Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has recently inked Public Telegram 1815/CD-TTg on management and protection of COVID-19 high-risk groups, and treatment improvement to minimize the number of critically ill patients and fatality.

Firstly, the Prime Minister tasked local leaders to closely monitor health of the high-risk groups; make a list of them, their health conditions, and supportive requirements; establish vaccination teams to vaccinate all high-risk people at home. In addition, he stressed the importance of better care and treatment for the high-risk groups in line with guidelines of the Ministry of Health.  

Secondly, the Ministry of Health was assigned to timely allocate vaccines for localities; facilitate COVID-19 treatment drugs towards less administrative procedures; issue instructions on management and care of patients in line with the actual conditions of Viet Nam.

Thirdly, the Ministry of Industry and Trade was tasked to work with the Ministry of Health and local leaders to ensure adequate supply of oxygen at hospitals and medical facilities.

Pandemic alert level in HCMC maintained at level 2

The People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City, at noon on December 25, announced the pandemic alert level in the area following Resolution No.128 of the Government. Accordingly, the Covid-19 pandemic level in the city continues to remain at level 2 - the medium risk level or the yellow zone.

For the district level, there are nine districts with pandemic alert level 1, including districts 3, 6, 7, 8, Binh Tan, Tan Phu, Can Gio, Cu Chi, and Hoc Mon, and 13 districts with pandemic alert level 2, including districts 1, 4, 5, 10, 11, 12, Binh Thanh, Go Vap, Phu Nhuan, Tan Binh, Thu Duc City, Binh Chanh, and Nha Be.

Thus, the pandemic alert level of Tan Binh and Binh Chanh districts increased compared to the previous week, from level 1 to level 2, that of Binh Tan district declined from level 2 to level 1, and that of District 10 receded from level 3 to level 2.

The whole city no longer has districts with pandemic alert level 3 – the high-risk or orange zone. At the commune level, the city has 160 places at pandemic level 1, 139 at level 2, and 13 at level 3.

Eight districts in Hanoi at epidemic risk level 3

Hanoi City on December 235 reassessed the pandemic situation in the area. Accordingly, the city is still at pandemic alert level 2. However, eight districts are being assessed at level 3, an increase of six districts compared to the previous week.

Specifically, districts at alert level 3 include Ba Dinh, Dong Da, Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem, Hoang Mai, Long Bien, Nam Tu Liem, and Tay Ho. The only green zone in Hanoi only is Phuc Tho District, and the remaining 21 districts are at level 2. At the commune and ward level, 67 communes and wards are at level 3, 116 at level 2, and 396 at level 1.

Snow fell on the top of Fansipan Mountain. (Photo: VNA)

Fansipan mountain blanketed in snow as cold spell hits northern, central regions

Snow fell on the top of Fansipan Mountain in the northern mountainous province of Lao Cai - the highest peak in Indochina - on December 26 when a strong cold spell hit the north and north central provinces.

At present, the temperature continues to decrease, low and mountainous areas in Lao Cai and the two region experience biting cold.

According to the Lao Cai hydro-meteorological station, the temperature at Fansipan Mountain will continue to drop, and sleet or frost is forecast to continue.

The cold spell is also expected to bring moderate to heavy rains and low temperatures in the central region from Quang Tri to Binh Dinh on December 27.

The region is forecast to be struck by rain and thunderstorms, with whirlwinds, lightning, hail and strong winds expected in some locations.

This extreme weather phenomenon severely affects local lives and production. The temperature is likely to continue dropping in the coming days.

Vietnam’s forest coverage up in 2021

Vietnam’s forest coverage reached 42.01 percent in 2021, up 0.11 percent from a year earlier, according to the Forest Protection Department.

The department also reported a 12-percent decline in the number of violations of the Law on Forestry this year while the area of forest lost due to fires, deforestation, and natural disasters plunged 33 percent year on year.

The country has seen positive progress in forest protection, wildfire prevention and fighting compared to the previous year, it said.

In 2022, the department plans to focus on developing legal documents and strengthening management in forest protection, forest fire prevention and fighting. It will also closely monitor the conversion of forest land for other purposes locally, get tougher on violations and enhance international cooperation in forest protection and development.

