Security box

First 900 healthcare workers of HCMC to be vaccinated against Covid-19

March 6, 2021 by sggpnews.org.vn

The hospital’s medical staff includes doctors, nurses and employees who are working in the Department of Infectious Disease D, Emergency Department, Department of Medical Examination, Department of Social Affairs, Molecular Biology Laboratory, Adult Intensive Care and Anti-Poison Unit; heads and deputy heads of departments along with the Board Of Directors.

The health workers of the HCMC Hospital for Tropical Diseases will be the first persons in the Southern region that are on the priority groups for vaccination, said the Ministry of Health.

The HCMC Hospital for Tropical Diseases is one the 21 Covid-19 treatment facilities nationwide, having the highest risk of transmission.

The city has not currently seen a cluster of community transmission cases. Therefore, the municipal authorities have determined nine priority groups for coronavirus vaccination in the first phase with 44,175 people, including 285 healthcare workers; 388 members of health teams to conduct random Covid-19 tests; 1,362 employees of the sector of epidemiologic investigation; 1,642 public security, military forces, and volunteers; 38,000 people in the community Covid-19 groups; 1,710 medical workers taking samples for Covid-19 test; 513 employees in quarantine facilities and 275 officials who directly give vaccine injections.

The front-line workers in the fight against the epidemic in Hai Duong Province, Hanoi and HCMC will be next on the priority list to receive injection of Covid-19 vaccines.

By Quang Huy – Translated by Kim Khanh

Vietnam rehearses Covid-19 vaccine transport to prepare for mass inoculation

March 6, 2021 by e.vnexpress.net

Two staff of the Vietnam Vaccine JSC (VNVC), importer of Covid-19 vaccines to Vietnam, stand outside a freezer where the vaccines are kept. As required by the vaccine’s developers, British-Swedish firm AstraZeneca and Oxford University, the doses are being kept at a temperature of minus 2-8 degrees Celcius. VNVN had started work to make a freezer and super-cold storage in Ho Chi Minh City in October and November last year when Vietnam was still in the step of negotiating to buy the vaccine. Last Wednesday, 117,600 doses of AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine arrived in Ho Chi Minh City on a flight from Seoul. They are the first batch of 30 million doses Vietnam had ordered from AstraZeneca.

Two staff of Vietnam Vaccine JSC (VNVC), importer of Covid-19 vaccines to Vietnam, stand outside a freezer where the vaccines are kept. arrived in HCMC on a flight from Seoul . They are the first batch of 30 million doses Vietnam had ordered from the company.

A group of staff walks into the freezer. Only those assigned by the firm could enter this area. After the final one in the group has been in the store, the door is closed by another staff from outside.

Only those assigned by the firm could enter and operate within this area.

Part of the 117,600 vaccine doses inside the freezer.

A staff uses a forklift to practice the step of unloading a shipment that has the same weight of a AstraZeneca vaccine package from a shelf and put it on the ground. A VNVC representative said the AstraZeneca vaccine requires the same storage conditions and transport process like many other vaccines that are currently in use Vietnam. However, this is a new vaccine that had been imported in a rush situation to curb an ongoing pandemic, all the related processes and procedures must be carried out more carefully to minimize any possible risks that could happen.

A staff member uses a forklift to practice unloading a supposed shipment of the AstraZeneca vaccine.

Outside the freezer, a staff places reusable dry ice gel packs into a styrofoam box.Those boxes will store the vaccine doses temporarily when they are transported from the store to specialized trucks that would distribute the vaccine

Outside the freezer, a staff member places reusable dry ice gel packs into a Styrofoam box. Those boxes would store vaccine doses temporarily when transported from storage to specialized distribution trucks.

Each box will have a certain amount of doses depending on the detailed plan of vaccination for each locality as regulated by the Health Ministry.

Each box contains a certain amount of doses depending on the detailed plan of vaccination for each locality as regulated by the Health Ministry.

Tran Han Tuan, 37, head of the warehouse department in southern Vietnam of VNVC, said the truck is parked 2.8 meters away from the freezer’s door and the maximum time for one staff to carry a box of vaccine from the freezer to the truck is just ten second. Therefore all movements must be especially quick and accurate. We have been way too familiar with this step and have yet to make any mistakes but until today we are still quite nervous because the entire nation is counting on this first batch of vaccine, he said.

Tran Han Tuan, 37, head of the VNVC warehouse department in southern Vietnam, said the truck is parked 2.8 meters from the freezer’s door and that loading a box takes only ten seconds. Therefore, “all movements must be especially quick and accurate.” “We have yet to make any mistakes, but remain quite nervous since the entire nation is counting on this first batch of vaccines,” he noted.

The back door of the truck will be open in only one minute to receive the boxes of vaccine to make sure the quality of the vaccine will not be affected by the outdoor condition.

The back door of the truck will be opened in only one minute to receive the vaccines to ensure their quality remains unaffected by exterior conditions.

A package of vaccine is taken out of the styrofoam box. On the truck, the indoor unit system would stay ready before the vaccine enters. The entire cargo bed is made sure to meet all temperature standards as in the freezer. It has also met the GSP (good storage practice) and GDP (good medicine distribution practice) standards according to regulations of the Health Ministry.

