The Hanoi municipal Health Department on August 2 issued an urgent notice asking all local residents to immediately contact local medical authorities when showing one or more symptoms of coughing, high temperature, sore throat, breathing trouble, tiredness, reduction or lack of taste or smell.

They must contact local medical stations to receive guidelines and get free COVID-19 testing.

Residents can also call hotlines 0969 082 115, or 0949 396 115 for advice and support.

Since April 29, Hanoi has discovered 1,292 cases positive to SARS-CoV-2, including 789 in the community and 503 in quarantine facilities.

Since July 5, 864 cases have been found in the city, including 626 since the imposition of social distancing measures on July 24./.

HCM City: Over 365,000 people benefit from COVID-19 support packages

Presenting gifts to poor people.

More than 365,000 labourers, business households and traders in traditional markets in Ho Chi Minh City have benefited from COVID-19 support packages.

Accordingly, all 311,619 workers without labour contracts (freelancers), who lost their jobs, received support from local authorities at all levels with the funding of of more than 467.4 billion VND (20.3 million USD).

All 5,563 business households whose operations have been suspended were provided with 11.2 billion VND in total.

Localities also assisted 10,432 out of 12,554 traders in traditional markets, or 83.1 percent, with the funding of 15.7 billion VND.

Le Minh Tan, Director of the municipal Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, said that the city continues to calculate the number of freelance workers facing difficulties due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic to provide them with timely support./.

PM approves reduction in power bills for people impacted by Directive 16

The Prime Minister has approved the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT)’s proposal to cut power bills for households for two months in provinces and cities applying social distancing, the ministry announced on Saturday.

A 15 per cent reduction will be applied to electricity prices for households which have electricity consumption of up to 200kWh per month while households which have electricity consumption of more than 200kWh will receive a 10 per cent discount.

The reduction will be applied to power bills in August and September, the ministry said.

The Prime Minister also agreed to offer free power for medical facilities and quarantine areas and for people who have been infected or are suspected of having COVID-19 in those localities.

This reduction will be applied to bills over seven months from June 2021 until December 2021.

According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade, as of July 30, 2021, Viet Nam had 21 provinces and cities applying social distancing measures under the Prime Minister’s Directive 16/CT-TTg to control the COVID-19 pandemic.

The people’s life in those localities faces many difficulties. Therefore, the ministry and the Viet Nam Electricity (EVN) proposed to the Prime Minister to have the four reductions.

The EVN estimated that the total reduction for customers would be worth VND2.5 trillion (US$106.4 million).

On June 2 , the Government issued Resolution No 55/NQ-CP to reduce electricity prices from June to the end of this year to support those heavily affected by the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, including tourist accommodation facilities. The reduction was estimated to be worth a total of VND1.57 trillion.

There were two similar discounts offered last year. The first ran from April 16, 2020 to July 17, 2020 and supported more than 27 million customers with the total reduction reaching around VND9.3 trillion.

The second was from October to December 2020 with more than 25.4 million customers enjoying the reductions worth VND3 trillion. Monday, August 02, 2021.

Over 3,200 COVID-19 cases added to national tally on early August 2

The Ministry of Health reported 3,201 new infections of COVID-19, including 3 imported cases, from 6:30 pm on August 1 to 6am on August 2, bringing the national count to 157,507.

Ho Chi Minh City, the country's biggest epidemic hotspot, logged 1,997 new cases, followed by Binh Duong (496), Dong Nai (189), Can Tho (119), Tien Giang (79), Da Nang (76), Vinh Long (50), Hanoi (46), Binh Thuan (46), An Giang (17), Kien Giang (17), Binh Dinh (14), Ninh Binh (13), Dong Thap (11), Dak Nong (10), Nghe An (8), Thanh Hoa (4), Ha Tinh (3), Lam Dong (2), Gia Lai (1).

Of the total domestic cases, 976 were detected in the community, and the remaining in quarantined facilities or areas under lockdown.

As of August 2 morning, Vietnam posted 2,265 imported and 155,242 domestic infections.

A total of 43,157 patients were given the all-clear. Among those under treatment, 432 are being cared for in ICU, while 18 patients are in critical condition and being treated with ECMO.

The number of infections during the new pandemic wave that began in the country on April 27 reached 153,672, with 40,383 patients having recovered.

A total of 6,415,219 COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered in the country so far, with 659,064 people getting full two shots./.

US higher education fair 2021 to be held online

The EducationUSA Advising Centres for the US Embassy in Hanoi and US Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City will host the US Higher EducationUSA Virtual Fair 2021 on August 7.

According to the US Embassy in Hanoi, representatives of forty-five accredited US universities and colleges will be available online to chat with interested students and parents about their institutions and programs, the application process, employment opportunities, financial aid procedures, and scholarship opportunities.

The US Mission in Vietnam’s EducationUSA advisors will also field questions from the public about the US higher education system.

EducationUSA is a US Department of State-supported network comprised of more than 430 advising centres in over 175 countries and territories.

EducationUSA advisors provide Vietnamese students and parents with accurate, comprehensive, and current information about how to apply to accredited US colleges and universities. All services are free.

The fair will be held from 9am-12pm on Saturday, August 7. 

HCMC to administer 5 million Covid-19 vaccine doses in August

The HCMC government aims to administer 5 million doses of the Covid-19 vaccine to citizens next month, the city’s vice chairman Duong Anh Duc said at a meeting on July 30.

The vaccines will be given to people aged 18 or older. Frontline health workers, the elderly and people with underlying medical conditions will be prioritized for vaccination.

According to Phan Van Mai, permanent deputy secretary of the municipal Party Committee, the vaccination sites will stay open until after 6 p.m. to speed up its vaccination drive.

Following the inoculation plan, each ward will set up two vaccination sites for the locals, while the elderly will be vaccinated at hospitals or medical centers. Factory workers will be vaccinated at their factories.

The vaccine supply for the city will come from the Ministry of Health and sponsors. The municipal government has suggested the Ministry of Health provide it with additional doses and simplify the vaccination procedures.

The city will mobilize all public and private resources for its vaccination campaign as vaccination plays a vital role in fighting off the pandemic.

To speed up the vaccination, vaccine recipients who are in good health will rest for 15 minutes at the vaccination venue after receiving the vaccine, instead of 30 minutes.

The elderly or people with underlying medical conditions will rest for 30 minutes at the vaccination venues before heading back home.

Since the fifth phase of the vaccination campaign started on July 22 until the end of July 30, the city has vaccinated over 500,000 people.

The city aims to give 930,000 Covid-19 vaccine doses to the locals during two weeks of the fifth phase of the vaccination campaign.

HCMC expects to vaccinate 70% of adults against Covid by next month

HCMC expects to vaccinate 70% of its residents aged 18 and above against Covid-19 by August, while the Ministry of Health has asked the city to accelerate the vaccination drive and committed to supporting it with personnel to reach its target.

The city currently has some 7.5 million adults. Some 22.23% of these people have received one shot.

According to an urgent dispatch on Covid vaccinations during the stay-at-home period that the Ministry of Health has sent to the city, the city was allowed to simplify the vaccination procedures.

