The Government leader made the instruction in his Directive 01/CT-TTg issued on January 5 on intensifying COVID-19 prevention and control to ensure a safe and happy lunar New Year (Tet) holiday – Vietnamese people’s biggest festival which falls in the first half of February this year. The Foreign Ministry is tasked with the strict screening of Vietnamese citizens abroad who wish to return to the country, to ensure the repatriation of those most in need in the target groups.   The Prime Minister requested the Defence Ministry to coordinate with the Ministry of Public Security and People’s Committees of border provinces to tighten border management to prevent illegal entry. In case new infections are detected, the Ministries of Health, Public Security and Defence, and provincial and municipal People’s Committee must immediately trace those with possible contact with the patients, and apply necessary measures. The Government leader also required relevant ministries and agencies to step up communications on the risk of the pandemic, and encourage the public to stay vigilant, wear face masks at public places and avoid mass gatherings, and inform authorized offices of illegal entry and disease prevention and control violations./.