MoH asks strict disease monitoring, faster COVID-19 vaccinations
The Ministry of Health (MoH) has demanded stricter disease prevention and accelerated COVID-19 vaccinations in a document recently sent to provincial-level administrations, epidemiology and Pasteur institutes, and hospitals nationwide.
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| A student gets vaccinated against COVID-19 in Ha Nam province. (Source: VNA) |
The MoH pointed out that the global COVID-19 pandemic is forecast to remain complicated and unpredictable with the appearance of new variants.
In Vietnam, the pandemic has been basically put under control, but the number of new infections, hospitalisations, and deaths have been on the rise recently, with over 2,000 infections documented daily on average and new sub-variants of Omicron including BA.4, BA.5, BA2.74, and BA 2.12.1 that are more contagious than the original strains recorded in many localities.
Meanwhile, vaccine coverage expansion has become stagnant in certain places and the inoculation rate among children is still low, the ministry noted, stressing risks of other infectious diseases like monkeypox and acute hepatitis.
The MoH urged sustained vigilance and drastic and effective implementation of anti-pandemic measures to prevent COVID-19.
The ministry also asked localities to set up special working groups with the participation of local administrations, health and related authorities to ramp up and complete vaccinations for all age groups as soon as possible.
It also ordered health departments, hospitals and epidemiology and Pasteur institutes to ensure sufficient drugs, medical supplies and personnel for disease prevention and control; consolidate the anti-pandemic forces; and improve benefits for health workers.
Besides, it is necessary to keep a close watch on the pandemic, especially the appearance of new variants, while making response plans to cope with any circumstances, the MoH added.
As of late September 14, Vietnam has recorded 11,448,034 cases of COVID-19, including 10,393,632 recoveries and 43,132 deaths.
Up to 258,934,825 doses of COVID-19 vaccines had been administered as of September 13, according to the MoH.
(Source: VNA)
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