The ministry asked HCMC to inoculate people aged from 18, prioritizing frontline medical workers, elderly people and those having underlying health conditions, and speed up the vaccination process.

The city should mobilize all the possible forces for vaccination, including both public and private clinics, and administer vaccines at fixed sites and mobile clinics.

Residents should be shown how to fill in the vaccination form and file pre-vaccination health declarations and announce vaccination time and place.

Those who are eligible for vaccination but have yet to receive the vaccine must be vaccinated at the earliest.

People who need medical precautions can now visit any vaccination site, instead of hospitals and medical centers as earlier regulated by the Ministry of Health.

In areas on lockdown, the local authorities must arrange fixed and mobile vaccination sites based on the number of residents.

Technology should be applied to manage and monitor the vaccination process.

The Ministry of Health stressed that HCMC must accelerate the vaccination process but still ensure safety. If the city faces a shortage of personnel, the ministry will mobilize medical workers to support the city.

The city should not limit the number of vaccinated people per day per site. Under the city's current fifth vaccination drive, each site should give 120-200 shots at most one day.

It also asked the city to decide for how long people will need to be observed post-inoculation.

HCMC has been allocated more than three million Covid vaccine doses and has administered more than 1.3 million doses.

The city launched its fifth vaccination drive on July 22 with more than 930,000 doses. The drive is planned to last for two to three weeks.

The city is considering vaccinating 62,000 shippers in the city.

At a recent meeting between Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam, head of the national steering committee for Covid-19 infection prevention and control, Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Truong Son said HCMC would receive at least five million vaccine doses by September.

Shining examples of volunteer and medical workers

Shining examples of volunteers working in the frontline against the COVID-19 pandemic can be seen in every place and expertise in our country these days. The brightest among them might be the nurses, doctors, pharmacists, technicians, and medical students who are directly providing care and treatment for COVID-19 patients.

Following the direction of “giving priority to Ho Chi Minh City” by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh at the online meeting with the city's authorities to July 8, nearly 4,500 volunteers from all over the country have headed to the southern hub to share a helping hand in the city’s COVID-19 fight as of July 15, according to the municipal Department of Health. To date, the number of volunteer medical staff members has reached more than 6,000 people and will certainly continue to increase in the future.

These volunteers include Doctor Nguyen Dinh Hoang from Hung Vuong Hospital in northern Phu Tho Province, who temporarily left his just-married wife for Ho Chi Minh City, and couple Nguyen Thi Giang and Do Ngoc Anh from Kien An Hospital in Hai Phong City, who decided to join their colleagues in Ho Chi Minh City to save people’s lives although their two children are still at a young age.

There are many other touching stories behind the volunteers, which has made people feel greater appreciation and admiration for the “white blouse” soldiers.

Notably, many of the volunteers have worked non-stop since COVID-19 first broke out in the country, and they are still willing to support pandemic-hit localities, such as Doctor Tran Thanh Linh from Cho Ray Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City, who had just returned from Bac Giang Industrial Park.

The volunteer staff not only come from central hospitals or big cities, but also from medical facilities in remote areas, which are still lacking in human resources, such as Son La, Lai Chau, Lao Cai, Yen Bai, and Thai Nguyen.

It can be said that amidst COVID-19, volunteer medical workers have written a beautiful song about dignity, dedication, and the profound meaning of the word "compatriot".

The solidary and mutual support spirit is in in the air everywhere in our country, reminding anyone in any position to join hands and do their best to fight the pandemic.

Together the efforts of the entire political system, volunteer staff and functional agencies, the people's awareness of and responsibility in following COVID-19 prevention and control regulations is extremely important to soon drive back the pandemic.

Hanoi University presents Honorary Doctor Degree to Hong Kong businessman

Lam Kin Chung, President of Zhang Yang Group Holdings Ltd Hong Kong (China), was awarded the Honorary Doctor Degree by the Hanoi University during a ceremony held at the Consulate General of Vietnam in Hong Kong on July 30.

On behalf of the Hanoi University, Vietnamese General Consul Pham Binh Dam presented the degree to Lam, voicing a hope that the businessman will further contribute to the Vietnamese university's development as well as exchange activities and education cooperation between Vietnam and Hong Kong.

The diplomat believed that with efforts and assistance from individuals like Lam and many other organisations, together with the development of the Vietnam-Hong Kong relations, education cooperation between the two sides will make strides in the time to come.

Via a video conference, Rector of the Hanoi University Assoc. Prof., Dr Nguyen Van Trao spoke highly of Lam’s outstanding achievements in socio-cultural activities, his sentiments and practical contributions to the university over the time, hoping that he will continue to help the university connect with global academicians and businesses.

For his part, Lam pledged to continue accompanying the Vietnamese university’s development in the future. He has partnered with Hanoi University since 2010.

MoCST: VFI should pay attention to copyright issues in disseminating Vietnamese movies on YouTube

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MoCST) always supports promoting and bringing cinematic works ordered by the State to the public, but it is necessary to pay attention to issues of copyright and other relevant legislation.

The statement was made by Deputy Minister of MoCST Ta Quang Dong at the meeting of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism about the Vietnam Film Institute (VFI)'s experiment to popularise Vietnam movies on its Youtube channel in recent years.

Deputy Minister Ta Quang Dong said that he has directed functional units under the MoCST to coordinate in reviewing the published and screened content, in order to promote propaganda, exploitation and dissemination of cinema works ordered by State to the public through information channels and online platforms.

The view of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism is always to support the promotion and bringing cinematic works ordered by the State to the public. In the context of people staying at home because of the Covid-19 pandemic, it is very practical to take advantage of online platforms to bring films about historical, revolutionary, and human values to viewers. However, Deputy Minister Ta Quang Dong also noted that it is necessary to pay attention to copyright issues and other relevant legal provisions.

In the coming time, the MoCST will provide instructions for people to access more Vietnamese films, especially those ordered by the State. Currently, the number of films in the VFI’s archives is very large with a diverse range of content, so these movies should not be let go to waste in the warehouse. Deputy Minister Ta Quang Dong directed the Vietnam Cinema Department, the VFI and related units to review and classify the films to bring them to the public according to useful and practical topics.

Previously, on July 26, Nguyen Huy Hoang, deputy director of the VFI, said that the YouTube channel named "Vien Phim Vietnam (Vietnam Film Institute - VFI) was officially launched on July 16, 2021. A week after opening, nine special Vietnamese films have been screened.

The dissemination of high-quality Vietnamese cinematographic works is expected to contribute to promoting Vietnam’s image, people and cultural identity while promoting the development of the country's cinema.

Retired doctor volunteers to continue working to save Covid-19 patients

A retired female doctor in the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho has decided to continue working to rescue Covid-19 patients who are in critical condition.

Doctor Phan Thi Phung, 55, head of Intensive Care Ward of Can Tho General Hospital, has announced her decision at a hospital's meeting on Friday.

"I will try to stay with the staff of the Intensive Care Ward until the end of the Covid-19 fight. I will continue my work when I can,” Phung said.