A package of vaccines is taken out of a Styrofoam box.

Each package of vaccine is attached with a temperature measuring device. If the temperature exceeds the allowable limit (2-8 degrees Celcius), this device will raise alarm, which means the shipment is not eligible for vaccination.

Each package of vaccines is equipped with a temperature measuring device. If the temperature exceeds the allowable limit (2-8 degrees Celsius), this device will raise an alarm, which means the shipment is not eligible for administration.

The truck leaves the freezer. The value of this truck is more than VND1 billion ($43,405). Two of such trucks will be in use for the upcoming vaccination.For now, the plan said 13 cities and provinces that have recorded community transmissions in the latest community transmission wave that broke out in late January will receive the vaccine first. They include northern provinces of Hai Duong and Quang Ninh where the outbreak started, and HCMC and Hanoi. The vaccine will be transported by trucks to localities in southern Vietnam and for the rest, it will travel by plane.On Saturday, the Health Ministry will host a conference on the implementation of large-scale vaccination, nationwide training on receiving, using and preserving vaccines, as well as handling post-vaccination complications. Two days later, those directly treating Covid-19 patients at 18 medical facilities and prioritized categories of people in 13 pandemic-hit localities, with Covid-19 epicenter Hai Duong given the highest priority, will be among the first to be vaccinated. Phan Manh Cuong, director of the health department in Hai Duong, which is now hit hardest by the outbreak, said nine groups in Hai Duong Town and Kim Thanh District will be the first to be vaccinated. The nine groups include doctors treating Covid-19 patients, medical staff taking part in the process of contact tracing, mass testing and those working at centralized quarantined camps. While the production of domestic vaccines is underway, Vietnam has speeded up foreign procurement to inoculate prioritized groups. The government has said it is stepping up negotiations with vaccine manufacturers in the U.S., Russia and some other countries to ensure it could obtain a total 150 million doses to cover 70 percent of its population.

Two freezer trucks, valued at more than VND1 billion ($43,400) each, will be in use for the upcoming mass vaccination. For now, 13 cities and provinces that have recorded community transmissions in the latest wave will receive the vaccine first. They include northern provinces of Hai Duong and Quang Ninh where the outbreak started on Jan.28, along with HCMC and Hanoi.

Deputy PM Truong Hoa Binh meets with Long An voters

March 6, 2021 by en.nhandan.org.vn

At the meeting, the delegation of NA deputies of Long An Province summarised its activities during the 14th tenure (2016-2021).

Specifically, the delegation collected comments and suggestions for 83 bills and one resolution to submit to the National Assembly for approval; and promptly informed voters on the legal guidelines and policies passed by the NA.

The delegation also organised thematic seminars and sent petitions to the NA, the Government, ministries, branches, and central and local agencies, contributing positively to the implementation of the NA’s annual monitoring programme.

The delegation also organised 308 meetings, with the attendance of nearly 35,000 voters, and six conferences to collect opinions of leaders of the province and related departments and agencies.

Notably, the delegation of NA deputies of Long An Province received and handled over 1,200 complaints, denunciations and petitions from citizens according to the regulations, through which the authorities considered and resolved many urgent complaints, protecting the legitimate rights and interests of citizens, as well as contributing to ensuring political security, social order and safety in the locality.

At the meeting, Deputy PM Binh and the deputies also informed the voters on the draft agenda of the 11th session of the 14th NA as well as listened to their ideas, aspirations and requests.

New regulation on minimum trading lot at HOSE aims to keep small investors away

March 6, 2021 by vietnamnet.vn

Around $200 billion is now in tumult after a succession of days of network congestion and the news about the required increase in minimum trading lot from 100 to 1,000 shares on the HCM City stock market.

New regulation on minimum trading lot at HOSE aims to keep small investors away

Nguyen Giang, owner of The Way Coffee, completed the procedure to open an account at SSI Hanoi Branch after hearing that the HCM CIty Stock Exchange (HOSE) was planning to increase the required minimum trading lot from 100 shares to 1,000 shares.

The reason behind the plan, as explained by Le Hai Tra, HOSE’s CEO, was to ease the overload.

However, this was not good news for many investors, including Giang. Because of Covid-19, he no longer can work as an outbound tour guide, which he did for 10 years.

In 2020, he opened a street coffee shop. However, the third Covid-19 outbreak once again affected his business. Giang then decided to make financial investments as he has confidence in the bright prospects of the stock market.

However, the calculations of the investor may fail because of HOSE’s tentative policy.

If the tentative policy takes effect, Giang will have to spend VND100 million at least for every purchase transaction of VIC (Vingroup), VJC (Vietjet), VCB (Vietcombank) and VNM (Vinamilk).

If buying SAB (Sabeco), he would have to spend VND180 million at least, and ifor VCF (Vinacafe Bien Hoa), he would have to spend VND240 million.

These are very large amounts of money compared with Giang’s investment plan.

However, Tra said the policy, once applied, would bring benefits. It would not only help ease congestion thanks to the reduction of 40-50 percent in number of transactions, but would also better protect small investors.

