Coronavirus hotspot considers ‘green cards’ to ease measures
VOV.VN - The authorities of Ho Chi Minh City, the largest coronavirus hotspot in Vietnam, are planning to apply “green cards” in order to ease social distancing restrictions for people who have received one or two doses of COVID-19 vaccines.
During a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam on September 7, Phan Van Mai, head of the HCM City administration, said the city is considering applying “COVID-19 vaccine green cards”, adding that groups of healthcare experts and economists are making plans for its implementation.
HCM City has extended its shelter-in-place mandate to mid-September in a continued effort to halt the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The city has also established a working group tasked with developing a plan for both the COVID-19 fight and economic recovery after September 15, with pandemic containment, social welfare policies, and economic development among the pillars of the plan.
To ease social distancing measures and gradually restore services, all stakeholders must feel safe, meaning they must be fully vaccinated, Mai explained the administration’s ‘green cards’ proposal.
He therefore expressed hope that the Government would provide the city with additional COVID-19 vaccines to help all residents get vaccinated against the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
Dr. Nguyen Hoai Nam, deputy director of the HCM City Department of Health, said the local health sector is speeding up COVID-19 vaccination, considering this a priority along with testing.
The sector should be assured that it will be provided with a sufficient supply of vaccines to ensure everyone is fully inoculated against COVID-19, he said.
According to Nam, the city aims to raise the vaccination rate among those who receive their second shot to 50% by late September, 80% by October 15, and 100% by the end of this year.