Doctor Tran Quoc Luan, director of the hospital, said that all people were surprised and felt moved by what Phung said.\

“She always tries her best to save people from being on the verge of death, helping to inspire her colleagues,” Luan added.

Over the past month since the Covid-19 outbreak in the city, Phung has been staying with other staff days and nights to save patients who are in critical conditions.
Nano Covax causes no serious side effects: Nanogen leader

Ho Nhan, general director of Nanogen Pharmaceutical Biotechnology JSC, said there were no serious side effects or fatalities reported among 14,000 volunteers during the human trials of the Nano Covax Covid-19 vaccine.

Speaking at a meeting with State President Nguyen Xuan Phuc in HCMC on July 29, Nhan said the locally developed Covid-19 vaccine has undergone seven months of clinical trials through three phases ---1, 2 and 3A.

The vaccine has proved to be safe and effective against the coronavirus, including the Delta variant.

Nhan said some 30 countries, including the world’s leading vaccine producer, India, have asked for the technology transfer from Nanogen. The World Health Organization is also evaluating the company’s vaccine dossier.

The company is currently capable of producing over 10 million doses of the Nano Covax Covid-19 vaccine a month and would raise its capacity to 30 million doses a month in October.

Nhan suggested the Government grant conditional approval for the emergency use of Nano Covax. Nanogen will soon begin phases 3B and 4 of the clinical trials for the vaccine.

State President Nguyen Xuan Phuc spoke highly of Nanogen’s efforts in developing a domestic Covid-19 vaccine in the context of the complicated developments of the pandemic and the global vaccine scarcity.

“We must consider vaccine production as an urgent task of national importance. Vaccination and social distancing are the country’s top solutions for Covid-19 infection prevention and control,” he said.

The State President asked the Ministry of Health and competent agencies to create favorable conditions for the development and production of domestic Covid-19 vaccines.

They should work with vaccine manufacturers to accelerate the development of Covid-19 vaccines but safety must be the top priority.

Besides, Phuc and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh have approved a proposal to invite experts from WHO to evaluate the safety and efficacy of locally developed Covid-19 vaccines.

Truck drivers need to be prioritised for COVID-19 vaccine

The Ministry of Industry and Trade has called on cities and provinces to include employers in the transportation and logistics industries in the priority list for COVID-19 vaccination.

In a document sent on Friday to city and provincial governments, it said inter-provincial truck drivers and helpers and those working in ports and at border gates should be prioritised for vaccination.

This would help ensure smooth transport of goods and avoid disruption of supply chains, it said.

The complicated requirements as part of COVID prevention measures for truck drivers and helpers and those in logistics services have increased the costs and time required for goods transport, it said.

Many associations and businesses have voiced concern about these difficulties, it said.

Any disruption of supply chains would severely hit businesses and affect millions of workers, it warned.

The Việt Nam Young Entrepreneurs Association has also called on the secretary of the HCM City Party Committee, Nguyễn Văn Nên, and chairman of the People’s Committee, Nguyễn Thành Phong, to allocate vaccines for its members in HCM City.

It said it would co-ordinate with the Việt Nam Vaccine JSC (VNVC) and some private health facilities to vaccinate its members' employees.

This would help speed up vaccination in the city and relieve the burden on the public health system.

It said VNVC could vaccinate 80,000 people a day.

The Party Committee targets immunising two-thirds of the city’s people aged 18 and above by August.

Traffic police lead way for workers to return to their hometowns

More than 1,200 workers, from Bình Thuận and Ninh Thuận that are working in Đồng Nai Province, have travelled back to their home towns to avoid the COVID-19 pandemic.

They were led by Biên Hòa City and Vĩnh Cửu District police and authorities on Saturday, after being given rapid COVID-19 tests.

The delegation was also escorted by a medical team and transport vehicles with food and drink supplied by local authorities, free of charge.

Most of them are ethnic Chăm people.

Nguyễn Hữu Nguyên, chairman of the Biên Hòa City People’s Committee, said that to ensure that workers could come back to their hometown safely, the city had allocated coaches for pregnant women and children.

Due to the complicated COVID-19 situation, many enterprises have temporarily stopped work.

Nguyên said that the city would continue to help facilitate the return of workers to their hometowns.

Thạch Ngọc Hòa Thanh, from Ninh Phước District in Ninh Thuận Province, said he and his wife were both workers and had boarded in Hóa An Ward, Biên Hòa City for many years.

For the past 20 days, their employer had been closed as it was located in an area that was locked down. Along with their 10-month-old baby, they had been staying at home all day, every day since. During this time they had burned through all of their savings. With few other options, Thanh registered with the city to help them return home.

“My boarding room is very narrow with a high risk of COVID-19 transmission. Our health will be affected and also create a burden for local authorities. So I registered for my family to return home. I hope to reach my hometown as soon as possible,” said Thanh.

Last Thursday and Friday, the Vĩnh Cửu District also brought home more than 1,700 workers from Đắk Lắk Central Highland Province that were working in different enterprises in Thạnh Phú Commune.

Vaxzevria and mRNA COVID-19 vaccines show similar and favourable safety profiles

Safety profiles of Vaxzevria (AstraZeneca) and mRNA-based vaccines were found to be similar and overall favourable, according to a study.

The study was published as a pre-print on The Lancet medical journal server from over one million individuals. It assessed the incidence rates of blood clotting disorders of thromboembolism and thrombocytopenia, including the very rare thrombosis with thrombocytopenia (TTS) following vaccination with an mRNA vaccine or Vaxzevria, and compared them with expected rates in the general population and in people with COVID-19.

Very rare clotting disorders (TTS) were observed with both vaccines, but these were in line with what would be expected in the general population and lower than in those diagnosed with COVID-19.

Follow-up time was not sufficient to report rates after two doses of Vaxzevria, though other studies have shown rates of rare blood clotting events to be lower after a second dose.

Regardless of the vaccine used, the increase in rates of thrombosis among persons infected with COVID-19 was far higher than among those vaccinated. Rates of venous thromboembolism were eight times higher after a diagnosis of COVID-19 infection compared with the expected rate.

Mene Pangalos, executive vice president of BioPharmaceuticals R&D, said: “This real-world study offers further evidence of the favourable benefit/risk profile of Vaxzeria and demonstrates the critical role all COVID-19 vaccines are playing in combatting the pandemic.”

The analysis included 945,941 mRNA participants (778,534 with two doses), 426,272 Vaxzevria participants, conducted between 27 December 2020 and May 19 2021. It also included 222,710 COVID-19 participants identified between September 1 2020 and March 1 2021, and 4,570,149 background participants as of January 1 2017 from a public health database held in Catalonia, Spain

The results are in line with recent reports in the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) Yellow Card Report, the UK system for collecting and monitoring information on safety concerns, which also show low rates of TTS after a second dose.

No specific risk factors or definitive cause for TTS following COVID-19 vaccination have been identified and AstraZeneca continues to perform and support ongoing investigations of potential mechanisms. Furthermore, these very rare events can be managed when symptoms are identified and treated appropriately.