Vietnam records 15,218 new COVID-19 cases on December 26

Vietnam logged 15,218 new COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours till 4pm on December 26, including 36 imported cases, reported the Health Ministry.

Hanoi still recorded the highest number of infections with 1,910 cases. It was followed by Tay Ninh (928), Vinh Long (889), Binh Dinh (800), Dong Thap (781), Khanh Hoa (763), Can Tho (715), Ca Mau (579), Tra Vinh (572), and Ho Chi Minh City (544).

The country has so far 1,651,673 confirmed infections.

Since the fourth pandemic wave hit the country on April 27, as many as 1,646,033 cases have been discovered, 1,245,423 of this figure have recovered.

The same day, a further 207 COVID-related deaths were announced, bringing the total to 31,214.

Vietnam respects, ensures right to belief, religious freedom

Throughout the “Doi moi” (Renewal) process, the belief and religious life in Vietnam has changed towards greater freedom and progress, which has been recognised by the international community.

Vietnam is now home to 16 religions that have been recognised by the State.

The country has 43 religious organisations with 26.5 million followers, accounting for 28 percent of the country’s population, along with tens of thousands of religious and worship facilities.

Together with diversity in religions, Vietnam is also a nation with 54 ethnic groups, with ethnic minority groups being considered as an important part of the Vietnamese ethnic community.

For a multi-ethnic and multi-religion country, belief and religious activities have been practiced vibrantly across the country, creating a diversity in Vietnamese people’s spiritual life. Currently, about 95 percent of Vietnamese people have practiced belief and religious activities.

Talkshow introduces effective green economic models of youths

The Live and Learn for Environment and Community (Live and Learn Vietnam) organized an online talkshow “When young people do green economy” on December 26, as part of the “Green Generation Youth Action for Climate and Sustainable Energy” project sponsored by the Danish Embassy in Vietnam.

At the seminar, speakers also introduced projects on developing green (organic) agricultural models, and proposed directions for sustainable development of the green economy such as applying agricultural knowledge and appropriate technology to production to supply the domestic market and export trends; consumer education to change people's awareness, and replicating effective models.

Vietnamese students in RoK hold first e-sports championships

The final round of the first Vietnamese Students’ Association in the Republic of Korea (VSAK) E-sports Championships – ICFood Cup 2021 was held in the Republic of Korea (RoK)’s Chungang university on December 25.

The qualifying round took place on December 4-5.

The event aimed at providing a useful playground for Vietnamese students in the RoK to meet and make friends with each other, thus helping enhance solidarity and mutual assistance among them.

Khanh Hoa welcomes Russian tourists with ‘vaccine passports'

The south central coastal province of Khanh Hoa on December 26 welcomed the first group of Russian tourists back since March 2020 due to the adverse impacts of COVID-19.

A ceremony was held in the province to welcome 325 tourists, comprising 226 Russians holding 'vaccine passports'.

Another group of more than 200 Russian holidaymakers is set to arrive in Khanh Hoa later this month in a similar method, she added.

After more than one-month implementation of the pilot programme to receive ‘vaccine passport’ holders in the first phase, Khanh Hoa welcomed nearly 3,000 tourists from the Republic of Korea, Japan and Malaysia.

Thai style pagoda in Vietnam

Located in Long Binh ward, Thu Duc city of Ho Chi Minh City, Buu Long pagoda shares common architecture with other pagodas of Thailand, making it special among pagodas in Vietnam.

After its establishment in 1942, Buu Long pagoda undergone several restoration and reconstruction efforts.

By 2007, it has become an outstanding architectural representative for the fusion between the Nguyen Dynasty and Southeast Asian culture, embodying several design elements from both sources.

Support provided for flood-hit Vietnamese in Malaysia

Representatives from the Vietnamese embassy and Vietnamese community in Malaysia have visited and handed over 50 gifts to Vietnamese people who are working and living in Selangor state and affected by the recent flood.

Heavy rains last weekend caused serious flooding in Malaysia, especially in the industrial state of Selangor - the hardest-hit area. It is also home to a large number of Vietnamese workers.

The Vietnamese Embassy in Malaysia will continue to work together with donors to ease difficulties for flood-stricken Vietnamese people in Pahang state as well as those who were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in Penang state, he said.

