PM directs intensifying efforts to prevent COVID-19 during Tet Festival
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has signed a dispatch directing ministers, heads of ministerial-level and State agencies, and chairmen of People’s Committees of centrally-run cities and provinces to strengthen measures to prevent the spreading of COVID-19 during the upcoming Lunar New Year (Tet) Festival and the festive season of 2023.
This year, Tet Festival falls in late January (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA)– Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has signed a dispatch directing ministers, headsof ministerial-level and State agencies, and chairmen of People’s Committeesof centrally-run cities and provinces to strengthen measures to prevent thespreading of COVID-19 during the upcoming Lunar New Year (Tet)Festival and the festive season of 2023.
In the document, thePM underlined that the pandemic is still developing unpredictably withthe continuously appearance of new variants and sub-variants of SARS-CoV-2,and the decreasing effectiveness of vaccines.
Meanwhile, the change in seasons and the easing of pandemic prevention and control policies in some countries are likely to increase the risk of a surge of COVID-19 cases inthe time to come, during the Tet Festival and Spring of 2023.
In order to strengthenthe pandemic prevention and control measures during trade and tourismactivities in the festive festival in the first months of 2023 and continue topromote the socio-economic development at the same time, the PM requestedministries, sectors and localities to strictly implement the Politburo’sdirective on the organisation of Tet Festival and the PM’s directive on thestrengthening of pandemic control measures during the festival, as well as theGovernment’s resolution on pandemic prevention and fight.
The first months of 2023 is the peak festive season (Photo: VNA)
The Ministry of Healthwas asked to keep a close eye on the domestic and international pandemicsituation, thus giving timely guidelines and coordination with ministries,sectors and localities in the pandemic fight, while working with localities todirect the implementation of measures to prevent COVID-19 and seasonaldiseases, promptly stamping out outbreaks, and promoting COVID-19 vaccinationactivities.
The Ministry of Culture,Sports and Tourism was requested to work with the Ministry of Health and thePeople’s Committees of localities to direct tourism businesses to ensure safetyfor tourists and locals.
The PM also instructed localities tostrengthening the monitoring of people arriving from areas with pandemic outbreaks andlocalities where new COVID-19 variants are found, while keeping a close eye on thecommunity and medical facilities to early detect the appearance of new SARS-CoV-2 variants. They werealso requested to continue speeding up COVID-19 vaccination among all eligiblegroups./.
The HCM City Hospital for Tropical Diseases on January 4 said the COVID-19 Omicron XBB variant, first discovered in India in August, has been found in the southern metropolis.
Chief Representative of the World Health Organisation (WHO) in Vietnam Dr Angela Pratt on January 6 warned that the fight against COVID-19 is not over yet as many people are getting infected, hospitalised, and dead in many countries around the world.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand has officially informed relevant parties about the change in immigration rules for all foreign over-18 visitors to Thailand, Minister of Transport Saksayam Chidchob said on January 7.
Despite storm-related disruptions and flight delays, the organs were successfully transported via a combination of air and ground travel. All patients are currently stable and recovering well.
The patient, Tieu Viet But, born in 1970 and residing in Binh Tri commune, Binh Son district, the central province of Quang Ngai, was working aboard fishing vessel Qng – 95657TS when the incident occurred at 7:00 am.
All drugs entering hospitals must have a clear origin, so counterfeit drugs are only in the market, not in hospital, affirmed Minister of Health Dao Hong Lan.
To achieve its goal of becoming a developed nation by 2045, Vietnam is prioritising the integration of AI and digital tools into the training of future doctors, said Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Viet Nhung, Dean of Medicine at University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Vietnam National University (VNU) Hanoi.
Health experts called for collective disease prevention and integrated solutions to achieve zero dengue deaths in the country at an online talk show on June 14.
The PM called for closer, broader, and more effective cooperation with Vietnamese partners, guided by the principles of mutual benefit, joint efforts, shared outcomes, and common development, including promoting stronger public-private partnerships and collaboration with businesses.
Renowned for its expertise in complex surgeries, the hospital has attracted foreign patients seeking treatment for conditions such as kidney and urinary tract stones, urological and gastrointestinal cancers, and male reproductive disorders. Most procedures are performed using advanced techniques, including laparoscopy and robotic surgery. T
Leading Vietnamese companies specialising in respiratory and dermatological treatments, traditional medicine, immune support supplements, and functional foods will have an opportunity to connect with international distributors and secure export deals.
The project aimed to enable early detection and reduce the risk of dangerous complications, targeting patients with chronic diabetes, cardiovascular conditions and metabolic disorders.
A 2023 report by the Vietnam Health Economics Association estimated that the total cost of tobacco-related healthcare and economic losses reached 108 trillion VND (4.14 billion USD) annually – equivalent to 1.14% of GDP and five times higher than the budget revenue generated by the tobacco industry.
All eligible patients will receive surgical interventions and post-operative care in accordance with Vietnamese medical standards and global care protocols.
Medical screenings and surgical interventions for children with disabilities are being carried out at health centers across Dien Bien. So far this year, 242 children have been identified for diagnosis, treatment, surgery, and the provision of assistive devices.
The Red Journey has become the country’s largest and most effective blood donation campaign, leaving a strong impression on the national voluntary blood donation movement.
This case marks the ninth fetal cardiac intervention conducted in HCM City, and it was considered the most technically demanding to date due to the fetus’s extremely early gestational age and the severity of the condition as diagnosed with aortic atresia.
The groundbreaking ceremony took place one day after the VNVC Vaccine JS Company and Sanofi Group exchanged cooperation documents on vaccine production technology transfer under the witness of State President Luong Cuong and French President Emmanuel Macron.
Vietnam’s traditional medicine took centre stage at the International Congress Biopharm Nonclinical Development, BioNCiD 2025, held on May 25-26 in the Cuban city of Varadero, amid growing global interest in sustainable healthcare solutions.
Under the agreement, VNVC and Sanofi will gradually implement technology transfers to enable domestic production of several key Sanofi vaccines that are widely used in Vietnam. In addition, Sanofi will support VNVC in training human resources and quality management in vaccine research and manufacturing.
Despite the ongoing global circulation and unpredictable developments of SARS-CoV-2, the World Health Organisation (WHO) hasn’t issued new warnings about COVID-19, said the Ministry of Health.
This year, Tet Festival falls in late January (Photo: VNA) 
The first months of 2023 is the peak festive season (Photo: VNA) 
