Vietnam’s response with regard to the COVID-19, both within the country also at regional level, has been much appreciated by the global media. During the year 2020, Vietnam has reported more than 1465 cases of COVID-19, out of which there were 35 deaths. In comparison to global average this was minuscule percentage of infections and fatalities. Vietnam has been extra cautious with regard to addressing this pandemic, and has lubricated its public health system, and took herculean measures including imprisonment for irresponsible citizens, and compulsory quarantine measures. In fact, whenever there has been a detection of cases, Vietnam has taken extra precautions with regard to quarantining that particular area, and complete lockdown so that social interactions do not happen within a particular province or any city as such. One of the most appreciated facts with regard to Vietnam’s countermeasures against the COVID-19 pandemic has been with regard to contact tracing which has gone up to three levels of contact tracing for any positive case which have been detected within the country. The quarantine centres run by the government has been extra effective because it has helped in containing any large scale community transmission.
If one evaluates the phases of COVID-19 impact on Vietnam socio-economic life one can very well discern the three phases as the early phase(January -February 2020), the middle phase starting from March till December 2020, and thereafter from January 2021 up till date. While in the earlier phases it has been very successful in containing the spread of COVID-19 pandemic and it has successfully traced the three levels of contacts in case of any COVID-19 infection which have been detected. Due to these herculean measures and an active role by the political leadership which has taken stern measures within days so as to isolate an infected person as well as undertake stringent measures to protect the community from further transmissions.
Given the fact that Vietnam was prepared for the SARS epidemic in 2003 and in subsequent years witnessed multiple cases of avian influenza between 2004 to 2010, it was much prepared for any kind pandemic. As a necessary measure it was made mandatory for all the hospitals to inform any cases of pandemics at the central coordination centre and these coordination centres worked overtime to highlight the areas where the infection could have spread knowing the new cases which have emerged over a period of time. While by May 2020, Vietnam has been successful in opening many of its businesses, and the economy was gradually opened but the influx of illegal tourists from neighbouring countries to Danang has led to community transmission between July to August 2020. As a result of which Danang and the central provinces were locked down, and the citizens also acted responsibly so as to contribute to the public health emergency response mechanisms of the government.
As a result of the pandemic surge in January-February 2020, Vietnam has immediately suspended all international flights and have trailed all those people would had a history of international travel. Interestingly, the larger number of people which were infected in Vietnam were relatively young (with a mean age of 36 years) and have a relatively higher immunity systems because of which the recovery rate was usually high. According to the Vietnamese Ministry of Health which had tabulated the number of confirmed cases as well as casualties which arise because of the COVID-19 fatalities, it has collected extensive data with regard to a gender as well as the living location of the infected and deceased persons. Additionally, the Ministry of Internal Security along with Ministry of Health have taken additional measures so as to trail those people who have recovered and also look into any further transmission which might have spread across 29 provinces and cities.
The major cities such as Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh accounted for largest number of case but none of them crossed2000 cases as such. In one data analysis it has been stated that out of the confirmed cases more than 60% were those people who have travelled to Vietnam or Vietnamese citizens who have come from abroad.
The measures which have been undertaken by the central government included restrictions on international flights, tracing of susceptible cases, quarantine measures and strict enforcement of social distancing and increasing public response through advertisement and awareness mechanisms. The earliest cases that were detected in Vietnam where primarily those flights which have germinated from Wuhan, the epicentre of the pandemic. As a result of which most of the flights from China were cancelled. It was also made mandatory that all visitors which were visiting China or returning from China had to declare their medical status on their entry to Vietnam.
Even till date Vietnam has made it mandatory that all of those people who are travelling to Vietnam will have to undergo 14 days of quarantine in a military centre, and subsequently 14 more days in their homes or hotels wherever they are residing in. Even during the quarantine period, a person undertakes at his/her home, he/she is strictly warned not to arrange parties for their close ones. Remarkably, all expenses related to the testing of the COVID-19 as well as treatment costs for the Vietnamese citizens were provided by the government. During staggered lock down periods people were asked to stay inside, with the exception of venturing out only for buying food, procuring essential medicines and addressing any emergencies because of health reasons.
Even in the ASEAN meetings in 2020, Vietnam has undertaken measures so as to integrate public health emergencies institutions across Southeast Asia, and also commenced major measures so as to provide medical equipment, test kits and face masks to the countries in the region on a mutual basis. A massive public health education was carried out to sensitise people with regard to hand washing, mandatory use of face masks, and undertaking diet and exercises so as to build immunity among cross section of people. Extensive media campaign was taken so as to sensitise people specially children with regard to hygiene and self-quarantine. Given the successful use of public health system and also undertaking various measures to protect the citizens many countries across the word were impressed by Vietnam’s response mechanisms. On the one hand while COVID-19 infections have reached more than 43.5 million people across the world and have caused more than 1.2 million deaths, the number of deaths in Vietnam shows the response mechanisms of the government. One of the mottos and the slogan which was popularised by the central government that ‘one must fight the COVID-19 pandemic like fighting the enemy’. This urge for public participation despite having limited resources has been successful because it also provided a comprehensive plan of action with regard to restrictions on immigration, limited movement and meticulous quarantine measures.
As a result of these measures which have successfully contained COVID-19,Vietnam economy is surging ahead. It is expected that the Vietnam economy will attain more than 7 per cent of annual growth in the year. Also, during the last year, the Vietnam economy has touched near about 3 per cent of growth despite having regressive economic downturn because of the pandemic. As per the one estimate, the effective measures which have been taken by the government had protected more than 35,000 people from getting infected and the possible death of 300 people because which might have occurred because of COVID-19 infections.
While much of the infections related to the pandemic has been contained in Vietnam but the country is not letting the guard down from containing the spread of the pandemic. Vietnam government has making additional precautionary measures so as to procure vaccinations from a number of sources such as China, Russia and India, and is likely to take extensive vaccination programme so as to vaccinate a large number of populations so that the economy can be back on track and the socio-political life could go on hindered in future.
