Fresh COVID outbreak unlikely amid China loosening prevention measures
VOV.VN - Experts believe that Vietnam is unlikely to face a new COVID-19 wave, despite China beginning to open its borders and loosen COVID-19 control measures, thanks to the country’s high vaccination rate.
According to Dr. Tran Dac Phu, senior advisor to the Center for Emergency Response to Public Health Events, China’s decision to reopen its borders and abandon quarantine measures due on January 8, 2023 would not impact Vietnam's COVID-19 prevention efforts. However, he warned there may be a number of imported COVID-19 cases from the northern neighbour.
At present, Vietnam has administered more than 265 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines, with almost 100% of people from the age of 12 having already completed their first two doses. The proportion of those over 18 who have been given their third and fourth doses has reached 80% and 86.8%, respectively.
Furthermore, Dr. Phu also quoted results of a survey carried in late November by Ho Chi Minh City’s Center for Disease Control as saying that more than 98% of the city’s residents now possess COVID-19 antibodies.
The senior advisor added that the country should therefore not apply prevention and control measures, or implement COVID-19 testing on Chinese people passing the border.
“Vietnam is unlikely to have new COVID-19 wave because it already achieved herd immunity,” he explained.
Agreeing with Dr. Phu’s opinion, Assoc. Prof. & PhD Nguyen Huy Nga, former head of the General Department of Preventive Medicine under the Ministry of Health, said that Vietnam has basically achieved herd immunity, with over 90% of the population possessing relevant antibodies.
He therefore stressed that the country has already dropped COVID-19 test requirement for visitors entering the country, because the virus was under full control locally.
However, local experts suggested that Vietnam needs to cooperate alongside the World Health Organization (WHO) to monitor the 500 new subtypes of the Omicron variant which are still present.
On the other hand, travel demand for the upcoming Lunar New Year holiday, known locally as Tet, in late January is expected to increase considerably, therefore, according to Prof. Nga, people are encouraged to don facemasks at public places.
He also noted that vaccines remain the best choice to reduce the mortality rate and the overall negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and that vaccines will help to reduce the probability that children will get long-COVID or suffer from any other major side effects.