Representative of the World Health Organisation (WHO) to Vietnam Kidong Park (Photo: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) - Representative of the WorldHealth Organisation (WHO) to Vietnam Kidong Park praised Vietnam’s achievementsin COVID-19 prevention and control in an interview given to the Vietnam News Agencyon January 22.
“Although Vietnam is a country with large, ageing population and lower-middle-incomeeconomy, and close to China with land crossing borders withmultiple countries, it has been managing the COVID-19 outbreaks effectively, keeping the numberof cases, including deaths, relatively lower than those of other countries,” hesaid
Thecumulative number of confirmed cases per 1 million population remainsabout 16 so far; and the cumulative number of deaths per 1million population is about 0.4 so far, he cited.
“These are the lowest figures among the 15 countries withmore than 90 million population,” he said.
Though Vietnam has been enjoying the a period in “peace” with no reportedcases of community transmission, he noted that the COVID-19 pandemic isaccelerating its resurgence in many countries and imported cases are beingreported almost every day. New community transmission cases in the country canhappen anytime at any place, he warned.
In this context, Vietnam needs to set dual objectives of disease controland economic development, the so called “a safe co-existence with COVID-19”.
He recommended that while doing economic activities, the country shouldremain vigilant. “Everybody should practice basic infection prevention measuresat their daily life such as hand washing, mask wearing, physical distancing andavoiding places with high risk of transmission – crowds, closed spaces andclose-contact settings,” he said.
The health sector should be able to detect any new suspected outbreak as earlyas possible and apply measures to suppress new outbreak if it happens, he added.
“Although Vietnam is a country with large, ageing population and lower-middle-incomeeconomy, and close to China with land crossing borders withmultiple countries, it has been managing the COVID-19 outbreaks effectively, keeping the numberof cases, including deaths, relatively lower than those of other countries,” hesaid
Thecumulative number of confirmed cases per 1 million population remainsabout 16 so far; and the cumulative number of deaths per 1million population is about 0.4 so far, he cited.
“These are the lowest figures among the 15 countries withmore than 90 million population,” he said.
Though Vietnam has been enjoying the a period in “peace” with no reportedcases of community transmission, he noted that the COVID-19 pandemic isaccelerating its resurgence in many countries and imported cases are beingreported almost every day. New community transmission cases in the country canhappen anytime at any place, he warned.
In this context, Vietnam needs to set dual objectives of disease controland economic development, the so called “a safe co-existence with COVID-19”.
He recommended that while doing economic activities, the country shouldremain vigilant. “Everybody should practice basic infection prevention measuresat their daily life such as hand washing, mask wearing, physical distancing andavoiding places with high risk of transmission – crowds, closed spaces andclose-contact settings,” he said.
The health sector should be able to detect any new suspected outbreak as earlyas possible and apply measures to suppress new outbreak if it happens, he added.
Taking COVID-19 tests for residents (Photo:VNA)Regarding COVID-19 vaccines, Park stated that as of January 19, 237candidate vaccines are under development globally. Of these, 64 are eitherunder clinical trial, and some of them have been in phase 3 or being authorizedfor emergency use in some countries. Some vaccines are under review of WHOemergency use listing.
WHO recognisesVietnam’s active participation in this global effort with a candidate vaccinebeing developed in the country, and acknowledges one of them have alreadystarted clinical trial phase 1 and others are also shown well progress to startthe clinical trial soon. This is really impressive, he said.
“It is apride of biotechnology in the country,” he asserted.
One year since the first case of COVID-19 confirmed in the country (January 23,2020-2021), thanks to the effective implementation of key measures in theprevention and control of the panemic, the number of infections in Vietnamstand at only 1,548, including 35 deaths./.
VNA
