Posters help raise people’s awareness of COVID-19 prevention. (Photo: VNA)
The article emphasizes the differences in the disease situation in Vietnam compared with other countries: low infection numbers with just over 260 cases, the high percentage of cured patients (more than 200), and especially no deaths, although Vietnam has a population of about 100 million, high population density and borders areas reporting complex development of the pandemic.
According to the article, the success was brought about by the early involvement of the Communist Party of Vietnam and the Government of Vietnam in the fight. Party General Secretary and President Nguyen Phu Trong called on domestic people and overseas Vietnamese to unite in drastically and effectively implementing the policies of the Party and the State, and the direction of the Government. Earlier, right after the disease was reported in Vietnam in January, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc directed to fight the pandemic like a "fight against the enemy".
The next reason for Vietnam's success is its experience struggling with previous outbreaks of earlier pandemics, such as SARS in 2003 and H5N1 in 2008. As a result, Vietnam immediately applied measures to prevent the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus upon the first detection of positive cases.
The article analysed that transparent information and effective coordination between the Government and people are among reasons leading to the success.
According to the article, a remarkable point in Vietnam's pandemic prevention method is that there has been selective testing, instead of mass testing, focusing on isolation of outbreaks and close monitoring of those who have contact with known cases. So far, Vietnam has conducted about 120,000 tests, including the use of locally made kits at reasonable prices (only about USD15), which makes this kit favored in many countries around the world. The article quoted international experts’ assessment that Vietnam's health sector has performed very effectively.
In addition, social distancing measures have also been applied in Vietnam, even closing of schools right after the lunar New Year.
In its conclusion, the article confirmed that despite the bad influence of COVID-19 on Vietnam’s economy, experts believed that its economy will still thrive and continue to be one of the leading engines for the economy of Asia, thanks to State supportive measures./.