PM encourages “soldiers in white blouses” in COVID-19 fight 02:50         Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc on August 4 lauded wholehearted contributions of medical staff to the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic. Cho Ray Hospital doctors treating a COVID-19 patient (Source: VNA) In a letter sent to staff of the health care sector, the Prime Minister emphasised that Vietnam has entered a new stage of the pandemic with more complicated developments and quick spread to various localities, including major cities, and several health workers have contracted the disease. In response to Party General Secretary and President Nguyen Phu Trong’s appeal and with the stance of “fighting the disease like fighting the enemy,” the entire political system and people have joined hands in combating the disease, Phuc wrote, adding that the Government has urged more drastic and synchronous measures to deal with the hotbeds, especially in central Da Nang city and Quang Nam province. The Government leader hailed “soldiers in white blouses” for exerting every effort to trace and quarantine people in close contact with COVID-19 patients, take test samples and conduct tests, and treat patients. He also expressed his gratitude to families of health workers for always supporting and sharing difficulties with them. Amid the complicated, uncertain and prolonged developments of the pandemic, the health care sector should focus all resources on containing the spread of the disease and make its staff fully-equipped to ensure absolute safety for them. He called on all doctors and medical staff across the country to stay determined and show high sense of responsibility, together with forces and people, to roll back the pandemic. The PM also urged people nationwide to continue encouraging and working together to support “soldiers in white blouses” in the tough and dangerous fight against COVID-19. He wished medical staff good health, deserving public trust throughout the country and accomplishing the task of caring for and protecting public health./. VNA