Previously, all people who were F1 cases were isolated at concentrated quarantine centers.

Smart bracelets will be under trial use in Ho Chi Minh City to monitor those under home quarantine. Photo: SGGP

According to the guidance of the Ministry of Health, F1 cases are eligible for home quarantine if they stay in separate houses such as villas and townhouses. There must be a warning sign with red background and yellow letters in front of the door: "Quarantine place to prevent and control the Covid-19 epidemic”. The home quarantine period is 28 days.

To effectively monitor those who are under home quarantine, the HCM City Department of Information and Communications has proposed three technological solutions, including:

1: The Vietnam Health Declaration (VHD) system developed by Viettel Group: For people entering Vietnam to make medical declarations. Based on data collected from this application, the health system will provide medical assistance as quickly as possible. This system only uses smartphones.

According to regulations, before entering Vietnam, people must prepare necessary documents, install the Vietnam Health Declaration and Bluezone applications (bluetooth and GPS must be turned on), and make a medical declaration.

At the border gate, they have to make a medical declaration, undergo medical quarantine, receive a tracing bracelet, and get on the bus to move to a quarantine facility.

2: STAYHOME developed by TMA Solutions and supported by Quang Trung Software Park Development Company, which is a smart bracelet that is connected with the smartphone of the people under quarantine. The bracelet will help monitor people under quarantine and provide their updated body temperature.

3: HCMCovidSafe developed by Tech4Covid team from the HCM City University of Natural Sciences and HCM City University of Information Technology, which is a bracelet integrated with SIM.

These technological solutions will be piloted under two phases. The first phase will be applied in District 7, Go Vap District, District 12, Tan Binh District, and the Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City from July to August 2021. Phase 2 will start from August 2021 in all districts and Thu Duc City.

Ho Van

F1 cases in Ho Chi Minh City under home quarantine

To prevent overloading at centralized quarantine facilities, the Ministry of Health has allowed people categorized as F1 cases (having close contact with Covid-19 patients) to be under home quarantine.

Vietnam considers tracking bracelets for quarantined persons

The Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC) wants people to wear a tracking wristband during and after their concentrated quarantine period. The estimated production cost is $35.