Ministry of Health of Vietnam urgently requests provinces and cities to develop a response plan to cope with the increasing trend of COVID-19?
What is the situation of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2023?
On April 12, the Ministry of Health of Vietnam issued Official Dispatch No. 2116/BYT-DP in 2023 on strengthening the prevention and control of COVID-19 to the People's Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities.
In Official Dispatch No. 2116/BYT-DP in 2023, the Ministry of Health of Vietnam said that, according information provided by the national infectious disease surveillance system, the number of COVID-19 cases in Vietnam are increasing since the beginning of April.
Over the last 7 days, (from April 5 to April 11, 2023), Vietnam recorded 639 new COVID-19 cases, an average of 90 new cases per day - a 3,8-fold increase compared to that of the previous 7-day period. To be specific, the number of patients aged above 50 accounts for 30,2% of the total new cases (193 patients).
The number of patients hospitalised has also increased. Within a week, Vietnam recorded 10 severe cases of COVID-19, an average of 1-2 severe case(s) per day. The rate of vaccination in several local areas fails to meet set targets.
According to that, the Ministry of Health of Vietnam requires provinces and centrally-run cities:
- The People's Committees of the provinces and centrally-run cities direct to continue to disseminate and implement the directives of the Government and the Prime Minister on the prevention and control of COVID-19 epidemic and other infectious diseases;
- Avoid complacency and negligence, and effectively implement measures for preventing and controlling COVID-19 according to Resolution No. 38/NQ-CP and the 2023 Plan on prevention and control of infectious diseases specified in Decision No. 1331/QD-BYT.
- Promote vaccination against COVID-19 to achieve targets set by the Government and the Prime Minister; encourage the participation of local authorities and departments, agencies and organizations in order to encourage people to get vaccination against COVID-19, especially people who are at high risk of COVID-19 severity.
- Proactively and closely monitor the epidemic situation in their provinces; make preparation for response to epidemic situations that can occur.
- Intensify measures for preventing and controlling COVID-19 epidemic at educational institutions, and monitoring at border checkpoints, health facilities and in the community for early detection, prompt actions and prevention of the spread of COVID-19; closely cooperate with units under the Ministry of Health in proactively and early detecting new variants of SARS-CoV-2.
Ministry of Health of Vietnam urgently requests provinces and cities to develop a response plan to cope with the increasing trend of COVID-19?
Is COVID-19 on the list of occupational diseases covered by social insurance in Vietnam?
Pursuant to the provisions of Article 1 of Circular No. 02/2023/TT-BYT stipulating as follows:
Certain Articles of Circular No. 15/2016/TT-BYT dated May 15, 2016 of the Ministry of Health on occupational diseases covered by social insurance are amended
1. Clause 35 is added to the first Article 3 as follows: "35. Occupational COVID - 19 and guidelines for diagnosis and examination thereof prescribed in Appendix 35 enclosed herewith”.
2. The second Article 3 is renamed into Article 3a.
3. Appendix 35 - Guidelines for diagnosis and examination of occupational Covid-19 is promulgated together with this Circular.
4. Appendix 36 – Occupational SARS-CoV-2 exposure record is promulgated together with this Circular.
According to the above regulations, from April 1, 2023, COVID-19 disease has been added to the list of occupational diseases covered by social insurance in Vietnam.
Will confirmed cases and close contacts in 2023 be isolated?
In Section 2 of Official Dispatch No. 1909/BYT-DP in 2022 specifying as follows:
Medical measures for surveillance cases, confirmed cases and close contacts
2.1. For surveillance cases and confirmed cases
Measures for infection prevention, isolation, testing, treatment and health care shall be adopted according to the Ministry of Health’s regulations.
2.2. For close contacts
Within 10 days after the last close contact with a confirmed case during the transmission period of this confirmed case, a close contact is required to strictly comply with the following guidelines:
- Infection prevention measures: wear mask, wash hands frequently with soap and clean water/rapid hand sanitizer, avoid contact with other people, especially people who are at higher risk for getting very sick from COVID-19 or suffer from serious disease; don’t share personal household, working and learning items; avoid crowds.
- Monitor health (parents/guardians/teachers shall take charge of monitoring health conditions of close contacts who are children or pupils). The onset of symptoms (fever and cough; or at least 3 of the following symptoms: fever, cough, body aches, fatigue, chills, headache, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, loss of taste or smell or a reduction in these senses, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or difficulty breathing) should be immediately reported to health facilities for getting advice, test, diagnosis, treatment and health care as prescribed.
- The close contact is required to inform local health facility immediately when getting a positive test result for SARS-CoV-2 so as to get advice, health care and treatment, and implement infection prevention measures as prescribed.
According to the above guidance, in 2023, confirmed cases still have to self-isolate, treat and care according to the regulations of the Ministry of Health of Vietnam.
For confirmed cases no longer need to be isolated but must also take medical measures according to the above guidance of the Ministry of Health of Vietnam.
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