsible to People’s Committee of the City regarding organization, implementation, supervision, and inspection of home quarantine for F1; prevent the epidemic from spreading to the community and guarantee epidemic management affairs in the area; take strict actions against organizations and individuals failing to comply with epidemic management solutions of central and city governments; utilize the community COVID teams in supervising individuals under home quarantine.

...

...

...

Cooperate with Department of Health in applying information technology in order to effectively manage home quarantine of F1.

Hereby requests entities to strictly comply with details mentioned above, difficulties that arise during the implementation should be reported to People’s Committee of the City (via Department of Health)./.

PP. PEOPLE’S COMMITTEE
ACTING CHAIRPERSON
VICE CHAIRPERSON




Chu Xuan Dung

PROVISIONAL GUIDELINES

ON COVID-19 HOME QUARANTINE FOR PERSONS MAKING CLOSE CONTACT (F1) OF MINISTRY OF HEALTH UNDER OFFICIAL DISPATCH NO. 5599/BYT-MT DATED JULY 14, 2021

1. Regulated entities

...

...

...

- Individuals living in the same house as F1 may quarantine at home with F1;

- Individuals directing caring and assisting F1 may quarantine at home with F1.

1.2. Individuals who have been under concentrated quarantine for 7 days and tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 via PCR test on the 7th day may be transferred home for further quarantine.

2. Time

- quarantine at home or residence (hereinafter collectively referred to as “home quarantine”) shall last 14 consecutive days from the initial date of quarantine. Individuals who have finished concentrated quarantine for 7 days shall continue to quarantine at home for 7 days.

- Once an individual completes medical quarantine, continue to monitor health for the next 14 days.

3. Requirements for facilities and equipment

- Stand-alone houses; flats in collective living quarters, apartments.

- Place a warning sign with red background and yellow letters that reads “DỊA DIỂM CÁCH LY Y TẾ PHÒNG CHỐNG DỊCH COVID-19” (LOCATION UNDER COVID-19 QUARANTINE) in front of the house; prepare a yellow container bearing the infectious waste sign and a label that reads “CHẤT THẢI CÓ NGUY CƠ CHỨA SARS-COV-2” (WASTES POTENTIALLY CARRYING SARS-COV-2) in order to contain personal protective equipment discarded by medical personnel.

...

...

...

- Surveillance camera is advised in order to monitor quarantined individuals.

- Medical quarantine rooms must satisfy following requirements:

+ Must be furnished with separate bathroom, adequate personal toiletries, soap, clean water, hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol (hereinafter referred to as “hand sanitizer”). Must be equipped with personal thermometer.

+ Must be furnished with a yellow waste container that is equipped with a cover, opened using a foot pedal, padded by yellow bags for containing infectious wastes (face masks, handkerchief, tissue), and labeled as “CHẤT THẢI CÓ NGUY CƠ CHỨA SARS-CoV-2” (WASTES POTENTIALLY CARRYING SARS-CoV-2) (hereinafter referred to as “infectious waste container”); a container of domestic wastes that is equipped with a cover, opened using foot pedal, and padded with green bags (hereinafter referred to as “domestic waste container”).

+ Must not employ central air conditioners, may use separate air conditioners; Guarantee natural ventilation and leaving windows open frequent is recommended.

+ Must contain washing machines or buckets to allow quarantined individuals wash their clothes.

+ Must contain brooms, mops, rags, 2 buckets, and regular cleaning liquid to allow quarantined individuals to sanitize the room. Quarantine rooms must be sanitized on a daily basis.

- Must prepare personal protective equipment (medical face masks, medical gloves, boots, protective goggles, clothes) for other individuals who live in the same house in case they must make close contact with the quarantined individuals.

- Must place tables in front of the quarantine room to provide separate meals, water, and other necessities for quarantined individuals. Do not bring belongings or items of quarantined individuals out of the house.

...

...

...