Vaxzevria was co-invented by the University of Oxford and its spin-out company, Vaccitech. It uses a replication-deficient chimpanzee viral vector based on a weakened version of a common cold virus (adenovirus) that causes infections in chimpanzees and contains the genetic material of the SARS-CoV-2 virus spike protein. After vaccination, the surface spike protein is produced, priming the immune system to attack the SARS-CoV-2 virus if it later infects the body.

The vaccine has been granted a conditional marketing authorisation or emergency use in more than 80 countries across six continents. More than 800 million doses of COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca have been supplied to more than 170 countries worldwide, including more than 100 countries through the COVAX Facility.

HCM City adjusts ferry operations during social distancing period

The HCM City Department of Transport has adjusted operations at ferry terminals to ensure compliance with COVID-19 prevention measures.

The Cần Giờ - Cần Giuộc ferry terminal was closed on Friday (July 30) until further notice.

Bình Khánh and Cát Lái ferries will only allow official vehicles, transport vehicles for pandemic prevention and control, and vehicles for transporting essential goods, materials for production, and import and export goods.

Passengers are required to wear masks, keep a safe distance and make medical declarations in accordance with regulations. All vehicles must be equipped with disinfectant.

During operation, the ferry must be disinfected regularly. The Department of Transport assigned the Voluntary Youth Public Company to ensure compliance with pandemic prevention measures on the ferry under the direction of the city People's Committee.

The Department of Transport also asked relevant districts and Thủ Đức city to arrange forces for inspections and handling of violations. Inspectors of the city department will coordinate with functional forces to strictly handle violations.

Trade unions support workers to overcome COVID-19 pandemic

Trade unions at different levels have strived their best to help workers to overcome the challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Hà Nội Labour Federation, for example, has found more than 11,150 “Safe COVID-19 teams” at 4,148 enterprises with the participation of 49,440 workers.

They are responsible for educating workers on preventive measures, and supervising and reporting any problems to their leaders.

Nguyễn Thị Bích, a worker of the Bắc Thăng Long Industrial Zone in Hà Nội, said the teams are strict and monitor workers closely. People not obeying preventive regulations are not allowed to enter the factory.

“All of us feel the surrounding environment is safer and don’t worry while we are working,” she said.

Đinh Quốc Toản, chairman of the Hà Nội Industrial Zone and Processing Zone Trade Union, said that if any case of COVID-19 was detected, the local trade union would help the patient to implement the preventive and control measures regulated by the National Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control.

The trade union would also support workers and help enterprises to mitigate the impacts of an outbreak.

The union utilises infographics and Zalo groups to quickly spread instruction to the “Safe COVID-19 Teams”.

The municipal Trade Union has also set up more than 3,300 Trade Union Zalo groups with more than 100,000 participants. Trade union leaders take part in all of the group and ensure that the members receive accurate information in a timely manner.

Nguyễn Phi Thường, chairman of the Hà Nội Labour Federation, said that the municipal trade union has determined that timely and renewed action was needed to improve the situation.

Creating belief

In HCM City, the COVID-19 pandemic has greatly impacted the 1.6 million workers at thousands of enterprises around the city.

So far, more than 3,000 workers in the city are F0 whereas more than 12,000 others are F1.

The HCM City Trade Union has responded in a number of different ways.

Nguyễn Thị Chung, a worker at Thiên Lộc Shoes Co Ltd, said that her accommodation was locked down due to a case of COVID-19. The company’s trade union informed her that she would still receive 70 per cent of her salary for the 12 days of quarantine based on the Labour Law.

“I’m very happy, but not surprised because many other workers had also received such support. During hard times, we have seen that the trade union’s role is very important. We are content to fulfil quarantine requirements strictly and wait for the day we can return to work,” said Chung.

In the past year, the HCM City has organised a number of programmes to take care of workers with total funds of more than VNĐ12.5 billion (US$545,800). Nearly 8,000 workers received support of nearly VNĐ5.9 billion ($257,700).

Deputy chairman of the municipal Labour Federation Phạm Chí Tâm said that the COVID-19 pandemic had a huge impact on workers including freelancers.

The municipal trade unions at different levels have conducted supportive work in the spirit of “no person is left behind”.

“It will help freelancers feel more secure coping with these challenges,” Tâm said.

Safe manufacture

Not only Hà Nội and HCM City were seriously affected by the pandemic. Many other localities such as Bình Dương, Đồng Nai and Cần Thơ also have to apply social distancing measures to ensure residents’ safety.

Recently, the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, the Việt Nam General Confederation of Labour and the Việt Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry co-issued instructions to enterprises to ensure their safety during production.

Chairman Toản said that the trade union would continue to uphold the role of “Safe COVID-19 Teams”, and educate workers to keep calm and strictly obey preventive regulations to ensure the “double targets” of preventing the pandemic while developing the economy.

Việt Nam has 16 million workers at industrial zones and processing zones, creating 60 per cent of the total output of the nation and contributing 70 per cent of the State budget.

HCM City urges vaccinations for 62,000 shippers

The HCM City Department of Industry and Trade has asked the city Health Department to prioritise 62,000 shippers for vaccinations.

The director of the city Department of Industry and Trade, Bùi Tá Hoàng Vũ, said the department has compiled a list of shippers and sent it to the Department of Health, along with People’s Committees of districts and Thủ Đức City for vaccinations.

There are 16 units with about 62,000 drivers included on the list, including shippers from Grab, Now, Beamin and Gojek delivery applications.

Drivers of e-commerce platforms such as Shopee and Lazada are also on the vaccination list.

Recently, a series of ride-hailing applications sought permission for shippers from the city as they are an important link of the supply chain, especially in big cities.

On the afternoon of July 27, about 1,500 Grab drivers received the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine at five injection points in District 7. This was the first major vaccination series targeted at shippers from ride-hailing apps.

Dr Bùi Thị Thu Hương from Việt Nga Eye Hospital in HCM City, who was in charge of one of the five injection points in District 7, said that in addition to shippers, many store employees and pharmacy staff were vaccinated.

It is crucial that they be vaccinated as they are at high risk of COVID-19 infection, she added.

Weather conditions favourable for autumn-winter rice crop despite later flooding season

The flooding season in the Cửu Long (Mekong) Delta is expected to have lower levels of floods this year, bringing in less aquatic resources and sediment to fields, according to the Southern Institute of Water Resources Research.

Farmers can use more fertiliser to grow rice after the flooding season, but this will increase production costs.

Saltwater intrusion from the sea through river mouths, which normally occurs in the dry season, is expected to be less severe this year. The storm impact this year will also be less severe.

Because of these factors, the delta is expected to have favourable conditions for growing the autumn – winter rice crop.

The delta is planting 700,000ha of autumn – winter rice in July and August, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development’s Plant Cultivation Department.

The delta’s flooding season is caused by the rising level of the Mekong River in the rainy season, which normally lasts between May and December. The delta’s rainy season came early this year and is expected to end by the end of November, according to the ministry’s Irrigation Department.

Đỗ Đức Dũng, head of the institute, said the delta’s flood-prevention dyke system protects crop cultivation in the flooding season.

Waste in Hà Nội from lockdown areas to be treated as potentially-infectious waste

Authorities are paying more attention to the collection, transportation and treatment of household waste in the city in residential areas where COVID-19 patients or people suspected of being infected with SARS-CoV-2 reside.

