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Vice Admiral Nguyen Trong Binh inspects Brigade 954

March 5, 2021 by en.qdnd.vn

At the meeting, Vice Admiral Nguyen Trong Binh was briefed on Brigade 954’s task performance over the past time.

Particularly, the brigade strictly observed disciplines and effectively organized combat training and exercise programs, improved the technical qualifications of pilots and technicians, ensured flight safety, as well as proactively grasped situations to deal with any arising issues promptly.

Concluding the inspection, the Deputy Chief acknowledged and praised the achievements of the brigade over the past time.

He also asked the unit to continue raising a sense of responsibility among its troops and practicing possible combat scenarios.

Translated by Quynh Oanh

Volunteers sought for second homegrown COVID-19 vaccine trials

March 5, 2021 by en.vietnamplus.vn

People, aged from 18-59 and residing in Hanoi , are encouraged to register for human trials of Vietnam’s second COVID-19 vaccine candidate COVIVAC (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – People, aged from 18-59 and residing in Hanoi, can register for human t rials of Vietnam’s second COVID-19 vaccine candidate COVIVAC from March 5 morning.

In the first phase of the trials, 150 healthy volunteers will be injected with two doses of 0.5ml with an interval of 28 days.

They will be divided into five groups, including one group provided with placebo shots, and their health will be closely monitored within 24 hours after injections.

Each volunteer will have their health checked-up eight times in 12 months.

After 43 days since the first phase starts and shows good results, the second phase will be carried out at the medical centre of Thai Binh province’s Vu Thu district, with 300 volunteers.

The homegrown vaccine has been developed by the Nha Trang-based Institute of Vaccines and Medical Biologicals (IVAC) and the Hanoi Medical University since last May, using primary chicken embryo cell culture, a technique the institute used previously to successfully produce seasonal flu vaccines.

COVIVAC has undergone pre-clinical trials in India, the US, and Vietnam, said IVAC Director Dr. Duong Huu Thai, adding that results showed that it satisfies all conditions to be tested on humans.

The vaccine candidate demonstrated high immunogenicity during pre-clinical trials. It was created based on studies of new SARS-CoV-2 strains.

This vaccine is expected to have a price of around 60,000 VND (2.59 USD) per dose./.

VNA

Vietnam has six new Covid-19 patients

March 5, 2021 by english.thesaigontimes.vn

Vietnam has six new Covid-19 patients

The Saigon Times

A medical worker takes a sample from a man for Covid-19 testing. Vietnam reported six new Covid-19 cases this evening – PHOTO: VNA

HCMC – The Health Ministry has confirmed six new imported Covid-19 cases in Binh Duong, Tay Ninh and Kien Giang provinces, sending Vietnam’s caseload to 2,494 as of this evening, March 5.

Tay Ninh Province had one new case, a 52-year-old woman residing in Truong Tay Commune, Hoa Thanh Town that entered the province through Moc Bai International Border Gate on February 22. The patient is being treated at Tay Ninh General Hospital.

Four new Covid-19 patients, aged between 24 and 28, were reported in Kien Giang Province. They entered the province through Ha Tien Border Gate on February 27 and March 3. They are undergoing treatment at Ha Tien City medical center.

A 43-year-old Chinese expert became the latest Covid-19 case in Binh Duong Province. He arrived at the Tan Son Nhat International Airport in HCMC on Flight BR391 on February 19 and was immediately transported to Binh Duong Province for quarantine. He is being treated at Binh Duong Province General Hospital.

All of the new patients were immediately quarantined after arriving in Vietnam, posing no risk of community transmission.

Da Nang by Night expected to revive tourism in central city

March 4, 2021 by en.nhandan.org.vn

Scheduled to begin at the upcoming Southern Liberation and National Reunification holiday (April 30), the programme will seek to create new distinctive tourism products so as to enhance the experience of tourists to the city.

The programme is the realisation of the city’s plan to develop its night-time economy and will be piloted from 2021 to 2023.

Da Nang by Night targets foreign tourists from key markets such as China, the Republic of Korea and Southeast Asia, as well as those from potential markets such as Russia, Australia and the US when the Covid-19 pandemic is brought under control and international routes are permitted to resume.

It will also aim to attract domestic tourists from places with direct flights to Da Nang, such as Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Can Tho, the Central Highlands and neighbouring provinces.

The programme will include lighting shows, night-time tourism and service activities at selected places of interest, the night beach of My An, and cultural events along the Han River such as street dances, music, food and traditional arts.

There will also be night tours on the Han River and between Da Nang and Hoi An.

As part of the programme, there will be happy hours where tourists can enjoy special discounts at local shops, supermarkets, shopping centres and restaurants in order to boost demand after 10pm.

Vietnam recruits volunteers for human trials of second Covid-19 vaccine

March 5, 2021 by dtinews.vn

The Institute of Vaccines and Medical Biologicals (IVAC) on Friday started recruiting volunteers for the initial phase of clinical trials for the second Made-in-Vietnam Covid-19 vaccine known as Covivac.

Illustrative photo by VNA

According to IVAC, they will select 150 volunteers aged between 18 and 59 for the first phase of human trials, in which they will be injected with two 0.5 ml doses of the vaccine 28 days apart.

Volunteers will remain at the clinical trial area for a period of 24 hours after receiving their shots in order to allow them to be under strict health observations by the research team.

The aim of the first phase is to evaluate the safety of the doses, along with the patient’s immune response to the vaccine, thereby identifying the optimal level of the doses so trials can move on to the second phase.

Through pre-clinical assessments carried out in India, the United States, and Vietnam, the locally-produced Covivac vaccine has recorded a strong immunological effect on laboratory animals and has so far proved to be safe.

IVAC’s director, Duong Huu Thai said the research project on the vaccine has been running since May, 2020, with the co-operation of scientists from universities, research institutes, and international organisations, adding that it has been produced from embryonic egg production technology, which is safe for animals.

Thai emphasised that the Covivac vaccine was also proved to be effective against the new SARS-CoV strain detected in both the UK and South Africa.

The vaccine is expected to be launched later this year after passing through three phases of human trials. Moving forward, the IVAC plans to offer the Covivac vaccine at a price of VND60,000 per dose.

Furthermore, as the first domestically-produced Covid-19 vaccine, Nanocovax, which has been developed by Nanogen Pharmaceutical Biotechnology JSC, has now moved onto its second phase of human trials.