Quang Tri: Change vehicle operator to prevent pandemic

Customs official of Lao Bao Customs Branch (Quang Tri Customs Department) checked and supervised import- export goods through management in May 5th, 2021. Photo: Hoài Sơn

In order to prevent the Covid-19 pandemic, on May 3, People’s Committee of Quang Tri province issued a decision to change vehicle operators for vehicles transporting goods at road border gates in Quang Tri province.

The subject of this application is the vehicle operator, service staff, participants and vehicles transporting goods from (or through) countries or territories that have face the Covid-19 pandemic (including drivers, goods owners, vehicle owners, cargo loading staff, workers following vehicles and road freight cars).

For the vehicle’s operator transporting goods from Vietnam to Laos, the operator of the vehicle before participating in transporting goods to the country or territory where the Covid-19 pandemic has been affected will self-monitor health. If they have a fever or cough, trouble breathing, or feel tired, they should stay at home to monitor their health, notify management units (if any) and go to the health centre to be examined, consulted and treated.

Fully implement personal hygiene measures recommended by the Ministry of Health (wash hands regularly with soap for at least 30 seconds or use an antiseptic solution above 60% alcohol content, keep clean when coughing and sneezing), ensuring food and drink are hygienic and have enough nutrition.

On the other hand, the vehicle’s operator transporting goods to the country or territory facing the Covid-19 pandemic (Laos) and returning to Vietnam is only allowed to transport goods to the location of delivering and receiving vehicles (the location of changing vehicle’s operator at the direction of leaving country) that has been specified in the Lao Bao, La Lay road border gate area, not going inland into Laos.

At the same time, strengthening use of communication vehicles to reduce direct contact; wearing protective clothing, proper masks, glasses, hats, gloves, shoes upon arrival at the border gate; monitor temperature and health daily, if there is sign of fever or cough, trouble breathing, or tired, notify management unit and health authorities for treatment.

Fully implement personal hygiene measures recommended by the Ministry of Health (wash hands often with soap for at least 30 seconds or use an antiseptic solution with more than 60% alcohol content, keep clean when coughing or sneezing), ensuring hygienic eating and drinking, have separate drinking cups, waste masks and paper towels are put in sealed garbage bags; place garbage bags in the designated place and wash hands.

When leaving the vehicle, limit access to crowded areas; keep a safe distance of more than 2 metres when directly contact with others; keep wearing protective cloth and move to the import side to receive the vehicle and transport it back to Vietnam.

When returning to Vietnam, they must remove protective clothing, masks, glasses and gloves for disposal at designated places of the border gate and carry out medical quarantine in accordance with regulations.

Only access designated areas to communicate with the vehicle’s operator coming back from Laos (there are distances, glass cover in the area of changing the vehicle’s operator at the border gates). The vehicle operator who properly and fully complies with the regulations must self-monitor within 14 days and promptly notify the local management unit and health authorities when having signs of fever or cough or trouble breathing.

Means of transport must be disinfected before changing drivers, delivering and receiving vehicles at locations as prescribed at the border gate in accordance with regulations.

Vehicle operators transporting goods from or passing through the country or territory incurred COVID-19 pandemic (from Laos to Vietnam) can only drive and operate in the changing area specified in the Lao Bao border gate area, La Lay and are not allowed to go into other areas.

Wear protective clothing, masks, glasses, hats, gloves and shoes properly when arriving at the border gate; when coming to the quarantine area, international medical quarantine agency performs quarantine procedures first before performing other procedures as prescribed.