Tống Việt Dũng, deputy director of the Urban and Industrial Environment No 13 Joint Stock Company said the company considered household waste in the residential areas, where COVID-19 patients or people suspected of being infected with SARS-CoV-2 resided, as potentially-infectious waste and treated it as hazardous medical waste.

“It aims to minimise the risk of disease transmission in the community,” he said.

Currently, the company is in charge of collecting household waste in several lockdown areas in the city, he said, the Kinh Tế Đô Thị (Urban Economy) online has reported.

In Đống Đa District, the company has installed trash cans and collected household waste at 14 areas under lockdown, including wards of Văn Chương, Nam Đồng, Thổ Quan, Láng Hạ and Hoàng Cầu, he said.

The process of collecting, transporting and treating household waste in lockdown areas has been implemented carefully and safely, and allowing no waste to become a source of disease transmission to the community, he said.

The company also works with the People’s Committee of each ward to disseminate information to local people in lockdown areas on how to sort waste to ensure safety, he said.

There are two trash cans, 240 litres each, being put in each lockdown area. One trash can is for holding potentially-infectious waste such as masks, tissues and medical protective clothing, another for holding normal household waste, he said.

The company's environmental workers collect the waste from the trash cans every hour in lockdown areas, he added.

Dũng said drivers and environmental workers must have their body temperature checked and wear protective clothing before going to lockdown areas to collect the waste. They must then disinfect the garbage trucks inside and outside before they leave.

After being taken from the trash cans, the potentially-infectious waste is put into a bag. The mouth of the bag is sealed tight. Then, the first bag is put into a second bag and thrown into the garbage truck, he said.

After transporting the waste from the lockdown areas to the waste treatment area, the waste is treated by autoclaving and drying technology to ensure all bacteria, viruses and pathogens are destroyed as regulations, he said.

The company has also ordered its environmental workers to not collect waste at other locations after collecting waste in the lockdown areas to ensure the highest safety, he said.

The garbage truck must go to the waste treatment areas after collecting waste in lockdown areas immediately.

Lê Hương Giang, vice chairwoman of the People’s Committee of Thổ Quan Ward, Đống Đa District, said currently the ward has locked down Lệnh Cư Alley, where 70 households are living after a person in the alley was confirmed as a COVID-19 patient.

The committee has strictly supervised the collection of household waste in the alley to avoid the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic to the community, she said.

The committee also coordinates with the company to instruct local people in the alley on how to classify and store household waste according to the regulations, she said.

The committee also arranges for people to spray disinfectants on all of the trash cans after residents threw waste into the cans.

A final spray of all trash cans is performed before environmental workers pushed the cans to the garbage trucks, she added.

Data from the Hà Nội Urban Environment One Member Co Ltd (URENCO) shows that the company collects about 6,500 tonnes of waste daily in the city.

The waste is transported to be treated in two landfills of Nam Sơn in Sóc Sơn District and Xuân Sơn in Sơn Tây District.

The Artists' Wall talk show features theatre artists

A number of theatre artists from the South will appear in the latest episode of the talk show Bức Tường Nghệ Sĩ (The Artists’ Wall) on YouTube by Vu Huan Official this month.

The artists will share and discuss various topics related to Vietnamese theatre as well as their careers.

Their stories will be in the form of an interview or simple conversation hosted by theatre director Vũ Huân.

“Through our show, audiences will learn more about different traditional theatre genres of southern and central regions, such as vọng cổ (nostalgic tunes), cải lương and tuồng or hát bội (classical drama), and traditional theatre genres from the southern and central regions,” said Huân, the show’s producer and host.

The talk show, Bức Tường Nghệ Sĩ (The Artists’ Wall), features famous theatre artists. It encourages youth to learn more about Vietnamese theatre. — Photo courtesy of the producer
Bức Tương Nghệ Sĩ made its debut on YouTube in 2019 and has attracted several hundred thousand viewers. The show targets and encourages youth to learn more about Vietnamese theatre.

In the new episode, artist participants will be filmed without studio audiences because of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Huân, who also is the show’s producer.

“We have tried to bring theatre artists and their art closer to audiences,” he said.

Huân and his staff plan to work with radio and TV stations in the region, including Hồ Chí Minh City Television, to release new and quality talk shows on Vietnamese music and movies on YouTube.

“Appearing in Bức Tường Nghệ Sĩ is a chance for me to introduce my art to audiences, particularly young people,” Meritorious Artist, theatre actor-director Thành Lộc of HCM City, said.

“Many fans have sent comments to encourage the show’s artists and myself in particular.”

Lộc was invited to appear in the previous episode of Bức Tường Nghệ Sĩ released in July 17.

He talked about his 50 years on stage. Some of the secrets of his life were first discussed in the show.

Lộc, 59, is known as a “stage magician” in the region. He has worked with leading state-owned and private drama troupes, appearing in more than 600 roles. He has also appeared in 50 films and TV shows.

He has won several top prizes at national theatre festivals.

In 2000, he and his partner, Huỳnh Anh Tuấn, owner of IDECAF, a leading private drama troupe in HCM City, began a theatre programme for children called Ngày Xửa Ngày Xưa (Once Upon A Time).

The programme has offered more than 33 plays and more than 1,200 shows for 30,000 children and teenagers, including disadvantaged kids from open houses and shelters in the city and neighbouring provinces who have received free tickets.

The new episode of Bức Tường Nghệ Sĩ is expected to be released on August 17.

More support for Olympic archers moving forward

Vietnamese archers have not made a mark on the ongoing Olympic Games in Tokyo but the young athletes are amongst the nation's brightest stars and will be supported in their future endeavours.

Nguyễn Hoàng Phi Vũ and Đỗ Thị Ánh Nguyệt competed in the men's and women's individual events but they were ousted from the first round. According to coach Ngô Hải Nam however, their presence at the world's largest sporting event should push Việt Nam to look toward long-term strategies for their development.

Nguyệt nearly made a bang when she faced Ren Hayakawa of Japan in the first match. The Vietnamese took the lead after the first two sets before Ren came back and drew, forcing the game into a shoot-off.

In a decisive shoot, 20-year-old Nguyệt who was enjoying her first-ever Olympics, scored 7 points, one less than the Japanese London Olympics bronze medalist. Nguyệt, subsequently, was eliminated.

Meanwhile, Vũ, 21, could not beat Tang Chih-chun of Chinese Taipei who had already won a silver in the men's team event in Tokyo and would go on to finish fourth in the individual category.

"The result (628 points from 72 shots) is not as good as expected but it is the first time that I have taken part in an Olympics. I have done my best. I will take this honour as encouragement for my career. I will try to secure a place at another Olympics and get better scores," said Nguyệt, the youngest member of Việt Nam’s team.

Coach Nam said his players’ results showed their remarkable efforts especially when they did not have the necessary preparation because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"For more than one year they could not have intensive training and competitions abroad. There is a big gap of level between Việt Nam and the rest of the world. At this Olympics, we just want to learn as much as possible and take these opportunities to sharpen our skills and strengthen our minds.”

