Vietnam had anticipated the scenarios and acted decisively fast, and that explains its initial success in pushing back the Covid-19 pandemic, local media quoted Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc as saying at a meeting on June 16.
PM Phuc said that 45 years after the country's reunification in 1975, Vietnam has never received so much praise from international media for initially containing the coronavirus.
| Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc speaks at the meeting. Photo: VNE |
Plans to combat the disease was mapped out before Tet holiday late in January and quarantine measures have been carried out drastically. The military was mobilized from the beginning given their readiness and well-known discipline.
With swift action, the two important outcomes are the low percentage of people infected with coronavirus over the total population and the low cost of combating the disease.
"No deaths have been recorded due to Covid-19 and that could be a miracle or luck," Phuc said.
The reason for the success, according to the PM, is that the Vietnamese government has taken one step ahead of the epidemic by conducting a number of precautionary measures, such as social distancing and compulsory mask wearing.
The engagement of the military and police forces also contributed to controlling the disease, said the prime minister as military barracks and provincial military school dorms have been repurposed for mass quarantine. The army and police have effectively locked borders and participated in localization of suspected cases.
Besides, Vietnam has successfully applied technology to track Covid-19-suspected people, for citizens to declare health status, medical examination and treatment.
"The government owes a debt of gratitute to its citizens, especially health workers, border guards, businesses, artists, the press, among others," the PM said.
He warned that Covid-19 could break out again, especially when Vietnam has resumed all services nationally and urged the health sector and localities to be on guard.
PM Phuc also emphasized that the safety of people must come first before thinking of reopening of borders for international tourists.
As of June 17, Vietnam has gone through 62 days without any cases of Covid-19 infection in the community. Out of 334 Covid-19 patients, 325 people have recovered, only nine patients are being treated. The cost of pandemic prevention has not been made public.
