Many countries recognize Vietnam’s vaccine passport

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang noted on December 9 that many countries such as the United States, Japan, the United Kingdom, Australia and Belarus have recognized Vietnam’s vaccine passport, while India and Canada have agreed in principle.

A number of other partners, including other countries in Southeast Asia, the European Union, China, and the Republic of Korea are considering and waiting for the Vietnamese side to issue and introduce its vaccine passport and electronic authentication mechanism.

According to the spokesperson, Vietnam has so far recognized the vaccination certificate/vaccine passport form of 78 countries and territories introduced to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Transport Ministry proposes two stages for int'l commercial flight resumption

The Ministry of Transport has proposed two stages for the upcoming resumption of regular international commercial flights starting December 15.

The first stage, lasting for two weeks from December 15, will see the operation of flights between Vietnam and the destinations of Beijing, Tokyo, Seoul, Taipei – Taiwan (China), Bangkok, Singapore, Vientiane, Phnom Penh, and San Francisco or Los Angeles.

All international flights will land in the Noi Bai aiport in Hanoi and Tan Son Nhat airport in Ho Chi Minh City, with the frequency of four flights per week. The weekly number of foreign arrivals is expected at about 14,000.

The second stage starting from January next year will last for one month and covers more destinations – Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong (China), Paris, Frankfurt, Sydney, and Moscow. More airports are suggested to join the scheme, including Da Nang, Cam Ranh, Phu Quoc, and Van Don. Flight frequency will be increased to seven per week, with the weekly number of entries estimated at some 40,000.

Online conference on nuclear science, technology held

The 14th Vietnam Conference on Nuclear Science and Technology (VINANST-14) took place on December 9-10 via videoconference, drawing a large number Vietnamese and foreign experts, scientists, researchers and management officials working in different fields of nuclear science and technology.

The event comprised 14 sessions focusing on various topics, including applications of data-driven methods and AI in nuclear reactor engineering, and reactor neutron beam applications and some results at the Da Lat research reactor.

First held in 1996 by the VINATOM, the VINANST is a biennial event is the biggest of its kind in atomic research, development and application in Vietnam.

VN-Lao military doctors provide medical checkup for border residents

More than 100 Vietnamese and Lao military doctors provided health checkup for over 2,000 border residents of the two countries from December 5-8.

Nearly 5,000 residents in Seponh district, Savannakhet province of Laos, and Huong Hoa district, Vietnam’s Quang Tri province, received medicines free of charge, while some 2,500 tested for COVID-19 under the programme. All of them underwent screening tests for the coronavirus.

On this occasion, the delegation of the Vietnam People’s Army also presented gifts to 20 families of social policies, and medical supplies and drugs to authorities and people in Seponh.

Quang Nam issues green tourism criteria in new normal

The central province has issued a set of green tourism criteria in order to promote tourism products and services throughout the locality.

Designed with the support of the Swiss Sustainable Tourism Program (SSTP), the criteria give reference to 25 sets of sustainable tourism criteria applied internationally. They have been adjusted in order suit the conditions of a number of small and medium tourism firms, along with the actual conditions locally. 

There are six sets of green tourism criteria for hotels, homestays, resorts, travel businesses, and community-based tourist attractions. The green tourism criteria have been divided into major sustainability themes, each of which features several specific indicators.

Kim Duyen predicted to win top spot at Miss Universe 2021

The Vietnamese representative at Miss Universe 2021 is being touted to finish among top places at the global pageant, according to predictions made by numerous prestige beauty websites.

Mvlanuevaera of Venezuela predicted the Vietnamese contestant to win the pageant, whilst the beauties from Brazil, Paraguay, the United States, and Venezuela are all considered in contention.

Elsewhere, Philippine beauty website Sash Factor also named Duyen among top five, alongside other contestants from the Philippines, Colombia, Venezuela, and South Africa.

The grand finale of the event is scheduled to get underway on December 13.

UK offers an additional 320,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses to Vietnam

The British government has decided to donate 320,000 more doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine to the Vietnamese government.

Amanda Milling, Minister for Asia at the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, announced the decision during his phone talks on December 9 with Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs To Anh Dung.

Do Thi Ha qualifies for second round of Head to Head Challenge at Miss World pageant

Vietnamese beauty Do Thi Ha has successfully made it into the second round of the Head to Head Challenge in the Miss World 2021 beauty pageant. Ha’s result comes following audience’s voting for her through Miss World’s various social media outlets.

