Travellers line up for procedures at an airport before entering Vietnam. (Photo: VNA)Associate Professor Tran DacPhu, senior advisor at the Public Health Emergency Operations Centre at theMinistry of Health (MoH), affirmed that Vietnam is yet to adjust its COVID-19preventive measures and quarantine requirements for “vaccine passport” holders,which is a new concept describing people who have received two full doses of a COVID-19vaccine.
He added that vaccines are deemedthe most effective measure to fight infectious diseases, explaining thatcountries permitted vaccinated people to travel during cholera and yellow feverepidemics and even the plague. Attention, however, must be paid to any potentialrisks.
Vaccine research generally requiresfive years or more. As COVID-19 vaccines have received emergency approval, anumber of matters have remained unclear and some vaccines may be less effectiveagainst emerging variants, Phu noted.
There are also risks from counterfeit“vaccine passports”. All countries should therefore assess the risks and benefitsand adopt suitable measures.
Vietnam has implementedefficient preventive measures to keep the pandemic under control, he added.Although vaccinations are underway, preventive measures are still needed, especiallythe “5K message”: khau trang (facemasks), khu khuan (disinfecting), khoang cach(distancing), khong tu tap (no gatherings), and khai bao y te (healthdeclarations).
Earlier, addressing thelaunch of the COVID-19 vaccination drive in Vietnam, Minister of Health NguyenThanh Long said its system for vaccination and later a “vaccine passport” will belinked with international systems and managed by QR code.
Those immunised will receive acertificate and have their details updated on electronic health records, hesaid.
The MoH will keep a closewatch on data in the personal health record system for those vaccinated. Morethan 97 million records have already been prepared./.
VNA