- Stringently comply with regulations and period of home quarantine; produce written commitment with local governments using Form under Annex 1.

- Do not leave the quarantine room throughout quarantine period; do not make contact with anyone. Do not make contact with domestic animals.

- Conform with 5K principles and epidemic management measures as per the law.

- Install, activate, and perform daily medical declaration on VHD application or Bluezone application throughout quarantine period.

- Monitor body temperature and health, and update daily on VHD application or Bluezone application. If smart phones are not available, report to medical staffs via provided phone number on a daily basis. Suspected symptoms namely coughing, fever, sore throat, or breathing issues must be immediately updated on the VHD application or Bluezone application and reported to medical personnel. If unable to measure body temperature, medical personnel or caregivers (if any) shall measure body temperature of quarantined individuals.

- Do not share personnel belongings such as bowls, chopsticks, spoons, cups, toothbrushes, or towel with anyone.

- Sanitize living space on a daily basis as instructed under Annex 3.

- Classify wastes according to guidelines under Annex 3.

- Once quarantine period expires, continue to monitor health at home as per the law.

...

...

...

5. Requirements for other individuals living in the same house

- Produce written commitment with local governments using Form under Annex 1 and sign the commitment with caregivers of quarantined individuals using Form under Annex 2.

- The elderly and individuals who suffer from underlying illnesses that require medical care must not live in the same house as quarantined individuals.

- Do not make contact with quarantined individuals, refrain from going outside unnecessarily, implement 5K principles, and keep accurate record of time of contact during the period in which an individual is under home quarantine.

- If F1 is a child or the elderly or an individual suffering from underlying illness(es) and requiring a caregiver, may assign a caregiver to live in quarantine space and fulfill epidemic management measures. Caregivers of quarantined individuals must produce written commitment with local governments using Form under Annex 2.

- Provide meals, water, and other necessities for quarantined individuals on a daily basis.

- Immediately report to medical personnel if quarantined individuals leave the house or exhibit suspected symptoms such as coughing, fever, sore throat, and/or dyspnea.

- Collect wastes from quarantine rooms according to guidelines under Annex 3.

- Do not allow anyone to enter the house throughout quarantine period (other than people living in the same house, medical personnel, and competent individuals capable of supervising medical quarantine).

...

...

...

- Sanitize and clean the house on a daily basis.

- All household members shall be tested for SARS-CoV-2 at least 3 times on the 1^st day, the 7^th day, and the 14^th day from the initial quarantine date in form of group sampling (except for household members who have moved away), arrange a separate area to allow medical personnel to collect samples and perform medical supervision when needed.

- If caregivers live with quarantined individuals, collect SARS-CoV-2 samples from the caregivers in a manner similar to the quarantined individuals.

6. Requirements for medical personnel

- Receive information and examine health conditions of quarantined individuals and caregivers on a daily basis, and assist quarantined individuals. Assist quarantined individuals in measuring body temperature of the quarantined individuals if they are incapable of doing so. Record medical examination results in daily health check-up record.

- Collect SARS-CoV-2 samples for quarantined individuals, caregivers, and other household members as per the law. Sampling must be implemented in quarantine rooms or in an area with natural ventilation, located at downwind, not involving physical contact with anyone, close to quarantine rooms, and not spreading the epidemic. Sterilize and collect wastes during sampling process for processing as per the law.

- Instruct quarantined individuals, caregivers, and household members to collect wastes as specified under Annex 3.

- Immediately report to superior medical authority and local governments when quarantined individuals, caregivers, or other household members exhibit signs of infection namely fever, coughing, breathing issues, or other signs.

- If quarantined individuals, caregivers, or other household members are tested positive, conform to regulations and law.

...

...

...

- People’s Committees of communes shall only allow home quarantine once conditions under Annex 4 are inspected, verified, and satisfied.

- Provide quarantined individuals and their household members with information (full name, phone number) of medical personnel in charge of monitoring health.