"It is important that our archers can show their strong spirit and be confident throughout their shots," Nam said.

The two slots at the Olympics along with three golds, two silvers and one bronze won at the 2019 SEA Games will form a solid foundation for Việt Nam when the coming SEA Games are held on home turf.

Việt Nam aims to protect its top position at the regional Games which is delayed until next April or May in Hà Nội.

"Having chances to vie against world leading athletes is great. I am so lucky. I have collected experience throughout these matches. I will work harder for the coming tournaments, especially the 31st SEA Games," said Vũ who will defend his mixed double title.

Việt Nam Sport Administration's Deputy Director Hoàng Quốc Vinh said the archers would receive more support to be successful in the future moving forward.

"Their Olympic slots and performance at the Games show promise that they could go much further. We will create the best conditions for them to achieve better results. International training camps and tournaments will be included when the pandemic is controlled," said Vinh.

"First of all, we will seek sponsorship and organise more domestic events so that athletes can compete frequently and improve their skills.

"Later on, we will build up programmes to develop the sport and make it more popular among the community and will help to have a strong archery training movement and find our most talented athletes. We will also cooperate with localities to set up training programmes for juniors who can shoulder national team's obligations when the current athletes retire," he said.

Hanoi works to tackle newly-detected COVID-19 outbreaks

The capital city of Hanoi's competent forces have worked with the health centre of Hai Ba Trung district to tackle a cluster of 20 new COVID-19 infections detected at a food company in the locality immediately after receiving a report on the cases.

On August 1 afternoon, the forces came to the district regarding the outbreak at Thanh Nga food company at No 82, Alley 651 (82/651), Minh Khai street, Thanh Luong ward.

It identified that there are five other firms located at the same alley with the company, which has two premises.

With 43 employees, Thanh Nga’s main office is at 15/651, Minh Khai street, and its cold storage at 82/651, Minh Khai street.

All positive cases have been under treatment, with the number of F1 cases amounting to 17 and 750 other people with links to the epidemic spot had samples taken for COVID-19 testing.

On August 1 evening, local authorities of Thanh Luong ward decided to temporarily block the alley and a number of surrounding locations to set up a medical quarantine area./. 

Binh Duong province urgently responds to COVID-19 pandemic

The southern province of Binh Duong on August 1 recorded 2,179 new cases of COVID-19, 716 of whom were detected in the community. Thuan An city is the epicenter of the pandemic with 1,254 cases.

According to the provincial Department of Health, the health sector is currently mobilising hundreds of medical teams to carry out rapid testing on a large scale in many districts and townships.

It is forecast that the number of COVID-19 cases in Binh Duong may exceed 20,000 in the next few weeks.

Also on August 1, the provincial People's Committee issued an express on continuing to enforce lockdown measures across the province for two more weeks since August 2.

The local administrations were asked not to let residents leave their places of residence for another locality after August 1 until the end of lockdown.

They were also been told to organise vaccinations quickly, to the right people in a safe and effective manner as well as ensure food for poor workers and lost their income due to the pandemic.

The province has also mobilised a contingent of health workers, both in the public and private sectors, to take part in pandemic prevention and control in the locality.

As many as 17,354 COVID-19 cases have so far been recorded in Binh Duong province since the fourth wave of COVID-19 infections which began in late April./. 

Officials check progress of intensive care centres in HCM City

Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Nguyen Van Nen and Health Minister Nguyen Thanh Long inspected several hospitals treating COVID-19 patients in Ho Chi Minh City on August 1.

At the City International Hospital run by Hoa Lam Group, Minister Long applauded the hospital for volunteering to treat COVID-19 patients and decided to set up a 500-bed intensive care centre at the hospital with staff to be provided by the University Medical Centre Ho Chi Minh City. He promised to immediately provide the hospital with 50 ventilators from the Health Ministry’s warehouse in the city.

The hospital is scheduled to begin receiving COVID-19 patients on August 2 morning.

Inspecting the progress of the temporary COVID-19 hospital No.16 run by the Hanoi-based Bach Mai Hospital, deputy head of the Bach Mai Hospital’s Emergency Department A9 Dr. Do Ngoc Son said the temporary hospital is treating nearly 300 patients and its staff, sent from Bach Mai's headquarters in Hanoi, are working hard to set up a 500-bed intensive care centre to take care of patients in serious conditions.

The health minister instructed providing 100 high-performance ventilators and 100 high-flow nasal cannulas for the temporary hospital No 16. He requested that the intensive care centre be set up within the next 48 hours, adding that at least 20 beds should be reserved for pregnant patients.

Checking the pace of the building of an intensive care centre at temporary hospital No.13 run by the Hanoi-based Viet Duc Hospital and another at temporary hospital No.11 operated by Hue Central Hospital, the officials asked units concerned to step up their construction, striving to receive patients in serious conditions by August 5, initially with 200 beds and raising to 500 beds at the earliest.

Nen also took the occasion to urge local units concerned to simplify administrative procedures so that the intensive care centres can immediately receive patients in serious conditions, thus mitigating deaths.

He also thanked leaders of the Health Ministry and medical workers throughout the country for assisting the city in the effort./.

Hanoi asks local residents not to move outside during social distancing period

The People’s Committee of Hanoi on August 1 issued an official dispatch asking localities across the city not to allow local residents to travel outside the city during the period of social distancing.

The order was made amid complicated developments of the pandemic when a number of COVID-19 clusters, which originated from people returning to Hanoi from pandemic-hit regions, have been spreading quickly.

The municipal People's Committee requested all localities to assess high-risk areas, especially hospitals, industrial parks and clusters, populous residential areas and concentrated quarantine facilities, while taking the initiative in making decisionss on higher control measures during the period of social distancing.

It also urged localities and agencies to promptly roll out policies to support employees and employers who are affected by COVID-19.

The capital city’s administration also asked central and local agencies, units and socio-political organisations, as well as diplomatic corps and international organisations in the city to strictly abide by social distancing regulations and only allow a few staff to work at office.

Localities and agencies were requested to conduct COVID-19 vaccinations promptly, ensuring equal and transparent vaccine access.

On August 2 morning, the Hanoi Department of Health reported an additional 45 COVID-19 cases in the past 12 hours to 6am, 38 of whom were found in the community./.

Lam Gia Khang named among leading emerging designers by Vogue

Prestigious fashion magazine Vouge has named local designer Lam Gia Khang in the list of its top eight emerging international talents in the field of fashion.

The list compiled Vogue has been put together by some of the world’s top fashionistas who nominate several designers, with each one representing the best in fresh talent from their respective regions.

The renowned publication quoted Lisa Ruffle, buying manager (ready-to-wear) of Moda Operandi, as saying that she originally discovered Vietnam-based Gia Studios on Instagram before falling in love with designer Lam Gia Khang’s refined approach to reinventing the everyday wardrobe.

“Khang embodies the simplicity and elegance of Vietnamese culture in a way that feels fresh and innately feminine, drawing on traditional Vietnamese craftsmanship to deliver precise tailoring and distinctive designs,” Ruffle noted.