Nguyen Duy Hung, president of SSI, also commented that this is the best choice for now to maintain the system’s operation.

However, many experts and securities companies don’t share the same view. They have warned that the policy isn’t in line with stock market development and discriminates against small and big investors.

“The plan is unreasonable. It will affect many private investors and be contrary to international practice,” the brokerage director of a HCM City-based securities company said.

The decision to raise the required minimum trading lot from 10 shares to 100 shares in the past once put difficulties for many investors as they could not sell shares. However, the decision was still acceptable because every transaction had value of between several millions of dong to tens of millions of dong only.

But this will be diiferent if the minimum trading lot is raised to 1,000 shares.

V. Ha

PM Phuc calls on combined strength for stronger national development

March 6, 2021 by vov.vn

These remarks were made by Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc at an event known as “Dialogue 2045” with various business representatives and intellectuals at the Thong Nhat Conference Hall in Ho Chi Minh City on March 6, featuring the participation of many senior leaders.

The Government leader reviewed the achievements following nearly 35 years of pursuing the renewal process under the leadership of the Community Party of Vietnam (CPV), with the national economy enjoying positive growth. The lives of local people have been greatly improved, with the life expectancy increasing compared with advanced countries such as Japan and Singapore, with greater attention being given to a range of social and cultural issues.

PM Phuc therefore highlighted the contributions made by the local the business community to the nation over the past 35 years of Doi Moi (Renewal), expressing hope that firms can learn new ideas to transform the nation into a developed and high-income country.

The nation must be home to business giants capable of competing both regionally and globally by unlocking the potential and making use of the strengths of citizens living and working inside and outside of the country, he emphasized.

The nation must also strive to lure and promote external resources in terms of technology, knowledge, and innovation, along with building a brighter future.

Dialogue 2045 was held as part of efforts to chart a course of actions to translate the development goals through to 2045.

In line with the Resolution adopted at the 13th National Party Congress, the country expects to move out of its low middle-income status by 2025.

According to the schedule, the nation will become an upper-middle income country by 2030 and gain developed and high-income nation status by 2045.

These are the key time milestones as the country prepares to mark the 50th anniversary of liberation of the South and national reunification in 2025, the 100th founding anniversary of the CPV in 2030, followed by the 100th founding anniversary of the Democratic Republic of Viet Nam, now known as the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, in 2045.

PM Phuc also stated that “Dialogue 2045” will be held periodically, both via direct and online platforms, thereby covering many topics from socio-economy, the environment, culture, education, science and technology, and international integration, including national security and defence.

Vietnam ready for its first vaccination program on March 8

March 6, 2021 by hanoitimes.vn

The Hanoitimes – The MoH is working with the COVAX to arrange for another shipment of 1.3 million doses to arrive at Vietnam in March.

The Ministry of Health (MoH) would mobilize all resources to carry out Vietnam’s largest vaccination program yet with an estimated of 100 million doses.

Local volunteer vaccinated with domestic Covid-19 vaccine named Nanocovax in Hanoi. Photo: Ngoc Tu

Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long made the statement at an online conference discussing plan for the nationwide Covid-19 vaccination program held today [March 6].

“With the country’s first Covid-19 vaccine doses set to be administered on March 8 in the northern province of Hai Duong, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, there would no doubt be side effects, but this is not the reason for Vietnam to stop the vaccination program,” stated Long.

According to Long, Covid-19 vaccines are developed and manufactured in the shortest time in the history of vaccine development, so the effective period of vaccines varies from six months to two years.

“In addition to importing vaccines, Vietnam would accelerate the R&D processes for domestic Covid-19 vaccines to ensure long-term public health security,” Long added.

The minister suggested any post-vaccination side effects is possible, as not any vaccine can be 100% safe.

“As the vaccine is new, so the vaccination program will be carried out in a cautious manner,” added Long, saying local health authorities have evaluated the safety of vaccines in Vietnam.

With the limited amount of vaccine doses, Long said the MoH would prioritize vaccination for 13 cities and provinces of high risk.

“The MoH is working with the COVAX to arrange for another shipment of 1.3 million doses to arrive at Vietnam in March,” he informed.

Vaccine passport

Under the government resolution NO.21 on the 11 priority groups, Long said the first doses of Covid-19 vaccines would be allocated for health workers at 21 health facilities with the highest level of risks, followed by front-line workers of the Covid-19 fight in Hai Duong, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

One of a key point in Vietnam’s vaccination program is that health officials would carry out health check-up for locals before vaccination to ensure safety.

Every people getting vaccinated will be added into a database for supervision.

“Vietnam’s vaccination system would later be integrated with other countries, which would serve as a basis for vaccine passport, and is managed via QR code,” Long noted.

Last month, Vietnam received more than 204,000 doses of Covid-19 vaccine from AstraZeneca as part the WHO-led COVAX Facility vaccine-sharing scheme.

Vietnam has been negotiating with AstraZeneca to import 30 million doses for 2021 and another 33 million doses from COVAX.

According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are possible side effects after getting a Covid-19 vaccine including: pain, redness, swelling, tiredness, headache, muscle pain, chills, fever and nausea.