Vietnam-Japan family association set up in Japan’s Kyushu-Okinawa region

The association of Vietnam-Japan families has freshly debuted in Japan’s Kyushu-Okinawa region, grouping families whose wives or husbands are Japanese.

The region covers seven prefectures on Kyushu island and the Okinawa Prefecture.

At the congress held at the Vietnamese Consulate General in Fukuoka on December 25, more than 40 delegates passed the association’s operation charter and elected the executive board for the 2021-2023 term.

Vietnamese Consul General to Fukuoka Vu Binh pledged to assist the association’s operation.

Cold spell hits northern, central Vietnam

A strong cold spell hit Vietnam starting December 25, resulting in showers and low temperatures across the northern and central regions, according to the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting.

Rain and thunderstorms were reported in the region, with whirlwinds, lightning, hail and strong winds expected in some locations.

Northern and north-central Vietnam will start experiencing biting cold weather between December 26 and 28.

For most parts of the north, including Hanoi, temperatures will range from 11 – 13 degrees Celsius at the lowest and even drop to below zero degree Celsius in high mountains where frost and snow are also expected. The lowest mercury in the north-central region is likely to stay between 11 – 14 degrees Celsius.

Karate tournament organised for Vietnamese expats in Japan

A karate tournament for Vietnamese expats has been organised in Kansai, bringing together nearly 80 athletes from Vietnamese karate clubs across Japan.

Co-held by the Vietnam Japan Cultural and Sports Exchange Association (FAVIJA) and the Vietnamese Karate Association in Kansai last weekend, the competition offered a playground for Vietnamese people in Japan and foster cultural exchange between the two countries.

Ca Mau steps up natural disaster prevention, control efforts

Ca Mau province is taking measures to mitigate the impacts of increasing erosion and other natural disasters.

The country’s southernmost province - the hardest by climate change - lost some 4,900ha of coastal forests in the last 10 years to high tides and disasters. The loss of forests has worsened the erosion. On the eastern coast, where there is no dyke, the erosion situation is severe. Without a dyke, the coast could lose 200ha of land a year, according to local authorities.

In some areas, erosion has reached 80 – 100 metres, affecting infrastructure along the coast and the Ho Chi Minh Road. Erosion and loss of coastal forests is expected to worsen until year end because of the north-east monsoon that will cause seawater to rise.

Over recent years the province has mobilised funding from various sources to build more than 40km of embankments on the western coast, preventing erosion and recovering mangrove forests.

Vietnamese ministry hands over first village police station to Laos

The first village police station built with support from the Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security (MPS) in Laos was inaugurated in Nonghet village of Nonghet district, Xiengkhouang province, on December 25.

It is one of the 287 facilities the MPS is building in the 10 Lao provinces bordering Vietnam.

Russian national detained for questioning over cannabis cultivation

Shedko Dmitri, 33, who holds Russian citizenship, has temporarily been detained in Binh Thuan province for investigations linked to cannabis cultivation and production in his lodging house in Ham Tien ward of Phan Thiet city, said local police.

During a police raid on Dmitri’s house on December 25, the investigation agency found 27 cannabis plants planted in his bedroom equipped with irrigation, electric lighting and air conditioning systems to nourish the plants. They also seized 3 kg of dried cannabis and other exhibits related to cannabis cultivation and production.

Dmitri confessed that he had acquired experience of planting and producing cannabis before entering Vietnam. Two months ago he bought cannabis seeds, fertilizers, chemicals, and cannabis making tools on social networks and then brought them home for planting and production in his house. The amount of cannabis produced is both used by Dmitri himself and distributed among his friends living in Phan Thiet city. Further investigations are underway. 

Charity raises funds for children orphaned by COVID-19

Children whose parents have died of  COVID-19 in HCM City will receive support thanks to a charity programme launched by People’s Artist Kim Cương, a renowned leader in cải lương (reformed opera).

The programme has raised VNĐ1.5 billion (US$64,600) which will be used to support 150 children to live and study from now until they are 18 years old.

Cương and the programme’s members are also working with theatre artists of the HCM City Theatre Artists’ Association to join the programme.  

