Towards Achieving “Two Parallel Objectives” During the Covid-19 Pandemic in Vietnam: A Response Strategies Analysis

Abstract

Vietnam has been suffering and will most likely continue to suffer from the devastating effects of COVID-19 on health, economy, and society in the coming months and years. This study aims to analyze key response strategies against this pandemic in the Vietnamese context. The findings indicated that primary factors have contributed to preventing the COVID-19 success, including a well-developed public health system, a decisive central government, and a proactive containment strategy based on comprehensive testing, tracing, and quarantining. Consequently, Vietnam is trying to achieve “two parallel objectives” during COVID-19; the first goal is pandemic prevention and control in order to protect community health, and the second one is socio-economic recovery and development. This study analyzed the eight primary strategies of the Vietnamese government in order to achieve these “two parallel goals” during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, a postCOVID-19 socio-economic response and recovery framework including five strategic pillars was recommended. These findings are expected to provide useful insights for developing appropriate intervention strategies in Vietnam and other similar countries worldwide.

Re-Imagining the Role of Government (State)

“…However, our experiences with the recent COVID-19 pandemic appear to indicate that it is unlikely that states will remain small (Kettl, 2022;Tam, 2022). Rich states paid for vaccines, and poor states had to rely on the rich ones for supplies (Tam, 2022). Th is sort of intervention is inevitable (Sancino et al, 2020).…”

“…Th ese three approaches declare themselves to be inclusive: each focusing on a unique set of strategies for reducing the scope, cost, and ineffi ciencies of the government (Kettl, 2022;Adebayo, 2018;Morgan & Shinn, 2014). However, our experiences with the recent COVID-19 pandemic appear to indicate that it is unlikely that states will remain small (Kettl, 2022;Tam, 2022). Rich states paid for vaccines, and poor states had to rely on the rich ones for supplies (Tam, 2022).…”