- Organize strict management and supervision of home quarantine, do not allow quarantined individuals to leave quarantine rooms; supervise quarantined individuals medically during and after quarantine period;

- Request other household members to restrict physical contact with other people, refrain from leaving the house unnecessarily, strictly comply with 5K principles, and keep an accurate record of time of physical contact during the period in which a household member is under home quarantine.

- Collect and transport wastes of quarantined individuals for processing as per the law.

- In case an entire family is F1, request delivery of food, other essentials, and other necessities to the house of quarantined family.

ANNEX 1

HOME QUARANTINE COMMITMENT FORM

...

...

...

COMMITMENT

Regarding implementation of home quarantine for COVID-19 management

Full name of quarantined individual: …………………………………………………………

ID Card/Citizen Identity Card number: ………………………………………………. Phone: ………………………

Full name of household owner/representative: …………………………………

ID Card/Citizen Identity Card number: ………………………………………………. Phone: ……………..……………………

Home address (where medical quarantine is performed): ……………………………………….

I. QUARANTINED INDIVIDUAL

I hereby guarantee to strictly comply with home quarantine measures, to be specific:

...

...

...

2. Do not leave quarantine room throughout quarantine period.

3. Strictly comply with 5K principles and COVID-19 epidemic management measures according to guidelines and recommendations of Ministry of Health. Install and employ electronic medical declaration applications. Perform medical declaration on a daily basis and inform medical personnel after exhibiting symptoms such as coughing, fever, sore throat, dyspnea, etc.

4. Cooperate with medical personnel in collecting samples for SARS-CoV-2 test during quarantine process as per the law.

I hereby assume full legal responsibilities and incur all expenses arising as a result of failure to comply with regulations on home quarantine on my part.

II. HOUSEHOLD OWNER/REPRESENTATIVE

I hereby guarantee:

1. Prepare sufficient facilities and equipment serving home quarantine of quarantined individuals. Sterilize and collect wastes on a daily basis as per the law.

2. Monitor, supervise, and request quarantined individuals to strictly comply with medical quarantine regulations, refrain from leaving the house, and quarantine adequately as per the law.

3. Do not make contact with quarantined individuals.

...

...

...

5. Immediately report to medical personnel in case quarantined individuals deliberately leave the house or exhibit suspicious symptoms such as coughing, fever, sore throat, dyspnea.

6. Monitor health. Immediately report to medical personnel when exhibiting suspicious symptoms such as coughing, fever, sore throat, or dyspnea.

7. Cooperate with medical personnel in collecting samples for SARS-CoV-2 test as per the law.

8. Other household members must refrain from making contact with other people, refrain from leaving the house unnecessarily, comply with 5K principles, and keep an accurate record of time of physical contact during the period in which a household member is under home quarantine.

If I violate this commitment, I shall assume all responsibilities as per the law./.

……(Location and date)

...

...

...

Household owner/representative

Neighborhood/hamlet

People’s Committee of commune

ANNEX 2

COMMITMENT FORM FOR CAREGIVERS OF QUARANTINED INDIVIDUALS

SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM
Independence – Freedom – Happiness
----------------

COMMITMENT

Regarding implementation of COVID-19 management solutions

...

...

...

ID Card/Citizen Identity Card number: ………………………………………………. Phone: …………………

Full name of caregiver: …………………………………………………………………

ID Card/Citizen Identity Card number: ………………………………………………. Phone: …………………

I am the caregiver of quarantined individual at home address: ………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………. I hereby guarantee to strictly comply with COVID-19 management solutions, to be specific:

1. Instruct quarantined individual and myself to strictly comply with 5K principles and epidemic management solutions as per the law.

2. Install and employ electronic medical declaration applications. Monitor health and check body temperature for the quarantined individual and myself. Perform medical declaration on a daily basis and report to medical personnel on a daily basis and immediately when myself or quarantined individual cough, suffer from fever, sore throat, or dyspnea.

3. Do not leave quarantine room throughout quarantine period.

...

