Dr Kidong Park, WHO Representative in Vietnam (Source: WHO)The following is the full text of the interview:
Question: How do you see the fourth COVID-19 wave in Vietnam now?
Answer: We are very closely monitoringthe situation of the ongoing outbreak in Vietnam. It has been evolving fast andis complex in nature. It has quickly spread to a number of cities andprovinces, including in industrial zones. Two types of variants of concern (B.1.1.7 andB.1.617.2) have been detected. These factorsmake case investigation and contract tracing very challenging.
The next few weeks can be crucial in controlling this outbreak. Withthe aggressive contact tracing and testing, it can be expected that more caseswill be identified, and more provinces/cities could be reporting cases. Thereis a very high risk of additional cases to continue to be reported in thecoming days from the community, and possibly from people who are isolated as F1.
Q: What is WHO’s evaluation on Vietnamese government’smeasures to cope with the pandemic?
A: Vietnam has intensifiedits response measures that have been proven to work in the past outbreaks. Thesehave been adjusted on a daily basis asthe situation evolves.
We do hope and have confidence that Vietnam could suppresscurrent outbreaks with a whole-of-government and a whole-of-society approach.
Q: How do you evaluate the COVID-19 vaccination inVietnam?
A: Similar toother developing countries, Vietnam is facing many challenges, including limited vaccinesupply, uncertainty of the shipment schedule, short vaccine shelf life, etc. As of 14 May, about 950,000 people have beenvaccinated in Vietnam since the first vaccination on 8 March 2021.
Good news is that Vietnam receivedadditional 1,682,400 doses of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine from the COVAXFacility on 16 May 2021. These additional vaccineswill further expand the vaccination of priority groups in the coming months.
Q: How is WHO supporting Vietnam in accessing vaccinesources and low-price accurate and fast coronavirus testing methods in thecoming time?
A: Vaccines
WHO is a co-creatorof the COVAX Facility. The COVAX Facility is committed to provide COVID-19vaccines covering up to 20% of the population to its participating countries, includingVietnam, by the end of 2021.
In addition, WHO and partners are seekingto expand the capacity of low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) toproduce COVID-19 vaccines and scale up manufacturing to increase global accessto these critical tools to bring the pandemic under control.
To implement this idea, WHO isseeking expressions of interest from manufacturers of medical productspreferably in LMICs, which could host a COVID-19 mRNA hub which will assemblethe technology up to good manufacturing practices-grade pilot lots for clinicaltrials; and transfer the appropriate know-how and technology to existing or newmanufacturers in LMICs to enable them to develop and produce COVID-19 mRNAvaccines.
In the coming weeks, WHO willissue another call for interest from manufacturers in LMICs interested inreceiving the technology developed by the technology transfer hub(s).
A vaccine manufacturer inVietnam has already expressed its interest to become a mRNA-based COVID-19vaccine technology transfer hub. It is being reviewed by WHO Head Quarters. Itis expected that Vietnam will also apply for large scale manufacturing ofmRNA-based COVID-19 vaccine.
If Vietnam will host a mRNA-based COVID-19vaccine technology transfer hub, it will contribute to mRNA-based COVID-19vaccine production in Vietnam as well as in the Region.
Testing methods
WHO is continuing to support the development offaster, more accurate, affordable and easier-to-use laboratory tests as well assupporting access to affordable, quality COVID-19 tests in all countries,in particular low and middle-income countries.
For Vietnam, WHO has been providing technical adviceto develop national testing strategies and guidelines. We have also providedlaboratory testing materials including specimen collection kits and reagentsfor RT-PCR. We are committed to continue to do so.
Q: In your opinion, should people in quarantine taketheir own samples for testing to reduce risks and share the burden for medicalstaff?
A: Collection of a good quality specimen is a critical firststep in ensuring quality laboratory testing. A sub-optimal or poorly collectedspecimen can compromise the quality of a laboratory result and couldpotentially even lead to false negative results.
Therefore, WHO strongly advises that specimen collection shouldbe carefully conducted by trained personnel, following rigorous adherence toinfection prevention and control guidelines. This also includes appropriatepersonal protective equipment, following MOH guidance.
We also reiterate that laboratory testing should balance publichealth impact with the available material and human resources. If laboratorytesting is becoming a large burden for medical staff and material shortfall isexpected, it may be time to re-examine the current testing practice and toprioritize resources to higher impact targets./.
VNA
