Wednesday, February 03, 2021, 17:33 GMT+7 Officials check COVID-19 prevention and control tasks in Nam Tu Liem District, Hanoi. Photo: Xuan Thanh / Tuoi Tre Authorities in Hanoi are planning on mobilizing state budget to purchase COVID-19 vaccine for all citizens as the pandemic situation in the capital has become increasingly serious. Secretary of the municipal Party Committee Vuong Dinh Hue chaired a meeting with relevant agencies on Tuesday to discuss COVID-19 prevention and control efforts. Given the urgent situation, Hue ordered competent authorities to prioritize pandemic prevention and control tasks to ensure safety for all residents. All direct and indirect contacts of existing patients must be tracked in a rapid manner, while the patients’ places of residence must be locked down to prevent the disease from spreading.