Vaccines

More than 60,000 people vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2 virus

April 14, 2021 by vov.vn

Among the first vaccinated people are healthcare workers, and members of anti-coronavirus community groups and the steering committees on COVID-19 prevention and control in 19 cities and provinces.

The MoH has received more than 800,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine sponsored by COVAX Facility after purchasing 117,600 doses of the same vaccine in February 2021.

It is distributing the vaccine to localities to ensure priority groups can get the jab first.

The MoH also announced three imported coronavirus cases on April 14 morning. They are all Vietnamese citizens returning from Germany and the Czech Republic both of which are currently ravaged by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The three patients tested positive during their stay in the concentrated quarantine facilities, thus posing no risk to the community,

Earlier on April 13 the MoH announced seven imported cases, including a German expert.

UK businesses not sold on vaccine passport idea

April 9, 2021 by www.vir.com.vn

A woman walks past a closed pub in Truro, Cornwall in southwest England on April 7, 2021, during lockdown restrictions due to Covid-19. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has confirmed that non-essential retail, gyms, hairdressers and outdoor hospitality will reopen in England from April 12, as criteria for moving forward with a second phase of easing coronavirus restrictions in England had been met.(JUSTIN TALLIS / AFP)

Following the UK’s massive vaccine rollout, non-essential retail such as clothes shops, and hospitality including restaurants and pubs, reopen their doors across England on Monday — and the government wants to make sure they stay open.

But mirroring the reaction in other countries with large-scale vaccinations, many British businesses are unhappy at the possibility of passport restrictions.

Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the British Retail Consortium, said that “while Covid status certification may play an important role in certain activities, such as international travel, our members are clear that it would not be appropriate or useful in a retail setting”.

In a statement sent to AFP on Thursday, she noted that “ad hoc purchases from customers… would be badly affected by the additional barriers to trade.

“Instead, we believe that continuing to follow the existing strict safety protocols, including regular cleaning, face coverings, and regular hand washing are the best course of action to protect staff and customers in stores,” she added.

Israel’s rollout of a “green pass” following a much-lauded speedy vaccine campaign is being watched with interest.

In the United States, any passes are set to be private or state initiatives.

In Britain, the head of the Night Time Industries Association has hit out at what he sees as “sector discrimination”.

Chief executive Michael Kill added that “barriers around mandatory vaccination certificates to gain access to businesses within” his sector “is unworkable, and would cause further anxiety for operators”.

Kill pointed to an already “clear disparity between the way that the night time economy and hospitality sector businesses are being treated by the government” and retail which have been handed “a more favourable date for reopening”.

AFP

Hanoi targets to vaccinate 350,000 people against Covid-19 in 2021

April 13, 2021 by english.thesaigontimes.vn

Hanoi targets to vaccinate 350,000 people against Covid-19 in 2021

The Saigon Times

A medical worker is injected with the Covid-19 vaccine in Hanoi. Up to now, the city has vaccinated nearly 8,050 citizens against Covid-19 – PHOTO: MINISTRY OF HEALTH

HCMC – Hanoi has injected nearly 8,050 citizens with the Covid-19 vaccine so far, exceeding initial expectations, and expects to give Covid-19 vaccine shots to 350,000 people this year, Tran Thi Nhi Ha, director of the Hanoi Department of Health, said at a meeting on April 12.

In the second phase of the Covid-19 vaccination campaign, Hanoi has been allocated 53,000 vaccine doses, which will be prioritized for medical workers and members of the Covid-19 monitoring team.

“The city targets to vaccinate 350,000 citizens against Covid-19 in 2021. By 2022, when there are more vaccine supplies, including locally made vaccines, the city will expand the vaccine eligibility to other groups of people,” Nhi said.

According to Hoang Duc Hanh, deputy director of the Hanoi Department of Health, the city reported six new imported Covid-19 cases between April 5 and 12. They were immediately put under quarantine after arriving in the city, posing no risks of community transmission. The city has reported no new domestic infections over the past two months.

However, the Covid-19 pandemic is still developing complicatedly elsewhere around the world, including some countries in Southeast Asia such as Cambodia. Therefore, the risk of Covid-19 outbreaks remains high.

Covid-19 infection prevention and control is still Hanoi City’s priority for socioeconomic development in the next normal.

In related news, the Health Department of the southern province of Binh Duong has submitted to the provincial People’s Committee a proposal to purchase Covid-19 vaccines for local people.

The department proposed using the provincial budget to buy 3 million Covid-19 vaccine doses to vaccinate more than 1.4 people aged 18 or older. The people will be vaccinated for free, said director of the provincial Health Department Nguyen Hong Chuong.

Meanwhile, the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of HCMC on April 12 received over VND34 billion (US$1.47 million) donated by businesspeople, local residents and overseas Vietnamese through the “Millions of Hearts – One Soul – Vaccines for Covid-19 Fight” program to buy Covid-19 vaccines.

Earlier on March 15, chairwoman of the committee To Thi Bich Chau received VND1 billion from the Executive Council of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha’s HCMC chapter in support of the effort.

As of April 12, the HCMC Covid-19 infection prevention and control fund had received over VND269.7 billion, including supplies and equipment worth some VND90.5 billion, from donors at home and abroad.

According to the HCMC Department of Health, from now until April 16, the city will receive 1,600 Covid-19 vaccine doses, which will be prioritized for employees of hotels that serve as quarantine centers.

In addition, the city will receive an additional 56,200 Covid-19 vaccine doses from the Ministry of Health. These doses will be prioritized for medical workers, airport staff, frontline workers and employees at agencies that have contact with a large number of people.

