Covid 19 prevention

Cafe owner and customers fined for violating Covid-19 preventive regulations

February 24, 2021 by dtinews.vn

A cafe owner and 21 people have been fined a total of VND36m (USD1,500) for illegal opening and not wearing face masks in Hanoi.

Cafe owner fined for violating Covid-19 preventive regulations

Hoan Kiem District Police Department announced on February 24 that the police in Hang Trong Ward had visited the cafe after receiving reports from the public on February 20.

The owner was fined VND15m (USD650) for opening the cafe even though the city authorities have ordered a temporary closure as a virus prevention measure. The cafe also didn’t follow safe distancing regulations.

21 customers at the cafe were fined VND2m (USD86) each for not wearing face masks.

On February 23, the police in Hang Bac Ward also detected a coffee shop on Ta Hien violating preventive measures. Hoan Kiem authorities said they would strictly punish the violators.

Vietnamese people to have free access to COVID-19 vaccination in the long run

February 24, 2021 by tuoitrenews.vn

Vietnamese people will have access to COVID-19 vaccination free of charge in the long term like other types of vaccine included in the country’s Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI), according to the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control.

Vietnam has made urgent efforts to obtain COVID-19 vaccines as soon as possible, but the number of vaccine shots distributed to the country in the coming time is still limited, the committee said during a meeting on Tuesday.

The Ministry of Health has listed 11 groups of individuals who will be the first to receive COVID-19 vaccination next month.

When supply is enough, all Vietnamese people will have access to free COVID-19 inoculation in the long run like other types of vaccine included in the EPI.

A small number of vaccine doses will be sold to people who can afford them.

The EPI started in Vietnam in 1981, initiated by the Ministry of Health with the support of the World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

The initial goal of the program was to provide free immunization to children under one year old to protect them from six common and highly fatal infectious diseases.

By 2010, the program had included 11 types of vaccine which protect people against tuberculosis, diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, polio, hepatitis B, measles, Japanese encephalitis, cholera, typhoid, and pneumonia/meningitis caused by Hib.

According to Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long, Vietnam will need approximately 150 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine for all citizens.

The Southeast Asian country will receive 30 million free doses supplied by COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX) in 2021.

Vietnam has also purchased 30 million more doses from AstraZeneca, which will be delivered this year.

The first batch containing 117,600 AstraZeneca vaccine shots arrived at Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City on Wednesday morning.

On February 26, the second phase of the human trial of made-in-Vietnam COVID-19 vaccine Nanocovax will begin in Hanoi and the Mekong Delta province of Long An.

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Five Indonesian sailors anchored in Vietnam water positive for Covid-19

February 24, 2021 by hanoitimes.vn

The Hanoitimes – Test results have shown that at least five out of 20 Indonesian sailors have tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 and one suspected case.

Five Indonesian sailors aboard Ocean Amazing ship that is anchored off Vietnam’s southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, according to the provincial Steering Board for Covid-19 Prevention and Control.

Foreign sailors are tested Covid-19 upon entry into Vietnam in December, 2020. Photo: Dong Ha

In the steering board’s report, the foreign ship has been on the way to deliver commodities from Indonesia since February 20. When it went across Vietnam’s waters, one of the sailors on the ship died due to an unidentified non-health-related issue.

The Vung Tau province’s Center for Disease Control (CDC) in coordination with related agencies have taken samples for the remaining 20 sailors on board in the first test for the novel coronavirus.

Test results have shown that at least five out of them have tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 and one suspected case, the provincial CDC said.

The second test is under way. If it too returns positive, the ship will be sent back to Indonesia for replacing the crew and disinfection before it can return to Vietnam with the cargo.

As of February 24, the sailors were still on the ship anchored at sea, and have not carried out procedures to enter Vietnam.

Ba Ria – Vung Tau province is waiting for the Ministry of Health’s direction for the case.

At the time of writing, Vietnam has had 2,412 Covid-19 cases, 585 still active.

13 COVID-19 patients recover in Hai Duong province

February 24, 2021 by en.vietnamplus.vn

Thirteen patients in a COVID-19 treatment hospital in Hai Duong province, the country’s current largest coronavirus hotspot, were given the all-clear on February 24. (Photo: VNA)

Hai Duong (VNA) – Thirteen patients in a COVID-19 treatment hospital in Hai Duong province, the country’s current largest coronavirus hotspot, were given the all-clear on February 24.

The patients, who were treated at the COVID-19 hospital set up within the campus of the Hai Duong Medical Technical University in Hai Duong city, will undergo 14-day home quarantine under the supervision of local authorities and test for the coronavirus before the end of the quarantine.

The total number of recovered patients in the province now reaches 225.

According to the provincial Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control, over the past 24 hours to 16:00 on February 24, Hai Duong had reported 11 cases, raising its count to 636.

The province has collected nearly 300,000 samples for COVID-19 testing so far. It plans to conduct large-scale testing for the novel coronavirus, using Realtime-PCR technology, from February 24.

The move aims to measure the spread of COVID-19 in the province to help it respond better to the disease while identifying safe areas to boost economic recovery.

People targeted by the testing are divided into three groups: the high-risk group who are people from Chi Linh and Hai Duong cities, and Kim Thanh and Cam Giang districts; the medium-risk including people from the districts of Kinh Mon, Nam Sach and Binh Giang; and the low-risk comprising those from Ninh Giang, Thanh Ha, Tu Ky, Gia Loc and Thanh Mien.

