At a National Assembly meeting Monday morning, the Ho Chi Minh city Party Committee Secretary Nguyen Thien Nhan proposed that Vietnam announce the end of the Covid-19 pandemic in the country, as no new cases have been reported over the past two months.
Nhan noted that Vietnam has effectively dealt with the pandemic through strong and timely preventive measures. The country has reported over 330 Covid-19 cases and no fatalities since the pandemic broke out early this year. The infection rate is only 3.4 per one million people.
Related: Vietnam marks 60 days without new local coronavirus case
Nhan also suggested that the Government consider reopening trade with 17 partners including Japan, South Korea, China, Taiwan and Australia.
“These are Vietnam’s most important partners, accounting for 90% of the country’s foreign investment, 80% of trade and 80% of tourist arrivals,” he explained.
He cited a report, which forecasted that Vietnam’s foreign investment, tourism revenues and trade this year could decrease by 30%, 50% and 18%, respectively, compared with 2019. “By gradually reopening trade, the country can reach out to foreign markets while boosting domestic investment,” Nhan said.
Nguyen Lan Hieu, director of Hanoi Medical University Hospital, stated that the Government should be very careful in announcing the end of the coronavirus pandemic and reopening trade with other countries because there could possibly be a second wave of the Covid-19 infection. Neighboring China has also reported new Covid-19 cases recently.
Hieu proposed that the Government conduct scientific studies on Vietnam’s infection risk, especially in terms of community spread, with advice from medical experts. Besides this, the Government should invest more in the medical system to enhance its capacity and resilience against future outbreaks.
By The Saigon Times
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