In the interest of public safety: rapid response to the COVID-19 epidemic in Vietnam

Abstract

We describe the status of the COVID-19 epidemic in Vietnam, major response successes, factors that prompted implementation of certain public health actions, and the impact of these actions. In addition, information for three case studies is reported, with crucial learnings to inform future response. Findings from this study suggest that as early as 20 January 2020, Vietnam held a national risk assessment, established a national COVID-19 Response Plan and Technical Treatment and Care Guidelines, and prepared public health laboratories to accurately diagnose cases and hospitals to effectively treat patients. The first COVID-19 case was detected on 23 January. As of 30 September, there had been three waves of the COVID-19 epidemic totalling 1095 cases, and resulting in 35 deaths all among people with underlying health conditions. Evidence of potential transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from a commercial passenger flight inbound to Vietnam was reported. This study also highlights the importance of early technical preparedness, strong political commitment, multisectoral and multilevel efforts, increased resourcing and coordination towards an effective COVID-19 response. Controlling outbreaks in settings, such as crowded public places (bars and hospitals), within certain villages and over cities, required early detection, aggressive trace-test-quarantine efforts, a geographically extensive lockdown area and an adoption of several non-pharmaceutical interventions. Many low-income and middle-income countries have experienced their second or third wave of the COVID-19 epidemic, and they can learn from Vietnam’s response across the three epidemic waves. Swift governmental action, strict border control measures, effective communication of health promotion measures, widespread community engagement, expanded testing capacity and effective social measures to slow the spread of SARS-CoV-2, are highly important in these locations.

Responses to COVID‐19 in Southeast Asia: Diverse Paths and Ongoing Challenges

“…In Vietnam, facilitated by the one‐party state, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and his administration also declared war on COVID‐19 with the public support of the Communist Party and the National Assembly, invoking national unity with mottos like “fighting the epidemic is like fighting against the enemy” (Jones, 2020 ). While centrally led, strong links to provincial implementation committees ensured control of “four on‐sites” – leadership, human resources, materials and supplies, and logistics (Nguyen et al ., 2021 ) at the local level. The relative success of pandemic control reinforced public trust in the government – a 2020 poll found more than 60% of Vietnamese supported the government's approach, the highest among over 45 countries (Pollack et al ., 2020 ).…”

Vietnamese People’s Well-Being During the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Online Survey

“…Currently as there are no new domestic cases of COVID-19 in Vietnam, the country applies a "new normal" state with the partial relaxation of social distancing measures, due to the concern that complete removal of these measures could lead to a resurgence of the pandemic as observed in other countries [8]. March 8, 2021, COVID-19 vaccination started in Vietnam with the AstraZeneca vaccine among frontline healthcare workers followed by essential service providers, teachers, people with chronic diseases and people living in epidemic areas.…”

Implementing Public Health Strategies—The Need for Educational Initiatives: A Systematic Review

“…Adequate knowledge about incidents, their etiology, and the available management options enables recognition of the threats and acceptance of necessary strategies during public health emergencies. Consequently, community preparedness and mental readiness seem to be some of the most important elements in successful policy implementation [20,[29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37][38][39][40][41][42][43][44]. It is therefore evident that investing in local empowerment by establishing educational initiatives, proper communication, and timely information are all necessary steps to counteract misinformation and to promote successful implementation of public health strategies, which will further attenuate the pandemic.…”