Malaysia to use Chinese vaccine in Phase 2 of immunisation programme

April 13, 2021 by en.vietnamplus.vn

Coordinating Minister for National COVID-19 Immunisation Programme Khairy Jamaluddin (right) at a press conference in Putrajaya, April 12, 2021 with Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba on the latest development of the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme. (Photo: Bernama)

Kuala Lumpur (VNA) – Malaysia’s Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin on April 12 said that the Chinese-made Sinovac is among the vaccines that will be utilised in Phase 2 of the National COVID-19 Immunisation Programme scheduled to start on April 19.

Khairy said that the Special Committee on COVID-19 Vaccine Supply had reviewed the data on the Sinovac vaccine and it also showed that it has a high efficacy rate against severe and moderate cases of COVID-19, adding they have decided to use the Sinovac for senior citizens.

Phase 2 of the massive National COVID-19 Immunisation Programme will prioritise those above the age of 60, persons with disabilities and those with chronic diseases.

Khairy said as 80 percent of COVID-19 mortality in the country were those aged above 60, the Sinovac vaccine as well as other vaccines will help provide protection for these targeted groups.

US’ Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is also among those to be used in Phase 2.

In April, Malaysia will receive more supply on a weekly basis amounting to 712,530 doses. The country is also looking at an additional 200,000 finished product vaccine doses coming from the China factory, Khairy said./.

VNA

Vietnam records two more imported COVID-19 cases

April 13, 2021 by en.vietnamplus.vn

An officer of Military Hospital 121 gets a vaccine shot (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam recorded two more imported COVID-19 cases , all Vietnamese citizens, in the past 12 hours to 6am on April 12, who were put under quarantine after their arrival in Ho Chi Minh City.

The two patients are currently quarantined and treated at Cu Chi COVID-19 treatment hospital.

So far, Vietnam has reported 2,707 positive cases, while the death toll related to the disease remained at 35.

As of April 13 morning, 2,445 patients had given the all-clear from coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. Among patients under treatment, 16 tested negative to the virus once, 18 others twice and 18 thrice.

At present, as many as 36,234 people nationwide are under quarantine, including 519 in hospitals, 120,409 at concentrated facilities and 15,306 at home.

Also according to the Health Ministry, additional 831 people were vaccinated on April 12, including 247 in Quang Ninh, 75 in Hai Phong, 311 in Bac Ninh and 198 in HCM City.

The same day, 311 people in Bac Ninh received vaccinations in the second stage.

Nine out of 19 cities and provinces have to date finished the first vaccination stage, including Tay Ninh, Long An, Ba Ria – Vung Tau, Khanh Hoa, Da Nang, Gia Lai, Hoa Binh, Ha Giang and Bac Ninh.

As of 4pm on April 12, 59,259 medical staff involved in pandemic combat and members of the steering committees on pandemic prevention and control in 19 cities and provinces were vaccinated./.

VNA

New Cambodian Covid-19 outbreak puts Vietnam at high risk

April 13, 2021 by e.vnexpress.net

Cambodia was suffering a significant surge in Covid-19 community transmissions. On Tuesday, the country reported 181 new infections. Three days earlier, there were more than 1,000 cases.

Tran Dac Phu, senior advisor to the Health Ministry’s public health emergency operations center, told VnExpress Tuesday that “the border between Vietnam and Cambodia is really long, not to mention the sea and air routes. It should be noted that controlling travel by sea is truly difficult.”

Many Vietnamese people stay and do business in Cambodia and the number of people traveling back and forth, both legally and illegally, is high, he said.

“The infection risk is high and it is essential that we tighten control over border gates and all small paths that people use to enter Vietnam. It is possible that community outbreaks could re-emerge in the country if someone sneaks in illegally with the virus,” he said.

The World Health Organization (WHO) in Cambodia has recently warned of the risk Cambodia is facing.

“We stand on the brink of a national tragedy because of Covid-19. Despite our best efforts… new cases occur every day and we are racing against the virus. Unless we can stop the outbreak, Cambodia’s health system is at high risk of being overwhelmed, which would have disastrous consequences,” said WHO Representative to Cambodia, Li Ailan.

Just last month, Vietnam had suffered a spate of infections after a group of Vietnamese returned home illegally via the sea route .

Three of them, all women 25 and 26 years old, were confirmed infected after they returned from Cambodia on a fishing vessel that docked at Phu Quoc Island off the nation’s southern coast.

Last December, a man had tested positive after entering Vietnam illegally . He traveled from Myanmar to Thailand by truck and then got into Cambodia on another truck before sneaking into the south of the country. Fortunately, his mother reported him and thanks to her, the infection chain was stopped just in time. Three of the eight people crossing the border with him were also infected.

As per Vietnam’s protocols, all people entering the nation from abroad must be quarantined for 14 days, during which they will be tested at least twice.

Illegal entrants are those evading checkpoints to avoid quarantine.

Phu called on the nation’s citizens to proactively report to authorities if they come to learn of any person sneaking into the country illegally.

For around three weeks now, Vietnam has not recorded any community transmission but the number of imported cases has been increasing gradually, with many of them returnees from Cambodia.

So far, 1,570 of Vietnam’s 2,714 Covid-29 cases have been local transmissions.

Vietnam has inoculated around 60,000 citizens against Covid-19 with the vaccine produced by British-Swedish firm AstraZeneca, obtained either through contracts or global vaccine access mechanism Covax. Most of the vaccinated people so far are frontline workers in the Covid-19 fight.

The nation is expected to start mass production of indigenously produced Nanocovax vaccine in August if a three-phase human trial is successfully completed in May.