The 27-year-old Khang originally launched Lam Gia Khang brand in October, 2014 before going on to launch four collections and hold two fashion shows on his own.

In 2015, Khang was named among the “30 under 30” list by Forbes Vietnam to honour 30 outstanding people under 30 years old who are significant influencers in their business fields in the nation. He was in the Top 3 of the Project Runway Vietnam in 2013 and achieved the Upcoming Fashion Designer Of The Years at Elle Style Awards from Elle Vietnam in 2015.

The list of Vogue’s top eight emerging international designers are Kika Vargas of Colombia, Australian pair Juliette Harkness and Emma Nelson from Deiji Studios, Bevza of Ukraine, and Gruzia Nina and Gvantsa Macharashvili from Mach & Mach of Georgia. This is in addition to Sindiso Khumalo of South Africa, Thakoon Panichgul from Hommegirls of the United States, and Dami Kwon and Jessica Jung from We11done of the Republic of Korea. 

Documentary by Vietnamese-origin director nominated for Emmy Awards

“Be Water”, a film directed by Vietnamese-American Bao Nguyen, has been listed among the nominees for the 42nd Annual News & Documentary Emmy Awards.

This documentary will vie with four others, namely “Be Natural: The Untold Story of Alice Guy-Blaché”, “John Lewis: Good Trouble”, “Feels Good Man”, and “The Last Ice”.

Part of “30 for 30” - a series of documentary film airing on ESPN, “Be Water” profiles the life of martial arts legend Bruce Lee.

It premiered at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival of the US and then was screened in the Cannes Classics section of the Cannes Film Festival 2020. It has also competed at many other film festivals.

The Emmy Awards are bestowed annually by the US Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.

This year, the News & Documentary Emmy Awards will feature honorees in more than 60 categories and be live-streamed in two ceremonies on September 28 and 29. 

Covid-19 outbreak found at Hanoi food company

Up to 21 staff at Thanh Nga Food Company in Hanoi’s Hai Ba Trung District have tested positive for Covid-19.

Chairman of Thanh Luong Ward, Bui Quang Khai, told Dantri/DTiNews that local authorities locked down Alley 651 on Minh Khai Street with around 300 households from 3pm on Sunday after finding 21 Covid-19 infections in the area.

People in the sealed-off area are requested to stay at home until further notice. Food and necessities delivered to them must be left at check-points and the security force will help send to every household.

Khai added that disinfection was carried out in the alley and tracing for people who had come into close contact with Covid-19 cases are underway.

The first Covid-19 patient at the company was a 21-year-old female intern who tested positive for Covid-19 on July 31.

Five other employees including Tan Ngoc Lan Company, Thien Linh Company, Minh Long Company, Lien Thai Binh Company and Hoang Minh Century Company who live in Alley 651 then tested positive for the virus. The firm has been asked to inform the staff who live in the alley to make health declarations and quarantine themselves at home.

Literary and artistic creation campaign on the fight against COVID-19 launched

The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Culture and Sports has officially launched a campaign for the creation, staging and dissemination of literary and artistic works on the fight against COVID-19 epidemic.

The campaign aims to introduce literary and artistic works with profound contents and high aesthetic and artistic values that will contribute to spreading noble values to the public and raising public awareness of epidemic prevention and control.

As such, they call for all people to join hands to overcome difficulties and challenges due to complicated developments of COVID-19 as well as to always trust the wise leadership of the Party and effective policies of the State in the epidemic prevention and control.

The entries, which must be created between August 2019 and November 2021, can be sent to the organising board from August 1, 2021.

The campaign covers seven fields, including literature, music, stage, dance, photography, fine arts and cinema.

A total of 70 prizes are expected to be awarded. The organisers will select the most outstanding works to being staged and introduced to the public, with the participation of a large number of artists.

Dong Nai Province extends isolation for five wards of Bien Hoa City by August 15

The People’s Committee of Dong Nai Province yesterday decided an extension of isolation for all five wards of Hoa An, Tan Hanh, Tan Hoa, Tan Bien and Ho Nai in Bien Hoa City from midnight of August 2 to August 15 in order to prevent and control the Covid-19 pandemic.

Accordingly, the total number of residents under the isolation process was 55,000 households, equaling 256,000 people.

The statistics showed that Bien Hoa City has recorded 2,269 positive cases with SARS-CoV-2.

On the other hand, 5,476 close contacts with Covid-19 patients are performing centralized isolation and 28,265 cases have been isolated at home. In addition, six confirmed cases have died from Covid-19 so far.

Hoa An Ward topped with the most numerous Covid-19 patients with 344.

Up to now, Dong Nai Province has been experiencing the fourth pandemic wave with 4,738 infectious cases, of which Bien Hoa City has occupied nearly 50 percent. 

Teachers continue to enjoy seniority allowance

According to the Government’s Decree 77/2021/ND-CP, teachers will continue to enjoy seniority allowance.

This Decree takes effect from August 2021. Localities and public educational institutions that have paid teachers' seniority allowances from July 1, 2020, up to now, shall continue to comply with this Decree.

Accordingly, teachers with compulsory social insurance payment for full 5 years ( or 60 months) are entitled to a seniority allowance equal to 5 percent of their current salary plus allowances for leadership positions and seniority level.

From the sixth year onwards, each year ( with full 12 months) will be added 1 percent more. The seniority allowance is paid together with teachers’ monthly salaries. Moreover, it is used to calculate the payment and enjoyment of social insurance, health insurance, and unemployment insurance

Teachers who are teaching in public educational institutions still hold the rank of a public employee in the education and training sector (with the first 2 digits of the rank code being 15) but have not yet been classified into the professional title of specialized education and training majors (code V07) and vocational education majors (code V09) are still entitled to enjoy teacher seniority allowance according to the provisions of this Decree.

The Decree stipulates the time for eligibly to receive the seniority allowance. It is the time of teaching and education with compulsory social insurance payment in public educational institutions; time of teaching and education with compulsory social insurance payment in non-public educational institutions (for teachers who are teaching or educating in public educational institutions that have previously taught, education in non-public educational institutions).

Additionally, teachers are working in specialized customs, court, procuracy, audit, inspection, examination, civil judgment, forest ranger, national reserve, party inspection; army force, police, cipher, and working time are entitled to get the allowance.

However, those who are in apprenticeship time, in sick and maternity leave exceeding the time limit prescribed by the law on social insurance, and temporarily suspended from work or being held in custody or temporary detention in service of investigation, prosecution, and adjudication are not entitled to the special allowance. 

HCMC runs emergency hotline No.115 on Covid-19 pandemic prevention, control

The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Information and Communications in coordination with the 115 Emergency Center, VNPT Ho Chi Minh City and the Quang Trung Software City Development Company (QTSC) has officially run the emergency hotline No.115 for receiving phone calls and handling information related to the Covid-19 pandemic following the direction of the Municipal People's Committee.

Amid the current complicated Covid-19 pandemic in the city with a growing number of coronavirus infected cases, Ho Chi Minh City needed to improve the capacity of receiving phone calls related to the Covid-19 pandemic from residents, medical facilities to timely contact with forces and vehicles for emergency situations.

