COVID-19 pandemic in review

By now, over 120 million COVID-19 cases and more than
2.6 million fatalities have been recorded in 221 countries and territories
around the world. The pandemic has pushed the global economy into serious
recession.

Vietnam has so far gone through three stages of infections,
with the first from January 23, 2020, the second from late July 2020, and the
third from January 25, 2021.

At a quarantine area (Photo: VNA)

The Vietnamese Government has issued a number of
policies to help businesses and people gradually overcome the difficulties brought
about by the pandemic. The country has been a highlight in fulfilling the twin goals
of fighting the pandemic and restoring socio-economic development.

In the first stage, the Government directed the adoption
of early and drastic measures at an earlier time and stronger level than those recommended
by the . From the outset, it deployed the military force to the task of
monitoring concentrated quarantining and controlling cross-border movement in border
areas. Vietnam also conducted flights bringing citizens home and foreign
investors, experts, and skilled workers to the country for employment.

Vietnamese citizens proceed check-in before flying home. (Photo: VNA)

In the second stage, response measures were taken
quickly, drastically, and synchronously. All localities rebooted prevention and
control systems so that pandemic “hotspots” were quickly isolated and wiped
out.

With the spread of new COVID-19 variants in the third
stage, the Ministry of Health led the effective carrying out of rapid tracing
and isolation, collecting samples for testing on a large scale and narrowing
the scale of lockdown to mitigate impacts on social and economic life.

Roads in Da Nang city are disinfected (Photo: VNA)

The pandemic has so far been brought under control in
the country.

With the motto “Fighting the pandemic like fighting the
enemy”, Vietnam has worked closely with international organisations and countries
worldwide to share information and identify strong but rational measures, which
were welcomed by the international community.

As of late March 23, the country had reported 2,576 cases
of infection, 1,601 of which were locally transmitted. Some 2,246 have
recovered while 35 have died.

(Source: VNA)

Thanks to timely and sound direction from the
Government, the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and
Control, the Ministry of Health, other ministries, agencies, and localities,
together with public unity, Vietnam successfully controlled its COVID-19
outbreaks at a relatively low cost.

Illustrative image (Photo: VNA)

Amid new developments of the pandemic, the National
Steering Committee and the Health Ministry have issued new strategies.

A car frame workshop by Ford Vietnam in Hai Duong province. (Photo: VNA)

In compliance with the Government resolution on the
purchase and use of COVID-19 vaccines, the Health Ministry quickly bought vaccines
and provided vaccinations to citizens.

COVIVAC is the second vaccine by Vietnam being tested on humans. (Photo: VNA)

Apart from imported vaccines, the Health Ministry is also
stepping up the research and development of home-made vaccines. Nanocovax developed
by the Nanogen company was put into the second stage of clinical human trials on
February 26, while human trials of Covivac from the
Institute of Vaccines and Medical Biologicals (IVAC) began on March 15. Made-in-Vietnam
vaccines are scheduled to come into use next year.

Vietnam has also been a responsible
member of the international community via providing medical supplies to affected
countries.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc hosts a meeting on Covid-19 prevention and control. (Photo: VNA)

Ministries, agencies, and localities
are continuing to strengthen leadership and raising a sense of responsibility among
heads of units in the effort. Top priority is given to pandemic control, but thorough
consideration of prevention and control measures must be made to mitigate the socio-economic
and human impact.

The essential but most popular and
easiest measures continue to be undertaken to prevent infections in the
community while strict monitoring is conducted to ensure the safety of high-risk
groups in the community.

Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam chairs a meeting of National Steering Committee for Prevention and Control. (Photo: VNA)

Entries into the country continue to
be closely controlled, especially high-skilled workers, to prevent infections
from external sources. Thorough preparations have also been made to gradually
resume international flights to facilitate trade.

Ministries, agencies, and localities
are also working to prevent disruptions to economic activities, especially in
affected localities, facilitating international trade in the “new normal”,
attracting investment from major partners, and creating the conditions to
welcome investors, experts, and corporate executives to Vietnam for diplomatic
and official purposes./.