Webinar introduces book review on COVID-19 policies in SEA
VOV.VN - The University of Social Sciences and Humanities and Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS) in Vietnam co-hosted a webinar on November 16 in order to review the book “Times of Uncertainty - National Policies and International Relations under COVID-19 in Southeast-Asia and Beyond”.
The event witnessed the participation of a range of Vietnamese and foreign scholars, many of whom shared their viewpoints on the book and various policies pursued by Southeast Asian nations during their respective fights against the COVID-19 pandemic.
Upon addressing the event, Mr. Florian Feyerabend, Resident Representative of the KAS in Vietnam, emphasised that over the past two years the pandemic has impacted the global economy and almost every corner of the world.
Numerous drastic measures have been introduced, including social distancing, quarantine regulations, contact tracing, closing of borders, and vaccinations to deal with the deadliest pandemic witnessed in human history, he said.
He went on to add that several countries, including Vietnam, have turned away from the “Zero-COVID-19” policy to take up a strategy of living with the pandemic in a “new normal” context.
With regard to the local response to COVID-19, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Xuan Bach, vice head of the Health Economics Department at the Hanoi Medical University, revealed that the country enjoys a number advantages in dealing with the fourth wave of the pandemic including improved preventive medicine system, strong testing capacity, and fast pace of vaccinations.
At present, two-thirds of the local population have now received their first COVID-19 vaccine shot, while one-third have been given both doses, Bach said, noting that effective contact tracing and quarantine measures have helped to swiftly detect infections throughout the country.
He also underscored the importance of the Government’s social bailout package for people and businesses as they strive to overcome the pandemic.
Moreover, the Government has also implemented policies aimed at protect Vietnamese citizens abroad during the COVID-19 pandemic, with repatriation flights being conducted to bring Vietnamese nationals home from 59 countries and territories around the world.
At the event, local and foreign experts agreed to maintain multilateralism, strengthen international integration, as well as rolling out an effective “vaccine diplomacy” strategy to contain the pandemic and accelerate economic recovery moving forward.
