In a recent interview with Vietcetera.com , Mr. Nitin Kapoor mentioned the COVID-19 vaccination program, the resumption of tourism activities as well as the reason why a fourth dose of COVID-19 vaccine is needed in Vietnam. Male.
According to Nitin Kapoor, as the Corona virus spread around the world in 2020, developed countries were racing to invent and procure vaccines to save their people. Millions of doses of vaccines have been stockpiled, even before the effectiveness of these vaccines has been fully proven.
With a developing country like Vietnam, it takes a considerable amount of time to negotiate, buy or get funding for a vaccine. On February 24, 2021, the flight carrying the first doses of AstraZeneca vaccine landed at Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City. Vietnam kicked off its biggest vaccination campaign in history on March 8 with more than 117,000 doses of vaccine.
Although the amount of this vaccine is quite small, not even enough to inject the frontline medical staff, it is an important step, especially because Vietnam is one of the first countries in Southeast Asia to have access to the vaccine. vaccines in the context of a supply shortage.
AstraZeneca Vietnam has tried its best to deliver 30 million doses of vaccine ahead of schedule in just 10 months to protect millions of Vietnamese people.
Vietnam also receives other funding vaccines from the COVAX mechanism and the governments of countries such as the United States, Japan and China. Overseas Vietnamese also raise funds to bring vaccines back to their homeland.
A year after the first dose of the vaccine was administered, Vietnam became one of the countries with the highest vaccination rates in the world. According to the Ministry of Health, as of March 25, 2022, more than 77.8 million people out of a total of 98 million people have been fully vaccinated, ie more than 79% of the country’s population.
Vietnam currently aims to complete the third dose for adults and the second dose for children aged 12-17 in the first quarter of 2022. Before September, children aged 5-11 can receive inject the first dose.
Vietnam has made great strides towards the new normal, from fully reopening from March 15, restoring visa policies to pre-pandemic levels to lifting regulations. regulations on isolation and vaccination for travelers. The government is considering a fourth dose for adults. Although there is no specific plan yet, Mr. Kapoor believes such a strategy is necessary in the context of the pandemic’s uncertainty.
Mr. Nitin Kapoor: Vietnam was right to prioritize vaccination before fully opening up
Success of vaccination campaign
President and CEO of AstraZeneca Vietnam, said that the Vietnamese Government is absolutely right to give priority to vaccination and consider it as one of the most effective and fastest measures to deal with the pandemic.
Vietnam’s public health message is highly appreciated worldwide for its consistency, clarity and accuracy, thereby boosting people’s confidence in vaccination.
The Government’s vaccine diplomacy has also received special attention to bring back tens of millions of doses of vaccine through the fact that Vietnam has made good use of its prestigious position and good multilateral relationships.
The success of the vaccination campaign is also thanks to the tireless efforts of medical professionals at all levels, especially at the grassroots level, and the community network, who “knocked door-to-door” even on holidays. ceremony. Without this team, the vaccine could not reach every citizen so quickly. Mr. Nitin Kapoor expressed his sincere thanks to this team for all that they have done to get to where it is today.
On the morning of February 24, 2021, the flight carrying the first doses of COVID-19 vaccine of AstraZeneca landed at Tan Son Nhat airport, Ho Chi Minh City.
Has Vietnam achieved herd immunity?
Scientists are still divided on whether herd immunity can be achieved since the appearance of the Delta variant last year.
Now with Omicron, the infectivity is even stronger, people are still at risk of reinfection. However, the goal of the Government of Vietnam is to achieve herd immunity when 70% of the population is vaccinated.
Vietnam has certainly achieved that goal and even exceeded it when nearly 50% of the population received the supplementary dose (3rd dose). Although COVID-19 cases have increased dramatically since Tet, we are still in the ‘new normal’ as severe cases and deaths are controlled thanks to high vaccination rates, inadequate health still in overload.
How many doses of vaccine are needed to be immune to the virus?
According to Nitin Kapoor, scientists and regulatory agencies around the world are still studying the possibility of the fourth injection or the annual injection. Several countries have approved the fourth dose for certain patient groups including the elderly, immunocompromised and vulnerable populations.
We cannot predict anything in any pandemic and we always hope that the Omicron variant signals the end of the pandemic, so that life can return to normal, so that we can can be reunited with their families without having to worry about infecting them. The appearance of the Deltacron variant, which is a combination of the Delta and Omicron variants, as well as other variants is being studied and monitored.
Recognizing the importance and need for a fourth dose, AstraZeneca is actively working on a clinical trial for a fourth dose. The Vietnamese Ministry of Health said that a fourth dose of the vaccine is being considered, first for high-risk groups, and then possibly for the entire population.
In addition, other solutions such as injection of monoclonal antibodies can be considered to protect vulnerable people. As for booster injections, we will have to continue to study how this virus mutates and always be ready to adjust and change current solutions for long-term protection for society as a whole.
However, in the context of high vaccination rates, the number of daily COVID-19 cases is still very high. What is the reason behind this?
The cause of this outbreak was the Omicron variant. This variant is likely to spread much more rapidly than the original variants. According to data from the Ministry of Health, the sub-variant BA.2 is currently the most dominant in Vietnam. The infectivity of this variant is 10 times, which means that one infected person can go on to infect 10 other people.
Governments must strike a balance between opening up their economies and preventing the outbreak of the disease. Mr. Nitin Kapoor said that Vietnam was on the right track when choosing to live safely with COVID-19 in the context that most of the population has been fully vaccinated.
Most vaccines currently in use continue to be effective in preventing serious illness, hospitalizations, and deaths. This explains why Vietnam records an average of more than 250,000 infections per day, but severe cases are still under control. In recent days, we have all clearly seen the trend of decreasing cases and hoping that this is a signal that this epidemic has peaked and started to decline.
As of March 25, 2022, more than 77.8 million people out of a total of 98 million people have been fully immunized
Right when fully open
President and CEO of AstraZeneca Vietnam expressed confidence in the decision of the Vietnamese Government to fully open tourism at this time while still applying some safety measures such as testing first. upon entry, medical declaration and health monitoring. Tourism is an important component of the economy.
Vietnam has done a better job at containing the spread of the virus than many other countries, so it’s time to accelerate the economic recovery. However, it is important to remain vigilant and closely monitor developments so that policy changes can be made promptly when necessary.
Safe travel
According to Mr. Nitin Kapoo, traveling at this time is relatively safe for healthy people. However, a segment of the population should consider this, especially those who are at high risk for severe disease progression due to immunodeficiency, are not able to have an adequate immune response to the vaccine, or are unable to receive the vaccine.
Most of the cases of severe illness or death recorded in recent days belong to this vulnerable group. They are still living in fear and anxiety. Therefore, we have a responsibility to address these unmet needs to create an extra layer of protection for society as a whole. AstraZeneca is very proud to work closely with the Government, Ministry of Health and partners to provide COVID-19 monoclonal antibodies to patients in need.
Source: Baochinhphu.vn
Source: Vietnam Insider