Speaking at a meeting of the national anti-Covid steering committee today, March 5, the ministry said the country had brought the pandemic under control. All cities and provinces have shifted to a new normal.

The number of Covid cases rose in many cities and provinces last month. The country’s daily case count averaged 50,000-70,000, with the unvaccinated accounting for the most, mainly children under 12.

The spike came due to Omicron, which has become the dominant strain of the coronavirus, the local media reported.

However, due to the nation’s high vaccination coverage and efforts in treating critical patients, Covid deaths have plunged, with the February death rate at a mere 0.2%.

As of March 3, Vietnam had received 218 million doses of Covid vaccines, with 196 million of them administered nationwide. Some 98% of the adult population have got at least two shots, while 37% have been given a booster shot.

Some 99% of children aged between 12 and 17 have got one shot, while 94% of these children have got a second shot.

The number of Covid infections is expected to continue rising as the country will start to fully reopen tourism in mid-March, according to the ministry.

On March 3, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh told a regular Cabinet meeting that Vietnam would gradually consider Covid an endemic disease.

Source: SGT