Nearly 1,400 children under the age of 16 and around 600 between 16 and 18 years old in the city have lost their parents due to the pandemic. Many orphans who were being raised by their grandparents have now also lost their grandparents.

The programme Trái Tim Yêu Thương encourages organisations and individuals to contribute to charities targeting children orphaned by COVID-19.

Women team to train in Spain ahead of Asian Cup finals

Coach Mai Đức Chung and his squad of 23 players left for a short training camp in Spain yesterday, as they put together their final touches ahead of the 2022 Asian Women's Cup.

Chung on Saturday made a list of three goalkeepers, six defenders, 10 midfielders and four strikers after nearly four weeks of training in Hà Nội. Chung called up a number of young players who will go along with him to protect their title at the Southeast Asian Games next May.

In three weeks in Spain, Việt Nam, apart from intensive training, will have four friendly matches with three clubs who are playing for the second division league and one with a first-division side.

Việt Nam are in Group C with Japan, South Korea and Myanmar, with the two first considered powerhouses who have dominated the continent for years with Japan going into the competition as defending champion.

At the competition which will be hosted by India from January 20 to February 6, five teams will qualify directly for the World Cup via the knockout stages, and two more teams will advance to the inter-confederation play-offs.

HCMC proposes return to school plan from January 3, 2022

At yesterday meeting on the prevention of the Covid-19 epidemic for educational institutions organized by the Department of Education and Training in Ho Chi Minh City, the Department of Education and Training of Thu Duc City and 21 districts proposed return to school plan for students at all grades from January 3, 2022.

Cu Chi District is currently the only locality in Ho Chi Minh City to delay the time for students to go back to school compared to the general plan of the municipal People's Committee. Last week, this district only piloted direct teaching at Quang Trung High School only.

Assessing the results after a week of pilot in-person learning, Deputy Head of the district's Department of Education and Training Nguyen Huynh Long said that the rate of grade 12 students returning to school reached 95 percent. He revealed that from December 27, students of An Nhon Tay High School in Cu Chi will start direct learning while other secondary schools continue to teach online.

Four HCM City hospitals to provide resuscitation training to staff at COVID healthcare facilities 

The Ministry of Health has told four central-level hospitals – Cho Ray, Hue Central, HCM City University of Medicine and Pharmacy and Thong Nhat – to provide training in resuscitation services to staff without these skills who work in COVID-19 healthcare facilities in HCM City.

The city had earlier asked the ministry to send additional staff trained in resuscitation services to the city.

The city said it needed 1,000 doctors and 2,000 nurses, including 300 doctors and 600 nurses who specialise in resuscitation, to work at COVID field hospitals, resuscitation centres, and so-called three-level COVID hospitals in the city.

But because of outbreaks in other areas in the country, the ministry said the four hospitals should provide resuscitation training to existing medical staff.

Three family members die in Thanh Hoa house fire

Three people in a family have died in a house fire in the central province of Thanh Hoa on December 27.

Speaking to the Dan Viet Newspaper on December 27, chairman of Dien Bien Ward People's Committee, Le Dinh Mao, said that the incident occurred at around 1 am the same day at a three-storey house on Trieu Quoc Dat Street.

"The house lies in a small alley and had no fire exits," the official said. "Rescue forces attempted to save a 70-year-old woman who was staying on the second floor. Meanwhile, a young couple and their one-year-old daughter were found dead on the third floor."

Initial investigations showed that the fire was caused by an electrical short circuit that started on the third floor.

Exhibition features beauty of bridges in Da Nang city

A photo exhibition entitled ‘Da Nang – The city of bridges’ opened in Da Nang city on December 25, to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the city becoming a centrally-run city.

The exhibition introduces visitors to more than 160 photos on two topics themed ‘Da Nang before 1970’ and ‘Da Nang – The city of bridges.’

The pictures, which were previously donated to the Da Nang Museum by photographers and journalists, features popular bridges in Da Nang city, including Nguyen Van Troi bridge, Rong (Dragon) bridge, Thuan Phuoc bridge, and Tuyen Son bridge, among others.

The exhibition will run until January 7, 2022 at Da Nang Museum, 24 Tran Phu street, Hai Chau district.

Hanoi promotes construction of creative spaces

A ceremony was held at the Cultural and Art Centre in Hoan Kiem district Hanoi, on December 24, to kick off the Creativity Inspiration Week 2021 and honour winners of Creative Space Design Contest for the capital city.