Moving into the second round, the Vietnamese representative will compete against 15 others from Nepal, Indonesia, Paraguay, the Cayman Islands, Venezuela, Trinidad and Tobago, Mongolia, Botswana, Cameroon, the Philippines, Mexico, Colombia, the Ivory Coast, Nicaragua, and Haiti.

The winners of the Head-to-Head Challenge will automatically qualify for a place in the Top 40 in the Live Miss World Final which is set to take place on December 16 evening.

Businessman named Moroccan honorary consul in HCM City

Doan Huu Duc, CEO of Vietnam Consulting Group, was picked as new honorary consul of the Kingdom of Morocco in HCMC on December 7.

Morocco plays an important role in fostering trade between Vietnam, the European Union and Africa, especially in the agro-fishery sector in Vietnam and the renewable energy, mining-geology and finance-banking sectors in Morocco.

As an honorary consul of Morocco in HCMC, Duc would boost a program for HCMC and Casablanca City, the strategic partnership between the Saigon and Casablanca ports and the trade of food between Morocco and the Mekong Delta.

HCMC sets up medical facilities in response to recent spike in infections

The HCMC’s health sector has preparedness and response plans for new Covid-19 cases increased significantly in recent days, and built scenarios of having tens of thousands of people infected with the virus.

The Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the District 7’s Hospital and the Covid-19 Treatment Center of the Military Hospital 175 in Go Vap District are once again at the breaking point as covid-19 cases surge.

The city has set up Covid-19 treatment facilities providing 500 beds in hospitals of Le Van Thinh, Le Van Viet and Thu Duc City alongside three field hospitals. The People’s Committee of Phu Nhuan District has opened a Covid-19 treatment hospital located at the HCMC Traditional Medicine Hospital and reopened 13 mobile healthcare stations for the recent surge in Covid-19 cases that increases need for testing and treating.

Cu Chi District’s General Hospital has established a Covid-19 treatment unit with 350 beds while the District 12’s Hospital has proposed the HCMC Health Department to form a Covid-19 treatment facility featuring 150 beds.

Hanoi announces prices of COVID-19 tests 

The Hanoi People’s Council yesterday approved to issue a resolution on prices of COVID-19 testing for state-owned medical examination and treatment facilities in the city.

Accordingly, the highest price for a COVID-19 test is VNĐ166,800 (US$7.26) for a single-sample PCR test.

The price of the Ag quick test is VNĐ16,400 (US$0.73) and the automatic/semi-automatic immune COVID-19 Ag test is VNĐ38,500 ($1.66).

For pooled-sample PCR test, the test of less than or five samples in the field is VNĐ94,300 ($4.09), a test of six to 10 samples in the field is VNĐ76,000 ($3.3), a test of five or less at the laboratory is VNĐ139,300 ($6.05), and tests of six to 10 samples at the laboratory is VNĐ122,500 ($5.32).

HCM City basically completes vaccination for children aged 12-17

HCM City’s COVID-19 inoculation drive for children aged between 12 and 17 has been completed with a total of 709,645 children receiving the vaccines.

The first phase started on October 27 and finished on November 4 offering shots to children in Củ Chi District and District 1. The second phase from November 22 gave COVID-19 vaccines to children in other districts in the city.

By December 8, 96.6 per cent of the city’s eligible children had received their first dose and 85.5 per cent have been fully vaccinated against the COVID-19.

Seven districts in the city including District 5, District 8, District 10, District 11, Binh Thanh, Cu Chi and Can Gio had child vaccination coverage reaching more than 90 per cent for both first and second doses.

WHO official stresses increased genome sequencing, vaccination in dealing with Omicron

The WHO Representative in Vietnam Dr Kidong Park has offered recommendations to the country in face of the emergence of the SARS-CoV-2 variant Omicron.

He said Vietnam should consider several actions such as enhancing inspection over genome sequencing of circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants and sending complete genome sequences and relevant data to existing public databases such as the Global Initiative on Sharing Avian Influenza Data (GISAID).

He proposed Vietnam continue improving medical and public health care capacity to ensure a smooth combination of in-patient care, from initial to intensive care, as well as managing the increase in infection cases. Vietnam needs to provide accurate, timely and transparent information for the public and international community about its fight against the pandemic.

