HOW VIETNAM IS PLAYING IT DIFFERENT?

  

     Post by: Ashritha Kota

 The condition all over the globe is yet critical. The cases are yet reported and the death count is going high. Relaxation in many countries has worsened the situation. Around 5.2 million cases are confirmed and the death count has reached 337 thousand as on May 25th. 2 million people have recovered so far.

(a) Deaths due to COVID-19                                                                                         (b) Confirmed cases

   The novel coronavirus is a global health crisis and the ways countries worldwide fighting the outbreak are wide-ranging. But the strategies vary among the countries. In the United States, for instance, many highly populated zones have enacted " shelter in peace" initiatives to keep the infected rate low. But the strategies in Africa, Asian countries are quite different.

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VIETNAM

   Lessons learnt from the SARS (2003) epidemic have helped shape the East Asian countries’ response to the Covid-19 outbreak. SARS outbreak changed the lifestyles of many East-Asian countries. In places like China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan and Korea, the use of face coverings in public places became the norm. The practise was continued even after the outbreak was over. SARS also prompted some introspection about working and travel arrangements.

Vietnam stands one among them.

   About 63 SARS positive cases were reported back in 2003 and the death count was 6. This was the first country to successfully contain SARS and be removed from the World Health Organization list of affected countries (FIFO). So, this made the country well prepared for the pandemic.

Confirmed cases of SARS (2003)

  The first COVID-19 case was recorded on January 23rd in Ho Chi Minh City. On February 1st, when the country recorded 6 cases, the government signed a decision declaring a national epidemic of what was then known only as a novel coronavirus (nCoV). The necessary measures were taken to prevent the spread including suspension of flights and closure of schools and universities. The border with China was also closed, but for the necessary trades. 16 cases which were recorded in the second week of February, completely recovered by end of the month. The country was free from positive cases for 22 days. Vietnam had three phases of the fight and the fourth is ongoing.

   Many expected Vietnam to have a high infection rate because of the 1400-km long border with China. With 331,700 km of area and 96 million of the population, Vietnam has a relatively dense population. But the expectations were wrong. The spirit of previous wars against foreign invaders has taken over the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic. 

TESTING STRATEGY

   Unlike other countries, Vietnam has chosen a ‘low-cost’ strategy of testing those in isolation instead of conducting the expensive large-scale screening. By April, the number of tests had exceeded the number of people in isolation. More than 261 thousand tests have been conducted until now. Around 200 thousand rapid test kits were imported from South Korea. The ratio of 791 tests to every confirmes case is the highest around the globe according to the data from Health Ministries. Nationwide isolation and social distancing rules were taken up by the government to control and reduce the infection rate. Having conducted so many tests, only 325 cases are confirmed among which around 267 are recovered with 0 death count. This has been a global attraction for the country being next to China (the mainland). A financial support package of $2.6billion was passed by the Vietnamese government to directly support the people in difficulties due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

(a) Confirmed cases in Vietnam                                                                           (b) Death count

Daily number of COVID-19 tests conducted for each new confirmed case

   Vietnam is gradually opening up after social distancing has proved effective in containing the spread. After its achievement in the battle against Covid-19, it is presently time for Vietnam to concentrate its endeavours on restoring the economy.

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References:

1. https://www.orfonline.org/expert-speak/vietnam-emerges-victorious-in-fight-against-covid19-65666/

2. https://thediplomat.com/2020/04/the-secret-to-vietnams-covid-19-response-success/

3. https://ourworldindata.org/coronavirus

4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/COVID-19_pandemic_in_Vietnam

5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2870589/