Medical workers talk to residents before COVID-19 vaccinations in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue. (Photo: VNA)The Ministry of Health (MoH) reported nearly 1,300 new cases ofCOVID-19 on Thursday, an increase of 100 cases from the day before. Thenew cases were mainly due to the BA.4 and BA.5 variants of theOmicron strain.
Associate professor Tran Dac Phu, former director of the General Department ofPreventive Medicine under the MoH, said that the easing of anti-pandemicmeasures and neglect of preventive measures were behind the increase.
“People do not wear masks and do not take preventive measures, even inhigh-risk areas. Those with symptoms also do not quarantine, do not make amedical declaration, and do not get tested, so they do not know if they haveCOVID-19 or not,” said Phu.
He added that the number of new cases was not exact, because testing wasno longer carried out, so asymptomatic cases were not included in thetotal.
Phu believes it is important to protect people at high-risk, such as thosewith underlying diseases, the elderly, and people who have not received a fullcourse of vaccine.
Effective protective measures are still disinfection, wearing masks inhigh-risk areas such as hospitals and crowded places, or avoiding contact withinfected people.
It is necessary to have booster doses of the vaccine to limit the number of newcases and avoid overloading the healthcare system.
Phu said that the health sector must properly assess the risk based on thereal number of infections in their managed areas. They should assess severecases and those under treatment.
“We have loosened preventive measures but still have to ensure control,”he said.
Phu said booster jabs were crucial in preventing the disease, avoidingsevere cases, preventing the health system from becoming overloaded andreducing mortality.
“We must educate people on the vaccines, especially the elderly and peoplewith underlying diseases," said Phu.
Vietnam still has 21.5 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine in stock, mainly Pfizerand Moderna vaccines, said Duong Thi Hong, deputy director of the NationalInstitute of Hygiene and Epidemiology.
The rate of booster doses for children over 12 had notreached the plan, she said. And the rate of basic doses for children betweenfive and under 12 years old was also the same./.
VNA
