He made the remark at an online meeting between the National Steering Committee on COVID-19 Prevention and Control and Hai Duong province held at the Government headquarters on February 19.
Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam, head of the National Steering Committee on COVID-19 Prevention and Control chaired the meeting.
Epidemiologists said the pandemic has been basically controlled in 12 provinces and cities while in Hai Duong province it is still developing in a complicated manner, particularly in Hai Duong city and the districts of Chi Linh, Cam Giang, Kinh Mon, and Nam Sach. The remaining districts have less than five cases each while several districts have only one case each.
Hai Duong province was also advised to concentrate more forces on the largest pandemic outbreaks in Chi Linh and Cam Giang and to continue to closely monitor the outbreak in Hai Duong city.
About 95% of COVID-19 infection cases in Hai Duong are F1 cases who were placed in concentrated isolation facilities, less than 5% of cases were detected in blocked residential areas and only three cases were detected through community surveillance.
The social distancing order, applied for entire Hai Duong province from February 16, is a sound and timely policy for the safety of the province and the whole country.
At the meeting, Deputy PM Vu Duc Dam requested the Ministry of Health urgently issue specific guidance on epidemiological zoning to facilitate the circulation and trading of goods in Hai Duong province, particularly agricultural products, while ensuring pandemic prevention and control.
*Shortening the research period for Vietnamese vaccines
The Ministry of Health has coordinated with the relevant units to shorten the period of research for COVID-19 vaccines by a half, while still ensuring optimal conditions for the process as well as the adequate amassing of scientific data.
This was announced at a meeting on the progress of domestic vaccine production held between Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam and the Ministry of Health in Hanoi on February 19.
The second phase of the human trials of Nano Covax, a homegrown COVID-19 vaccine, will begin on February 26, following the first phase having been proven as safe.
Developed by the Nanogen Pharmaceutical Biotechnology JSC, Nano Covax is the first Vietnam-made COVID-19 vaccine to enter human trials, together with two from other manufacturers to follow in February and March.
The country also has several other COVID-19 candidate vaccines being developed, by the Institute of Vaccines and Medical Biologicals (IVAC), the Company for Vaccine and Biological Production No.1 (VABIOTECH), and the Centre for Research and Production of Vaccines and Biologicals (POLYVAC).
In relation to the ongoing research process, the testing period can be shortened by half and if the results continue to go prove positive, Vietnam will officially have its own domestically produced vaccine for the people from late 2021.