Can Tho hospitals fully stretched as COVID resurges

The healthcare system in Can Tho is being overwhelmed by new COVID-19 cases. The daily number hit a record 1,189 on Monday and hospitals, mobile medical stations and medical emergency teams are fully stretched.

More than 13,000 others are receiving care at home, and there is a big shortage of medical personnel and medicines. The city has reopened Field Hospital No.1 with 400 beds and ICU equipment received from HCM City earlier this week.

The Ministry of Defence on Monday dispatched 39 of its doctors and nurses to aid the city. Medical teams were also sent from Cho Ray Hospital in HCM City on Tuesday to treat patients in serious condition.

The city has set up 58 mobile emergency teams to provide home care. It has asked the ministry to provide an additional 180,000 doses of Molnupiravir, an oral anti-viral medicine which significantly reduces the risk of hospitalisation and death .

First National Press Award for health launched

The award is open for all Vietnamese citizens living and working at home and abroad, foreigners living and working in Vietnam, professional journalists or collaborators of mass media organisations and press agencies.

Works submitted for the award are journalistic products in Vietnamese (or ethnic or foreign languages translated into Vietnamese) written in the medical field that are published and broadcast on mass media licensed by the Ministry of Information and Communications.

Works in five types of news, including print, radio, television, electronic media and photography, which are published or broadcast from June 15, 2021 to June 15, 2022, are eligible for the award.

The organising board will receive works published from now until the end of June 30, 2022. Participants can send works to the Professional Department of the Vietnam Journalists Association at 59 Ly Thai To Street, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi or the Department of Communication and Emulation and Reward of Ministry of Health at 138A Giang Vo Street, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi. 

HCM City to launch night river bus

On the evening of December 8, Thuong Nhat company, investor in the river bus route No.1 connecting Bach Dang and Linh Dong, organised the first night river bus trial for people to experience Sagion River.

A representative of Thuong Nhat Co., Ltd said the night water bus would officially operate from Dec 10 from 7:00 to 8:00 PM every day. The starting point is Bach Dang station in District 1, going through Binh An station in Thu Duc City. The ticket is priced at VND15.000.

The night water bus ticket price will include Saigon street food. There will also be musical performances to entertain passengers. The bus route passes through beautiful rivers, perfect for people to relax after a day’s hard work. Foreign tourists taking the night bus can enjoy the beauty of the city.

TV show seeks best rock band in Vietnam

Twenty-two leading bands of the Vietnamese rock music scene will compete in a reality TV music show called "Rock Việt" which will choose the best rock band in the country.

Bands like Aqua Band, Phách Ca, Giấy Gấp and Brainwave promise to bring audiences exciting performances in the show.

The show will include two foreign bands, Umbrella and Coastal Connection, whose members have lived and worked in Việt Nam for several years.

Rock Viet will air on HCM City Television’s channel HTV at 7.30pm every Saturday, beginning on December 11.  

VN funds building of Khmer-Vietnam association’s local headquarters

The community support fund of the Vietnamese Embassy and the Vietnam Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Agribank)’s subsidiary in Cambodia on December 9 presented $16,180 to the Khmer –Vietnam Association's chapter in Kandal province to fund the construction of a new headquarters for the chapter and the upgrading of its school.

Of the sum, Agribank donated 8,000 USD in response to the Vietnamese Embassy in Cambodia’s call for social assistance to help the association’s chapters to build headquarters and community houses.

The chapters in Pursat and Kampong Cham will be the next ones to receive similar support. Currently, nine chapters of the Khmer –Vietnam Association do not have their own headquarters or community houses.

IFC supports Vietnam in African swine fever prevention

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) on December 9 signed a memorandum of understanding on technical support for the prevention and control of African swine fever (ASF) in Vietnam.

Under the MoU, the IFC will assist the MARD in fact-finding survey, review, research, amendments proposal, and the development of legal documents to promote livestock production biosecurity and disease prevention and control with a focus on ASF.

In addition, pilot models will be developed for biosafe livestock breeding and disease control according to international standards in some localities and enterprises. The IFC, via its consultation activities in Vietnam, will share international knowledge and experience in policy making and the implementation of pilot models. It will also send experts to give training in the field for Vietnamese personnel.

Phu Yen receives water purifiers in support of flood-hit residents

A ceremony was held in the central province of Phu Yen on December 9 to receive and distribute 100 water purifiers donated by the Vietnam Disaster Management Authority and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Vietnam.

