To officially downgrade classification of COVID-19 from class A to class B from October 20, 2023 in Vietnam

To officially downgrade classification of COVID-19 from class A to class B from October 20, 2023 in Vietnam (Internet image)

Regarding this issue, LawNet would like to answer as follows:

On October 19, 2023, the Ministry of Health issued Decision 3896/QD-BYT downgrading classification of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) from class A to class B under the Law on prevention and control of infectious diseases 2007.

To officially downgrade classification of COVID-19 from class A to class B from October 20, 2023 in Vietnam

From October 20, 2023, the Ministry of Health decided that the classification of Coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) is now changed from a Class-A infectious disease to a Class-B infectious disease according to Point b, Clause 1 and Clause 2, Article 3 of the Law on prevention and control of infectious diseases 2007

Covid-19 prevention and control activities shall be carried out in accordance with regulations on Class-B infectious diseases of the Law on prevention and control of infectious diseases 2007.

Decision 3896/QD-BYT takes effect from October 20, 2023.

Decision 219/QD-BYT of 2020 of the Ministry of Health on adding acute respiratory infections caused by a new strain of Corona virus (nCov) to the list of group A infectious diseases according to the provisions of the Law on prevention and control of infectious diseases 2007 expires from the effective date of Decision 3896/QD-BYT.

Regulations on classification of infectious diseases in Vietnam

According to Clause 1, Article 3 of the Law on prevention and control of infectious diseases 2007, infectious diseases are divided into the following classes:

- Class A, consisting of extremely dangerous infectious diseases that can transmit very rapidly and spread widely with high mortality rates or with unknown agents.

Class-A infectious diseases include poliomyelitis; influenza A-H5N1; plague: smallpox: Ebola virus. Lassa virus and Marburg virus hemorrhagic fever: West Nile fever: yellow fever cholera; SARS and dangerous infectious diseases newly emerging and with unknown agents;

- Class B, consisting of dangerous infectious diseases that can rapidly transmit and be fatal.

Class-B infectious diseases include adenovirus disease; HTV/AIDS; diphtheria; influenza; rabies; pertussis; pulmonary tuberculosis; human streptococcus suis; amebiasis; bacillary dysentery; mumps; dengue fever; dengue hemorrhagic fever; malaria; scarlet fever; measles; hand-foot-mouth disease; anthrax; chicken pox; typhoid; tetanus; German measles; viral hepatitis; Neisseria meningitis; viral meningitis; leptospirosis; Rota virus diarrhea;

- Class C, consisting of less dangerous infectious diseases that are not rapidly transmittable.

Class-C infectious diseases include Chlamydia; syphilis; worm-related diseases; gonorrhea; trachoma; Candida Albicans disease; Nocardia disease; leprosy; Cytomegalo virus disease; herpes; taeniasis; fascioliasis; paragonimiasis; Fasciolopsis buski; scrub typhus; Rickettsia fever; Hantavirus hemorrhagic fever; trichomonas; Pyodermatitis; coxsakie virus pharyngitis, stomatitis and carditis; Giardiasis; Vibrio Parahaemolyticus enteritis, and other infectious diseases.

Principles of prevention and control of infectious diseases in Vietnam

Principles of prevention and control of infectious diseases include:

(1) Prevention of disease is key with infectious disease information, education and communication and surveillance regarded as major measures. To combine technical medical measures with social and administrative measures in preventing and controlling infectious diseases.

(2) To organize inter-branch coordination and social mobilization in the prevention and control of infectious diseases; to integrate activities of prevention and control of infectious diseases into socio-economic development programs.

(3) To publicize in a timely manner accurate information on epidemics.

(4) To carry out anti-epidemic activities in a proactive, active, timely and thorough manner.

(Article 4 of the Law on prevention and control of infectious diseases 2007)

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