Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam has urged localities to speed up the Covid vaccine roll-out for all ages in accordance with the guidance of the Ministry of Health as the number of new Covid-19 cases has been on the rise in Vietnam.

In a dispatch on intensifying Covid-19 prevention and control measures issued recently, the deputy PM underlined the complicated evolution of the pandemic in the world and the rising number of infections in the country, adding that the pace of Covid-19 vaccination among certain population segments has been slow, especially the second shot for children from 5 to under 12 and the booster shots for over-18 people.

Vietnam has quickly achieved a high vaccination coverage; however, in some places, Covid-19 vaccination roll-out is slow, resulting in rising Covid-19 incidence. 

Currently, the pandemic remains complicated and unpredictable in the world, and new waves of infections have flared up in several countries with the rise of coronavirus sub-variants. The World Health Organization continues to state that up to now, vaccination is still a strategic solution to control the disease.

Vaccination against Covid-19 for students of Vietnam - Angeri Secondary School in Hanoi’s Thanh Xuan District. Photo: Hai Linh/The Hanoi Times

In Vietnam, the Covid-19 situation is still basically put under control, and socio-economic activities have returned to normal.

However, in recent times, the caseload, hospitalizations, and the number of severe cases are on an increasing trend. Worse, many localities have recorded new coronavirus variants with the ability to spread faster than the original strains.

The Ministry of Health is tasked with urging localities to accelerate vaccination, and promptly report to the Prime Minister about localities which fail to ensure progress.

Regarding the response to new SARS-CoV-2 variants, the ministry was asked to keep a close eye on the pandemic evolution in the world and strengthen the exchange of information and experience with other countries, while collecting ideas from experts to give assessments and forecast on pandemic developments, evaluating the herd immunity and providing advice to the Government on responding measures.

Moreover, the ministry was assigned to conduct a community immunity assessment to have timely and appropriate consultation on preventative measures.

Besides, the health ministry should make sure that people can access medical services in a fastest way. Leaders of localities were requested to update pandemic scenarios and prepare forces and equipment to stand ready for any circumstance. Leaders of localities of pandemic outbreaks must be held accountable to the government.

The Ministry of Information and Communications, Vietnam Television, the Voice of Vietnam, the media and authorities in all districts continue to enhance communication so that people can strictly comply with the regulations on disease prevention and control and get inoculated as the highly infectious delta variant continues to spread.

As of August 26, Vietnam has reported 3,342 more Covid-19 infection cases and 12,747 convalescents. At the same time, there were two more Covid-19 deaths in the southern provinces of Ba Ria-Vung Tau and Tay Ninh.