The series of activities under the Creativity Inspiration Week will feature the participation of many traditional and modern art forms, such as fashion design, calligraphy, sketching, music experimentation, video arts and experimental traditional theatrical art performances.

In addition, a wide variety of exhibitions are being held to introduce the creative cultural spaces, contributing to raising public awareness for the construction of creative spaces and communities.

The Creativity Inspiration Week will also feature the seminars and talks from artists, architectures and experts on the issues related to creativity that is inspired from traditional heritage values in the contemporary and technology lives.

HCMC launches new tours for year-end

“HCMC tourism week – The city I love” was held on December 24 by the HCMC Department of Tourism to introduce many new destinations to restore the tourism industry and support business to stimulate demand.

At this tourism week, tourists can visit and experience new destinations such as exploring the city center (City tour), from the city center to the North West (especially Cu Chi and Hoc Mon District), to the East (especially Thu Duc City), to the South East (especially Nha Be, Can Gio), to the South (especially Binh Chanh District).

At the same time, many discount and promotion programs of HCMC tourism enterprises will also be deployed to stimulate tourism demand at the end of the year.

The city tour will be adjusted to welcome foreign and domestic tourists and introduce ancient buildings reminiscent of HCMC’s history.

HCMC to implement policies to protect vulnerable people after pandemic

HCMC is collecting feedback on its policies to safeguard the vulnerable after the Covid-19 pandemic.

The city will use its budget to provide monthly support to the non-working-age population, the elderly, and those living alone or in disadvantaged conditions. Children with congenital diseases and orphans will receive support from the authorities.

Regarding support for the anti-Covid frontliners in the city, from the healthcare workers to the competent forces at the grass-roots level, have been exhausted during the pandemic, with many of them experiencing psychological ailments. Accordingly, the city is working to develop more allowance policies for them and submit them to the city’s authorities for consideration and approval.

VABA proposes to allow online medical declaration certificates for passengers

The Vietnam Aviation Business Association (VABA) has proposed to allow medical declaration, receiving certification online, fulfilling procedures on app or website; and connect and share data with airlines. This aims to simplify procedures and effectively fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.

VABA has sent the proposal of removing difficulties in the process of welcoming international visitors from January 1 to the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Transport and embassies.
Accordingly, the ministries, agencies and embassies need to pay attention to directing and giving instructions on how to declare and receive negative PCR record certificates to reduce inconveniences for passengers and overseas Vietnamese.

Currently, many domestic commercial flights are set to operate to serve for travel demand of passengers on the Tet holiday in addition to the reopening of regular international flights from January 1 which would easily gather crowded people. Therefore, VABA proposed to soon issue implementation guidelines and coordination procedures to successfully resume regular international commercial flights.

Inspections on food safety to be carried out in 12 key provinces, cities

The Ministry of Health, on December 25, informed that Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long, Standing Deputy Head of the Central Interdisciplinary Steering Committee on Food Safety, had issued a plan to ensure food safety for the Lunar New Year and the 2022 Spring Festival.

Accordingly, six interdisciplinary food safety inspection teams will be formed to organize inspections in 12 key cities and provinces, focusing on groups of products highly consumed during the festive season with high-risk factors, food processing craft villages, provinces with border gates, and big cities to ensure food safety in production, processing, trading, importing, and using food. At the same time, they will strengthen control and handle the production and trading of fake and poor quality food products and prevent food poisoning during the Lunar New Year.

The inspection teams will also focus on propagating production and business models, safe food chains, and local traditional products to advertise and encourage safe food production; encourage consumers not to buy food at unsafe production and business establishments, food of unknown origin, and food with signs of rancidity, mold or deterioration, at the same time, give warning to consumers about alcohol poisoning prevention during the festive season. Together with the central interdisciplinary delegations, localities will also set up interdisciplinary inspection teams at all levels to carry out inspections from January 5, 2022, to March 12, 2022.

Source: VNA/SGGP/VOV/VNS/SGT/VGP

VIETNAM NEWS HEADLINES DECEMBER 26

Short-stay visitors not subject to quarantine but must follow anti-pandemic measures