Lessons learned during fight against COVID-19 pandemic

Hanoi (VNA) –The fourth wave of COVID-19 infections in Vietnam, which began on April 27, has been assessed as much more severe than the previous three outbreaks. This is due to the highly contagious Delta variant of the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2.

The resurgence of the pandmeic has hit key economic areas in both northern and southern regions.

The pandemic marked a new milestone on July 26 as the number of infection cases surpassed the 100,000 benchmark.

Over 50,000 new cases recorded in eight days

Experts said the Delta and Delta Plus strains are spreading much faster than previous variants and are become extremely dangerous, wreaking havoc on many countries around the world, including Vietnam.

The COVID-19 pandemic began in Vietnam on January 23, 2020. During the first three outbreaks, which lasted for about one and a half years, the country managed to keep transmission rates relatively low, with fewer than 3,000 cases.

However, the fourth wave of infections since April 27 has been unpredictable in its development.

The tally of infected surpassed 10,000 on June 12, one and a half years after the pandemic first broke out.

Less than one month later, it exceeded 20,000 to stand at 20,261 on July 5. The country recorded another 10,000 cases on July 12 and over 20,000 between July 12 and 18, raising the national count to 50,000. The figure has been increasing by nearly 10,000 each day, since July 18.

The total number of infections totalled 100,000 on July 26, doubling in just eight days.

As of the morning of July 27, there have been 109,111 cases in total, including 2,203 imported cases and 106,908 domestic infections. That includes 105,338 cases in the fourth wave of COVID-19, with 18,570 recoveries. Meanwhile, 524 patients have unfortunately succumbed to the disease.

As many as 62 of the 63 provinces and cities nationwide have now recorded COVID-19 cases.

Ho Chi Minh City posted the biggest number of infections, with over 68,000, followed by nearby Binh Duong (over 8,800), Dong Nai (over 2,500), Dong Thap (over 2,200), Tien Giang (over 1,800), and Phu Yen (over 1,000).

Hanoi has also reported more than 800 cases during this latest outbreak, including nearly 500 infections in the community.

Entire political system struggles with pandemic

Facing the complex situation, the entire political system has been exerting every effort to combat the pandemic.

The Government, along with multiple ministries, sectors and localities have undertaken a number of solutions, specifically the imposition of strict social distancing under the Prime Minister’s Directive 16/CT-TTg in 19 southern provinces and cities. Hanoi has also been applying this directive since July 24.

The Ministry of Health has mobilised nearly 7,000 personnel, from central and local units, to assist the fight against the pandemic in HCM City and other southern localities, which are also applying their own measures to contain the transmission.

According to Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, the imposition of social distancing under Directive 16 in 19 southern provinces and cities has resulted in positive outcomes. However, the situation remains complicated and unpredictable. The localities will, therefore, need to review their performances, identify causes, address failures and consider new, effective approaches and solutions when needed.

Striving to minimise new infections and deaths

Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long said most sources of virus transmission have been identified thanks to contact tracing, adding that the surge in new cases is due to the acceleration of sample collection and testing in high-risk quarantine and locked-down areas.

However, he noted, anti-pandemic measures under Directive 16 in some localities and by some agencies have yet to be carried out rigorously. People are still not taking the threat of COVID-19 seriously enough in certain places, Long said.

Contact tracing, testing, quarantine, monitoring, treatment and logistics have been improved but these measures are still unable to keep pace with the spread of the coronavirus, Long added.

Assoc. Prof. Tran Dac Phu, adviser to Vietnam’s public health emergency operations centre, said it is necessary to maintain the strategy directed by the PM to cope with the new variants. The core of which is minimising the number of new infections, since it will be very difficult to keep the fatality count low if these are not reduced.

Recently, the Government has issued Resolution 79/NQ-CP on the procurement of medicine, supplies, and equipment for COVID-19 prevention and control. This resolution is viewed as a breakthrough reflecting the Government’s strong determination in ensuring the availability of medical supplies and equipment for the fight against the pandemic.

Phu stated that the resolution will assist all localities, ministries and sectors to stay proactive in purchasing medicines, supplies and equipment necessary in the endeavour.

The Health Ministry has urged localities to continue mobilising forces to prevent transmission of the virus, reduce new infections and fatalities and protect safe zones. Aside from prioritising the fight against COVID-19, they also need to guarantee social security, the smooth flow of essential goods and support for affected people.

Drastic moves to implement vaccine strategy

Experts believe that the fastest way to eliminate the pandemic is stepping up the vaccination rollout, which is also the long-term solution.

Minister Long said, as directed by the Politburo and the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat, since the beginning of 2020, the Government has pushed ahead with a vaccine strategy that covers vaccine procurement, technology transfer, production and administration.

The first vaccine supply agreement, with 38.9 million doses, was signed in September 2020. A contract involving 30 million doses was signed with AstraZeneca in November of the same year. Other contracts and agreements have also been made with Pfizer and with Russia, amongst others.

‘Vaccine diplomacy’ has been strongly promoted in negotiation efforts at bilateral and multilateral meetings by Party and State leaders.

So far, Vietnam has secured commitments to get more than 130 million vaccine doses through agreements with China, the US, Japan, Australia, the UK, and other countries. It is working hard to see another 40 million doses enter the country to total 170 million doses by the end of 2021.

Regarding vaccine development and production technology transfer, Vietnam is one of the first four countries to succeed in culturing and isolating the novel coronavirus, paving the way for vaccine development. This began in the first quarter of 2020. It is also the first Southeast Asian country to conduct third-phase human trials of a COVID-19 vaccine.

PM Pham Minh Chinh also demanded special attention and priority be given to the domestic production of a COVID-19 vaccine as soon as possible.

As of July 27, 4,746,642 vaccine doses were administered, including 4,323,571 first shots and 423,071 second shots./.