Today’s Covid News: Vietnam approves 7th vaccine
Big cities across Vietnam are racing against time to boost the inoculation campaign.
Vietnam’s Ministry of Health has approved the UAE-made Chinese Hayat-Vax Covid-19 vaccine, the 7th vaccine to be endorsed in the country for emergency use after AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer, Moderna, Sputnik V, and Vero Cell.
Hayat-Vax is a joint collaboration between Sinopharm CNBG and Abu Dhabi’s G42. The UAE has become the first country in the Arab world to begin manufacturing a Covid-19 vaccine with a full production schedule.
The joint venture began rolling off the production line in March, and there are plans in place to increase capacity to two million doses a month, according to the National.
| Hayat-Vax Covid-19 vaccine. Photo: G42 |
Donation
Belgium has donated to Vietnam 100,000 vaccine doses while overseas Vietnamese living in Europe have gifted their home land medical equipment worth VND536.5 billion (US$23 million).
In September, one of eight ultra-low temperature freezers supported by the COVAX Facility was installed in the Hanoi Capital High Command. The remaining freezers will be soon installed in the Military Command in the major cities of Haiphong, Danang, Cantho, and provinces of Phu Tho, Thai Nguyen, Nghe An, and Dong Nai.
With the storage temperature range from -86°C to -60°C, the ultra-low freezer is suitable to store the Covid-19 Pfizer vaccine.
On the same day, the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) handed over 270,000 test kits as its Covid-19 relief to Vietnam.
| Chairman of HCMC People's Committee Phan Van Mai at the press conference on Sept 10. Photo: HCMC Press Center |
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Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi
Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) on September 10 started seeking public ideas for its economic recovery plans.
Accordingly, it plans to relax restrictions in three periods of time.
From September 16 to October 31: people with a “green Covid-19 certificate” (fully vaccinated) can join pubic activities like on-site dining, recreation, sports events, go to the theaters, and trade plazas.
In addition, people with “yellow Covid-19 certificate” and negative testing can take part in the same activities.
From October 31, 2021 to January 15, 2022: Fully vaccinated people will be subject to greater relaxation like public gathering, crowd activities.
From January 15, 2022 onwards: The city will reopen all economic activities.
On September 10, HCMC underwent the second day with coronavirus-caused deaths below 200/day after nearly three weeks of high number.
The business hub accounts for nearly half of Vietnam’s total caseload and 80% of the country’s death toll. Its figures are respective 286,000 and 11,400. So far, half of the city’s cases have recovered, the active ones are both treated at home and in 60 medical facilities (hospitalize 40,000 patients).
On the same day, the local government has planned seven anti-pandemic strategies after September 15 including vaccine coverage to residents, launching “green Covid-19 certificate” amid social distancing, spiritual preparedness to adapt to the pandemic, community-based care for F0, better treatment to mitigate fatalities, epidemiological surveillance to prepare for an outbreak, and better healthcare system to make demand met.
To serve the takeaways in the safe zone and better supply of necessities, the city will allow shippers to work from 5:00 AM to 9:30 PM instead of 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM as before following the citywide curfew.
Eligible shippers are those getting at least one jab and being tested every two days.
| A policeman instructs vaccination for residents in Hanoi on Sept 10. Photo: Khanh Huy/ The Hanoi Times |
Meanwhile, Hanoi is hurrying with its citywide inoculation campaign to meet the deadline of vaccinating adults aged above 18 with the first jabs before September 15.
Each day, thousands of health workers from surrounding areas come to the city for massive testing and large-scale vaccination.
Working with Hanoi’s authorities today, Health Minister Nguyen Thanh Long stressed the importance of testing, saying that no other choice can be taken to help detect infections in the community.
He said massive testing will enable authorities to soon remove social distancing and bring people back to a new normal.
| Vietnam's coronavirus infections. Source: MoH. Chart: Minh Vu |
