Many unprecedented professional solutions, such as monitoring, isolation, treatment stratification, establishment of resuscitation centres and mobile medical stations, home treatment and others, have been promptly and effectively deployed to adapt to each stage of the pandemic.
Notably, from a country with slow access to vaccines, Vietnam’s current vaccination speed and coverage is among the world's leading countries. Vietnam has reached the finish line earlier than the recommended target, set by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
The COVID-19 pandemic still remains complicated and it is forecast to not end soon. Not only Delta and Omicron, but there are likely other variants to appear. At the Government Conference with localities held on January 5, Health Minister Nguyen Thanh Long said that the Omicron variant had an infection rate seven times higher in unvaccinated people and three times higher in fully vaccinated people. Thus, there is a high risk of rapidly increasing numbers of infected cases and overloading the healthcare system.
That fact requires greater efforts of ministries, sectors, localities and people in pandemic prevention and control. More than ever, the health sector and other frontline forces need to continue to uphold their determination in the fight against COVID-19,to protect the health and lives of the people.
An average of over 16,000 people were infected and 221 people died from COVID-19 each day over the past week. Therefore, the effective prevention and control of the pandemic will make an important contribution to implementing the socio-economic recovery and development programme, while creating conditions for people to celebrate the Lunar New Year joyfully and safely.
Localities need to strengthen pandemic prevention and control in the direction of risk management with the focus on reducing severe cases and mortality. It is also significant to continue accelerating vaccinations against COVID-19 for people, in accordance with the recommendations of professional agencies, particularly the WHO.
Vietnam has so far recorded 25 cases of COVID-19 caused by the Omicron variant in Hanoi, Quang Nam, Ho Chi Minh City, Hai Duong, Hai Phong, and Thanh Hoa. Localities need to immediately follow the proposal of the Ministry of Health to develop scenarios and plans to be ready to respond to the pandemic and ensure medical human resources, drugs and equipment for the fight against the pandemic.
In recent days, a number of corruption cases and profiteering from the pandemic have been discovered and investigated. People want these cases to be handled soon, so as not to overshadow the contributions, dedication and sacrifices of medical workers and frontline forces in the fight against the pandemic over the past and in the future.
