Photo for illustration (Source: tuoitre.vn)
The project was jointly carried out by scientists of the Company for Vaccine and Biological Production No.1 (VABIOTECH) under the Vietnamese Ministry of Health, and their colleagues from the UK’s Bristol University.
According to Mr. Do Tuan Dat, Chairman of VABIOTECH, scientists have succeeded in generating a strain carrying SARS-CoV-2 antigens in the laboratory, which is considered the most ingredient in vaccine production, helping the body to produce antibodies against the deadly virus.
He said that the vaccine has been tested on mice for two weeks and scientists are waiting for the results to examine the ability to produce antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
Next week, scientists will conduct blood tests on mice in the laboratory and send samples to the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology for evaluation, he said.
After this stage, the COVID-19 vaccine will continue to be studied and tested on animals to further assess its safety and effectiveness.
According to the institute, it will take at least 12-18 months to develop COVID-19 vaccine that can work safely on human.
There are currently no approved vaccines or medication for the COVID-19, which has killed nearly 245,000 people worldwide and infected almost 3.5 million.
Around 150 COVID-19 vaccine development projects are being conducted worldwide.
Vietnam’s exports surge 4.7 percent in four months
Vietnam's export value saw a year-on-year increase of 4.7 percent to an estimated 82.9 billion USD in the first four months of this year, according to the General Statistics Office (GSO).
Photo for illustration (Source: baoquocte.vn)
Domestic companies generated 26.4 billion USD from exports during the period, rising 12.1 percent year-on-year and making up 32 percent of the country's total export earnings. Meanwhile, exports of foreign-invested firms hit 56.49 billion USD, up 1.5 percent and making up 68 percent of the total.
Fifteen groups of products recorded an export value of over 1 billion USD or equivalent to 80.1 percent of the nation’s four-month total earnings. Of them, phones and parts earned the largest export turnover with 16.2 billion USD, up 1.1 percent year-on-year. Electronics, computers and components came next with 12.4 billion USD, up 28.6 percent year-on-year, followed by textiles and garment (8.9 billion USD, down 5.8 percent); machinery equipment and parts (6.9 billion USD, up 29.6 percent); and footwear (5.5 billion USD, up 1.3 percent).
From January to April, the US remained Vietnam's biggest export market, spending 20.3 billion USD on Vietnamese goods, a yearly hike of 13.4 percent. It was followed by China with 13.1 billion USD, up 26.7 percent; the EU with 10.7 billion USD, down 8.1 percent and ASEAN nations with 8.2 billion USD, down 3.4 percent, the GSO said in a monthly report.
Per the report, the country's imports expanded 2.1 percent year-on-year to an estimated 79.89 billion USD in the period. Domestic firms spent 33.58 billion USD on imports, up 1.1 percent year-on-year while foreign-invested companies saw a yearly turnover rise of 2.9 percent to 46.31 billion USD.
Electronics, computers and components accounted for 22 percent of the nation’s four-month imports at 17.8 billion USD, up 12.5 percent over the same period last year. Among others were machinery, equipment and parts at 11.5 billion USD, down 0.1 percent; telephones and parts (4.3 billion USD, up 12 percent); cloth (3.6 billion USD, down 10.9 percent); steel and iron (2.9 billion USD, down 6.4 percent); plastics (2.8 billion USD, down 1.4 percent) and plastic products (2.3 billion USD, up 14.6 percent).
China was Vietnam's largest supplier, selling 22.7 billion USD worth of goods to Vietnam, down 0.1 percent year-on-year. The Republic of Korea ranked second by shipping 15.5 billion USD worth of goods to Vietnam, up 2.5 percent year-on-year, followed by ASEAN countries with 9.9 billion USD, down 7.8 percent.
New arrivals to undergo four COVID-19 tests
Upon entering the country fresh arrivals will immediately be put into isolation where they will have samples taken four times, once upon their arrival, followed by on the fifth, tenth and final days of their compulsory 14-day quarantine period.
Photo for illustration (Source: dangcongsan.vn)
This newly-issued regulation regarding testing new arrivals four times comes after Ho Chi Minh City assessed that there is currently a greater threat of new entries carrying the virus than previously thought.
According to Dr. Nguyen Tri Dung, Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Center for Disease Control (CDC), Ho Chi Minh City had previously taken samples from those in quarantine only on their first and last day of isolation, in line with national regulations.
The health sector will continue to monitor and take samples of patients who have been discharged from hospital for a further 30 days after their release in order to prevent the spread of infections caused by a relapse of cases. Indeed, as many as 280 people on international flights to Ho Chi Minh City have had their samples taken for COVID-19 testing.
At present, Ho Chi Minh City has so far recorded 55 cases of COVID-19 infection, including six relapses, therefore taking the total number of cases currently receiving treatment to eight. In addition, 398 suspected cases have so far tested negative.
The health sector recommends people do not go to work, or school, and contact medical staff for advice if they start to show signs of a fever, a cough, or a sore throat./.