The event was part of a project on child-centred disaster risk mitigation and resilience improvement for the 2017-2021 period.

Accordingly, water purifiers will be sent to flooded areas where residents are lacking water for daily use, schools, medical stations and cultural houses.

Virtual exhibition of Vietnamese lacquer paintings opens

A virtual exhibition of 50 prominent Vietnamese lacquer paintings opened on December 9 at http://trienlamtranhsonmai.trienlamao.net./., introducing the essence of Vietnamese art to the public at home and abroad.

A joint effort between the Vietnamese Foreign Ministry’s Department of Cultural Diplomacy and UNESCO Affairs and the Vietnam National Fine Arts Museum, the event was part of the Vietnam Days Abroad 2021 – a national popularisation programme annually held by the ministry.

The exhibition space was designed in 3D form in English and Vietnamese languages. The works on display were chosen by the museum, highlighting the beauty of Vietnamese country and its people.

National Assembly Chairman to attend APPF-29 via videoconference

A high-ranking delegation of the National Assembly led by Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue will attend the 29th Annual Meeting of the Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF-29) via videoconference from December 13-15.

The attendance is made at the invitation of Park Byeong Seug, the Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea – host of the APPF-29, the National Assembly’s Committee for External Relations announced in a communiqué on December 9.

NA Chairman Hue will attend and deliver speeches at two important plenary sessions on political-security, and economic-trade issues, said the communiqué. 

Vietnam protests cyber attacks in any form

Vietnam protests cyber attacks in any form and stays ready to cooperate with the international community in the issue, said the Foreign Ministry’s spokeswoman Le Thi Thu Hang.

About the information that recent cyber attacks target websites of countries’ government agencies, Hang stressed that in the current situation, the guarantee of information security and safety are very important and necessary for all countries.

Being aware of that, the Vietnamese Government has issued a number of policies and guidelines and taken specific measures to ensure information security and safety, contributing to protecting national sovereignty on cyber space, she said.

She added that the Vietnamese Government also established capable specialised agencies that are ready to actively cope with every risk on cyber space, prevent and deal with acts of attacking and threatening cyber security.

COVID-19: New cases on December 9 total 15,311

Vietnam recorded 13,840 cases of COVID-19 in 61 localities during 24 hours from 4pm December 8 to 4pm December 9, including 11 imported cases, according to the Ministry of Health.

Ho Chi Minh City continued to record the highest number of infections with 1,450, followed by Tay Ninh with 895 and Hanoi with 822. The national tally reached 1,367,433.

According to the Ministry of Health’s report, 7,697 patients nationwide are in serious conditions, with 823 requiring invasive ventilation and 15 on life support (ECMO).

On the day, the country saw 256 deaths from the disease. The death toll now hits 27,186.

Spatial population and development data webpage launched

With the support of UNFPA, the General Statistics Office has developed a spatial population and development data webpage, at https://gis.gso.gov.vn, to utilise results of the 2019 Population and Housing Census.

The webpage, the first of its kind in Vietnam, covers certain population and socio-economic indicators from the Census and other relevant sources to meet the needs of population research by geography.

The results of the Census are a reliable data source on population size at the commune level, as well as population and housing information by demographic and other characteristics in all 63 provinces of Vietnam.

The data page is also connected to the Disaster Monitoring System of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and integrated with the spatial data of health facilities, which could be used to develop necessary interventions, focusing on vulnerable population groups such as the elderly, women in reproductive age and people affected by disasters.

HCM City targets higher budget revenue despite pandemic

The HCMC People’s Council approved higher budget revenue targets for next year, having seen rising budget collections this year despite the devastating impact of the pandemic on the socio-economic situation.

In their final vote, before wrapping up the fourth session today, December 9, Council members passed a resolution on estimates for budget revenues as well as budget expenditures for next year. The budget revenue for 2022 is targeted at VND386.5 trillion, or roughly US$16.5 billion, an increase of 5.94% against the 2021 target and a rise of 4.34% against the actual budget collection this year.

Council members noted that despite a fall in the regional gross domestic product in 2021, the budget revenues of the city this year still reached an estimated VND370.5 trillion, or 1.3% higher than the initial target, giving Council members the confidence to set a higher budget target for 2022.

VIETNAM NEWS HEADLINES DECEMBER 9

Vietnam seeks consultation on COVID-19 vaccination for children aged 5-11