WHO forecasts COVID-19 likely to become seasonal flu this year. (Photo: VietnamPlus)
Hanoi (VNA) - The Ministry of Health has developed a plan to cope with COVID-19 in case the coronavirus has new variants that are more dangerous and can cause large-scale outbreaks.
As of March 20, Vietnam had recorded over 11.5 million COVID-19 cases, 10.6 million recoveries and 43,100 deaths, representing about 0.37% of the total caseload.
The country has not recorded any deaths from COVID-19 since the beginning of the year and many days have passed without any new infections. The outbreak situation has tended to decrease both in terms of cases and geographical locations.
The ministry, however, pointed out that there are still new cases of COVID-19 scattered across the country and that there could appear virus variants that can spread faster or evade vaccines' immunity, leading to a spike in the number of infections, severe cases or deaths, and elevate the risk of an outbreak.
Dr Angela Pratt, World Health Organisation (WHO) Representative in Vietnam, has said that Vietnam is in the sustainable management phase of the COVID-19 pandemic as the situation continues to stabilise with a very low number of daily cases, and importantly no deaths reported in over two months.
However, she said that with the pandemic unfortunately not over yet, the world must remain vigilant, keeping up strong surveillance, ensuring everyone eligible, especially those most vulnerable, are vaccinated and boosted, and also continuing to encourage people to be mindful of their risk.
“With the government remaining vigilant and communities remaining mindful, we can continue to protect the health system and build on Vietnam’s impressive economic and social recovery,” she said.
There are still new cases of COVID-19 scattered across the country. (Photo: VietnamPlus)
The WHO official said that if Vietnam maintains preparedness for worsened pandemic developments, with its experience of the past three years and the National Pandemic Preparedness and Response Plan continuing to be reviewed, the country is well placed to respond to future outbreaks.
Under the Ministry of Health’s plan, Vietnam will continue with the Government's Resolution No 38, issued on March 17, 2022, on the COVID-19 prevention and control programme, in the spirit of 'risk management' and 'ensuring the harmony between pandemic prevention and control efforts and socio-economic recovery.'
To deal with COVID-19, the ministry will continue to maintain close surveillance of the situation of domestic and international infectious diseases; strengthen monitoring of diseases right at border gates, in the community, and at medical examination and treatment establishments.
There will also be an increase in the sampling of suspected cases for testing and gene sequencing to detect the disease early, especially when new virulent variants arrive.
The health ministry will continue to encourage the vaccination against COVID-19, especially for high-risk groups, children aged 5 to under 12 years old, especially in big provinces and cities and important areas or tourist destinations with a high number of international visitors.
The Ministry of Health requires units to update, complete and issue plans to cope with the pandemic in case more dangerous variants appear. (Photo: VietnamPlus)
Medical facilities and medicine supplies will be ensured in case of a COVID-19 spike.
The health ministry also stresses its coordination with WHO and US CDC and other international experts and organisations in the assessment of COVID-19 levels.
COVID-19 prevention and control measures can be adjusted when the pandemic situation becomes predictable and stable, the health ministry said.
Vietnam has lifted all COVID-19 restrictions, both for people in the country and for international arrivals./.
