Banks offer preferential interest rates to help customers offset COVID-19 damages

The Vietnam Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Agribank) is spending VND100 trillion (over US$4.2 billion) in preferential loans, disbursed from April 1 until three months from the date on which the Prime Minister announces the end of the COVID-19 epidemic or until the disbursement of the credit package is completed.

The Vietnam Prosperity Joint Stock Commercial Bank (VPBank) has announced its second companion programme, offering a 2% interest rate cut for small and medium business customers.

Ho Chi Minh City Development Commercial Joint Stock Bank (HDBank) has implemented a package with preferential interest rates ranging from 2-4.5% for individual customers and micro businesses affected by the epidemic.

* The Ministry of Industry and Trade has sent a report to the Prime Minister proposing for a reduction in the prices of electricity for the next three months to help ease difficulties facing production and business in the context of the ravaging COVID-19 pandemic. The total amount of electricity supported under the price reduction scheme is worth about VND11 trillion.

* Over 600 citizens from various localities across the nation, including foreigners, have been released from concentrated isolation camps in the provinces of Nghe An, Hai Duong and Nam Dinh in the first two days of April, after they completed their 14 days of medical isolation to remove the risk of COVID-19 infection.

All have tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 virus. After completing the 14-day intensive isolation period prescribed by the Ministry of Health, upon returning to their localities, these citizens will continue to isolate themselves and be put under health monitor at home for several days to ensure safety and disease prevention.

Local authorities handing over certificates to citizens of Nghe An after completion of their 14-day medical isolation. (Photo: NDO)

* On April 2, Deputy Minister of Health Do Xuan Tuyen worked with the leaders of Hung Yen Province on COVID-19 prevention and control. On the occasion, the deputy minister and the representative of the Joint Stock Commercial Bank for Foreign Trade of Vietnam (Vietcombank) awarded an ambulance worth VND1.3 billion and two colour ultrasound machines worth VND1.3 billion to the local health sector.

* No Vietnamese citizens in Saudi Arabia have contracted COVID-19, the Vietnamese Embassy in the Middle East nation said on April 2. Since the country announced its first case, on March 2, the embassy has taken numerous measures to support Vietnamese citizens and advise them on how to prevent the disease.

The office has regularly provided updated information on the pandemic on its website https://vnembassy-riyadh.mofa.gov.vn and via social networks, while also making recommendations about countermeasures related to hygiene and disinfection, and advising them to avoid crowds and non-essential travel.

The embassy also asked Vietnamese to strictly follow the host country’s curfew order from 3:00pm to 6:00am, reminding them of the fines that would be imposed. It has also set up a citizen protection hotline at +96 6567 290693 and the local health office’s phone number 937 997, as well as a list of 25 hospitals specialised in the COVID-19 designated by the Saudi Arabian government.

In addition, they have been informed of the host country’s policy to allow a free three-month extension for foreign workers with residence cards or exit visa or re-entry visa which expire between March 20 and June 30. They were also updated on King Salman’s March 30 decree which states that all COVID-19 cases will be provided with free treatment at public and private hospitals nationwide.

* The National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology reported six new SARS-CoV-2 positive cases during the night of April 2, which raised the total number of COVID-19 patients in the country to 233 as of 6am on April 3.

By late April 2, a total of 75 COVID-19 patients were declared to have recovered. Most of the remaining cases are in stable health condition. Nearly 73,000 people are under quarantine or health monitoring, either at hospitals, designated facilities or at home.