Hai Duong now has six labs for COVID-19 testing using Realtime-PCR, located in the provincial Centre for Disease Control, General Hospital, Hospital for Tropical Diseases, Children’s Hospital, Tuberculosis and Lung Disease Hospital, and the Hospital of Hai Duong Medical Technical University.

The province is now capable of collecting 50,000 to 60,000 samples and processing as much as 8,500 individual test samples on a daily basis. The results normally come out after 24 hours./.

VNA

11 priority groups eligible to first COVID-19 vaccination in Vietnam

February 23, 2021 by www.vir.com.vn

The groups include health professionals, the pandemic prevention and fight task force (members of steering committees, people working in quarantining areas, reporters and others), diplomats, and customs and immigration staffs, military personnel, police force, teachers, and the elderly aged over 65.

Others include those working to maintain the supply of essential services such as aviation, transportation, tourism, electricity and water supply, as well as people with chronic diseases,people going abroad on a mission, to work, or study, and those in pandemic-hit areas.

The Ministry of Health (MoH) has announced the plan on the reception, preservation, distribution, and use of COVID-19 vaccines during 2021-2022 with the support of the COVAX Facility – the global procurement mechanism of COVAX.

Vietnam aims to have 80 per cent of its population get vaccinated against COVID-19. However, due to the limited supply, the rate can hit 20 per cent in 2021-2022.

COVAX is co-led by the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), GAVI – the Vaccine Alliance, and the World Health Organization (WHO), alongside key delivery partner UNICEF. Its aim is to accelerate the development and manufacturing of COVID-19 vaccines and to guarantee fair and equitable access for every country in the world.

The COVAX Facility aims to supply COVID-19 vaccines to 190 countries worldwide. On December 10, 2020, GAVI named Vietnam as a member nation. GAVI and COVAX Facility expect to provide COVID-19 vaccines for 20 per cent of the population of member nations.

In spite of this, it is currently estimated that the COVAX Facility will provide the vaccine and materials for vaccination free of charge for 15-16 per cent of the population of 92 countries, including Vietnam. On January 29, the COVAX Facility said that more than 4.8 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine produced by AstraZenecca will be delivered to Vietnam in the first half of this year, while the next delivery will be announced later.

As planned, around 600,000 Vietnamese people, comprising healthcare and COVID-19 combat workers, will be given shots in the first quarter. Meanwhile, 1.8 million customs officers, diplomats, army and police personnel, and teachers will be injected in the second quarter. During the second half, over 16 million teachers and people above 65 will access 33 million doses of vaccines to be provided by the COVAX Facility later.

At a recent online meeting with cities and provinces, Health Minister Nguyen Thanh Long said that in 2021 Vietnam will 150 million doses of the vaccine to ensure sufficient supply. The COVAX Facility has committed to supply 30 million doses for Vietnam this year, mainly used for the remaining six months of the year. AstraZeneca also committed to supply the same doses.

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By Bich Thuy

AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine batch lands in HCMC

February 24, 2021 by e.vnexpress.net

At around 10:45 a.m. Wednesday, the flight carrying Covid-19 vaccine doses arrived at HCMC’s Tan Son Nhat Airport. They’re the first batch of Covid-19 vaccines produced by British-Swedish firm AstraZeneca in collaboration with Oxford University and imported by Vietnam Vaccine JSC (VNVC).

After landing, the plane carrying the vaccine is guided to its berth.

Employees at Tan Son Nhat Airport prepare to receive the vaccines while wearing protective suits.

The first vaccine batch leaves the plane.

A VNVC representative said the batch is part of an agreement last November with AstraZeneca.

Truong Quoc Cuong, Deputy Health Minister, at Tan Son Nhat Airport on Wednesday said Vietnam and Thailand are the first two ASEAN countries to receive Covid-19 vaccines produced by AstraZeneca.

Vaccine containers are loaded onto special vehicles at the airport. They would be transported to VNVC cold storage units kept at between two to eight degrees Celsius.

Containers are disinfected to prevent possible contamination and infection.

An airport worker inspects the containers before transportation.

Around 30 million Covid-19 vaccine doses would be provided to Vietnam within the first half of this year according to the health ministry.

Through Covax, a global mechanism for developing, manufacturing and procuring Covid-19 vaccines and supply for member countries, Vietnam would receive an additional 4.9 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine within the first half of this year as well as 33 million more in the third quarter.

A container is transported to cold storage.

VNVC is the first Vietnamese firm to possess Covid-19 vaccines and the only firm chosen by AstraZeneca to distribute the vaccine in large numbers across Vietnam. In January, VNVC was approved by the Health Ministry to import, export and store vaccines and other biological products at low temperature. Currently, three ultra-cold storage units (kept at minus 86 degrees Celsius) are operated by VNVC in Hanoi, HCMC and Da Nang, capable of storing three million Covid-19 vaccine doses at once.

By 2:10 p.m., 10 vaccine containers had successfully entered cold storage in Phu Nhuan District.

The AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine, named ChAdOx, has an efficacy rate of between 62-90 percent. While lower than other Covid-19 vaccines produced by Moderna and Pfizer, the AstraZeneca vaccine is cheaper and easier to transport and store.

Vietnam has recorded 2,403 Covid-19 cases so far, with 604 still active.