...

...

5. Sterilize quarantine room, clothing, and personal belonging of myself and quarantined individual. If I violate this commitment, I shall assume all responsibilities as per the law./.

……(Location and date)

Quarantined individual

Household owner/representative

Neighborhood/hamlet

People’s Committee of commune

...

...

...

ANNEX 3

DISINFECTION AND WASTE MANAGEMENT

1. Environmental disinfection

- Perform environmental disinfection at least twice per day for: The floor, floor of sanitation area and surfaces with frequent physical contact such as table, chair, bed frame, wardrobe, fridge, door knob, sink, toilet, faucet, etc.

- Clean the surface, belongings, and items prior to disinfection. Babysitters must receive instruction on implementation and wear facemasks, gloves when sanitizing and disinfecting surfaces and living environment.

- Use regular cleaning liquid and 70% alcohol to sanitize and disinfect. Use 70% alcohol to clean surface of electric and electronic appliances such as light switch, television remote control, phones, etc. on a regular basis. Cut power prior to cleaning.

2. Disinfection of clothing and belongings of quarantined individual

- Clothes of quarantined individuals must be cleaned separately. Cleaning and drying either by hanging or using a dryer are recommended to be done within quarantine room.

- Prior to cleaning clothes, soak clothes in soap for at least 20 minutes.

...

...

...

- Classify: wastes that are facemasks, tissue, or handkerchief coming from quarantined room of household or residence must be contained in waste bags and sprayed with 70% alcohol after which point the waste bags must be tied shut and placed in infectious waste containers which are padded with plastic bag, equipped with cover, bearing infectious waste warning signs, and located in quarantine room. Waste bags and infectious waste containers must bear labels that read “CHẤT THẢI CÓ NGUY CƠ CHỨA SARS-CoV-2” (WASTES POTENTIALLY CARRYING SARS-CoV-2) on the outside.

- Collect: prior to collecting waste, a waste bag must be tied shut and placed in another waste bag which is also tied shut and placed in an infectious waste container. An infectious waste container must have solid exteriors, cover, external wheels allowing movement, and label that reads “CHẤT THẢI CÓ NGUY CƠ CHỨA SARS-CoV-2” (WASTES POTENTIALLY CARRYING SARS-CoV-2) on the outside. Other wastes shall be collected and processed according to regulations of Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment. Waste containers must be collected separately. Throughout collection process, waste containers must be tightly sealed and not leaking any waste. In case quarantined individuals exhibit suspected signs of COVID-19 or are tested positive to SARS-COV-2, all wastes coming from quarantine rooms of said individuals must be collected and treated as infectious waste. Then sterilize and disinfect according to guidelines of Ministry of Health.

- Transport and process waste: People’s Committees of districts shall rely on specific local situations to regulate collection frequency, individuals in charge of waste collection, transportation, and solutions for processing wastes of quarantined individuals accordingly.

ANNEX 4

CONFIRMATION OF ADEQUATE FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT FOR HOME QUARANTINE

PEOPLE’S COMMITTEE OF …………
-------

SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM
Independence – Freedom – Happiness
----------------

No. /GXN-UBND

...

...

...

CONFIRMATION OF ADEQUATE FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT FOR HOME QUARANTINE

PEOPLE’S COMMITTEE OF ………………… - CONFIRMS

I. GENERAL INFORMATION

Full name of quarantined individual: …………………………………………………………

ID Card/Citizen Identity Card number: ………………………………………………. Phone: ………………………

Full name of household owner/representative: …………………………………

ID Card/Citizen Identity Card number: ………………………………………………. Phone: ………………………

Home address (where medical quarantine is performed): ……………………………………….

...

...

...

II. DETAILS OF CONFIRMATION

Hereby confirms that the Household located at the address above is eligible in terms of facilities and equipment for performing home quarantine.

To be specific:

- ………..

- ………..

- ………..

- ………..

...

...

...