The system equipped with a large number of computers with stable internet connectivity and backup telephone system, includes 40 tables for 24-hour hotline operators increasing 10 times compared to the pre-pandemic outbreak period. 

Helicopter transports Covid-19 vaccines to Con Dao Island

A helicopter of the Southern Vietnam Helicopter Company carrying Covid-19 vaccines took off from Vung Tau Airport to Con Dao District, Ba Ria- Vung Tau Province at noon on August 1 to implement the third phase of Covid-19 vaccination for local people, starting from August 2.

Previously, on July 30, the People's Committee of Ba Ria - Vung Tau Province proposed the Southern Vietnam Helicopter Company to support the flights on Vung Tau- Con Dao route and vice versa to transport vaccines, medical equipment and people trapped in Vung Tau City to the island.

Accordingly, 1,460 people will be vaccinated against Covid-19 from August 2 to August 11. Of which, 754 people will get their first doses and 706 people will be vaccinated the second shots.

From May to June, Con Dao District organized two phases of vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 for prioritized groups following the Government’s Resolution No. 21. 

Blood donation drops by up to 40 percent

The National Steering Committee for Voluntary Blood Donation, on July 31, sent an official dispatch to the steering committees for voluntary blood donation in provinces and cities, asking them to continue promoting voluntary blood donation, ensuring the prevention of the Covid-19 pandemic, and providing enough blood for emergency and treatment of patients at medical facilities across the nation.

At the same time, they should continue to maintain blood donation schedules in response to the ‘Red Blood Drops Campaign’ in summer and the ‘Red Journey’ program in 2021.

According to the National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion (NIHBT), the amount of blood received nationwide from the beginning of July to now has decreased by about 40 percent compared to the plan. Most localities and units have delayed or canceled blood donation schedules. It is forecasted that shortly, there will possibly be a serious blood shortage nationwide.

Noticeably, although blood reserves are low, recently, the NIHBT promptly transported 1,000 blood units by air to Ho Chi Minh City to replenish the blood bank of Cho Ray Hospital. According to NIHBT’s Director Bach Quoc Khanh, all fixed blood donation points will accept blood donation daily. At the institute alone, blood will be received until 8 p.m. every day, including Saturday and Sunday. 

Functional agencies proposed to issue immigration instructions for Vietnamese

The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) has just proposed the Ministry of Transport closely work with relevant ministries and agencies to remove the difficulties in performing and managing international flights to Vietnam.

Accordingly, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been proposed to soon issue detailed guidance to the airlines carrying passengers from Vietnam to other countries which have been forced to return to Vietnam due to immigration refusal for the passengers.

Besides that, the Ministry of Health should impose isolation regulations for international arrivals who were fully vaccinated against Covid-19 or recovered from SARS-CoV-2 so that CAAV would consider granting appropriate flight permit for the airlines.

Vietnamese citizens who are living and working overseas to enter the country as currently, there is only the instruction of immigration permit for foreign experts and foreigners.

A huge number of Vietnamese are wishing to return to their homeland, including those who were granted Covid-19 vaccination records with two doses or the certificates of recovering from SARS-CoV-2 and negative results with novel coronavirus by RT-PCR method.

Officials check progress of intensive care centres in HCM City

Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Nguyen Van Nen and Health Minister Nguyen Thanh Long inspected several hospitals treating COVID-19 patients in Ho Chi Minh City on August 1.

At the City International Hospital run by Hoa Lam Group, Minister Long applauded the hospital for volunteering to treat COVID-19 patients and decided to set up a 500-bed intensive care centre at the hospital with staff to be provided by the University Medical Centre Ho Chi Minh City. He promised to immediately provide the hospital with 50 ventilators from the Health Ministry’s warehouse in the city.

The hospital is scheduled to begin receiving COVID-19 patients on August 2 morning.

Inspecting the progress of the temporary COVID-19 hospital No.16 run by the Hanoi-based Bach Mai Hospital, deputy head of the Bach Mai Hospital’s Emergency Department A9 Dr. Do Ngoc Son said the temporary hospital is treating nearly 300 patients and its staff, sent from Bach Mai's headquarters in Hanoi, are working hard to set up a 500-bed intensive care centre to take care of patients in serious conditions.

The health minister instructed providing 100 high-performance ventilators and 100 high-flow nasal cannulas for the temporary hospital No 16. He requested that the intensive care centre be set up within the next 48 hours, adding that at least 20 beds should be reserved for pregnant patients.

Checking the pace of the building of an intensive care centre at temporary hospital No.13 run by the Hanoi-based Viet Duc Hospital and another at temporary hospital No.11 operated by Hue Central Hospital, the officials asked units concerned to step up their construction, striving to receive patients in serious conditions by August 5, initially with 200 beds and raising to 500 beds at the earliest.

Nen also took the occasion to urge local units concerned to simplify administrative procedures so that the intensive care centres can immediately receive patients in serious conditions, thus mitigating deaths.

He also thanked leaders of the Health Ministry and medical workers throughout the country for assisting the city in the effort./. 

Tokyo Olympics: Vietnamese runner to compete in semi-final of women’s 400m hurdles

Runner Quach Thi Lan is the last Vietnamese athlete to compete at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics on August 2, as she enters the semi-final of the women’s 400m hurdles.

She will compete against 23 rivals from 20:35 (loca time) for the top eight places to advance to the final.

Lan is the sole Southeast Asian athlete and the only of the Asian origin to compete in the category.

In Heat 3 of the category’s Round 1 held on July 31, Lan ranked fifth out of the eight competitors, with a result of 55.71 seconds.

However, Leah Nugent of Jamaica was disqualified for running in the wrong lane, so she earned the fourth place and thus entering the semi-final.

The Tokyo 2020 Olympics, started on July 23, will close on August 8. China is currently leading the medal tally.

The Olympics is the largest sporting event in the world. It is held every four years, bringing together the top athletes from countries and territories all over the world./. 

Vietnam congratulates South African Communist Party on 100th anniversary

Head of the Party Central Committee’s Commission for External Relations Le Hoai Trung has cabled a congratulatory message to the South African Communist Party (SACP) on the occasion of its 100th founding anniversary.

In the message, Trung hailed the birth of the SACP is an important milestone in the fight for national independence of African people in general and South African people in particular, and praised the party's contributions to the South African people's cause of national building.

He expressed his belief that with the time-honoured revolutionary tradition and support of the public, the SACP will continue reaping more successes in the cause of national construction, for the sake of peace, independence, democracy and social progress, and for the benefit of the entire South African people.

Talking with a Vietnam News Agency (VNA) reporter, SACP’s spokesperson Dr. Alex Mashilo spoke highly of the presence of representatives from the Vietnamese Embassy in South Africa and VNA reporters at the celebration of the party's anniversary amid the COVID-19 pandemic, which he said is evidence of the Communist Party of Vietnam’s attention to the international communist movement as well as its support for the SACP.

He noted that the two Parties have facilitated the regular exchange of high-ranking delegations and cooperation at bilateral and multilateral forums to discuss the situation of each side./.

Source: VNA/VNS/VOV/VIR/SGT/SGGP/Nhan Dan/Hanoitimes