Southern localities accelerate vaccinations to halt COVID-19 outbreak

Thứ Bảy, 06/11/2021, 21:10

Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam on November 5 asked southern localities to step up COVID-19 vaccinations to ensure 100% of residents aged 18 and above will receive their first shot at the earliest in an attempt to halt the spread of the virus there.

The COVID-19 vaccination coverage in southern and Central Highland localities remains low.

The COVID-19 vaccination coverage in southern and Central Highland localities remains low.

The southern region remains the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak in Vietnam at present, with the number of newly detected infections increasing considerably every day.

Data from the Ministry of Health show that November 5 saw 953 people test positive in Dong Nai, 917 in Binh Duong, 477 in Kien Giang, 468 in Bac Lieu, 411 in An Giang, 305 in Tay Ninh, and 298 in Binh Thuan.

Between 70-94% of people aged 18 and above in many southern localities have been administered with the first shot, but the vaccination coverage for the second shot is rather low.

All people aged 18 and above in southern and Central Highland provinces must be given their first shot in the next five days, Deputy PM Dam told a meeting on November 5, pointing out virus infection risks from people fanning out from coronavirus hotspots Ho Chi Minh City and Binh Duong to their homes.

Deputy Minister of Health Do Xuan Tuyen said the number of F0 cases is increasing in southern localities, accounting for 70% of newly detected infections daily in lockdown areas or quarantine facilities.  

He requested localities to closely monitor all people returning from Ho Chi Minh City, Dong Nai, Binh Duong, and Long An, and “amber” and “red” areas in the national COVID-19 alert system.

According to Deputy PM Dam, all localities remain highly vigilant when Vietnam is moving into a state of safe and flexible adaptation and effective control of COVID-19.

New infections are likely and the disease surveillance system must therefore be raised to a new level in order to early detect and quickly handle cases, said Dam.

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