Photo: Zing

More than 169,000 Covid-19 cases added to the national tally on March 11

A total of 169,114 people across 61 localities nationwide were confirmed to have tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2-virus, an increase of 8,429 from the previous day, the Ministry of Health reported on March 11.

The majority of the latest cases were detected in Hanoi, with more than 31,890. The three localities reporting the highest number of infections behind the capital include Nghe An with 11,054 cases, Phu Tho 6,352 cases, and Bac Ninh with 6,346 cases.

Over the past 24 hours, a total of 71 Covid-19 patients have died, bringing the death toll caused by the virus up to 41,228, or 0.8% of all infections. The same day saw the Ministry of Health also announce a total of 74,857 recoveries, thereby taking the total number of recovered cases up to 2,983,222.

Photo: Suc Khoe & Doi Song

More support is needed if F0, F1 are to continue working: Trade Union official

Regarding the recent Health Ministry suggestion that asymptomatic Covid-19 cases (F0) and close contacts (F1) can still go to work during their quarantine period, a trade union official has called for support mechanisms to ensure the patients’ benefits.

Deputy Head of the Department of Labour Relations, under the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour, Ho Thi Kim Ngan said that the proposal must be based on scientific evidence that continuing to work while being F0 does not affect health. Even if they do continue to work, they were still patients. Therefore, working conditions must ensure occupational safety and hygiene, she said.

“If there is no mechanism to support the patients, they will either receive their normal salary or sick leave with insurance benefits. In this case, the employees would rather choose to not go to work,” she said. Ngan said if F0/F1 were allowed to continue working, it must be the patient's voluntary choice.

Associate Professor and Dr. Tran Dac Phu, former director of the Ministry of Health's Department of Preventive Medicine and senior advisor to the Centre for Emergency Response to Public Health Events in Vietnam, said the ministry’s proposal was reasonable. Phu emphasized that F0 and F1 going to work must strictly implement disease prevention measures, such as absolute compliance with the 5K message. Agencies and enterprises must develop plans and scenarios to handle when a Covid-19 infection is detected.

Photo: Zing

Tourism council calls for end to Covid testing for foreign visitors

With Vietnam set to fully open its doors to tourists from March 15, the Tourism Advisory Board has urged the government to scrap Covid testing requirements for foreign visitors. In said Vietnam should "treat foreign and domestic tourists alike." Domestic tourists are exempt from quarantine and testing requirements and are only required to test if they have symptoms of Covid.

The board said many countries have scrapped testing requirements for foreign tourists who are fully vaccinated and Vietnam should do the same to boost its competitiveness. Besides, visitors aged under 12 should be treated like their parents, it said. If adults have a valid Covid vaccination certificate, accompanying children should not need to be tested, it said. Foreign tourists testing positive after entry could be isolated at their place of accommodation like domestic visitors, it recommended.

Luong Hoai Nam, a member of the council, said Vietnam should adopt open tourism policies to attract foreign visitors and compete with neighboring countries after reopening. "No foreign tourist will be ready to return to the country if we impose strict restrictions."

Vietnam Covid-19 Updates (March 11): More Than 160,000 Cases Recorded As of 6 pm on March 10, Vietnam has detected 5,260,495 Covid-19 cases since the start of the outbreak.

Vietnam Covid-19 Updates (March 10): Over 164,000 New Infections Confirmed The total caseload since the beginning of the pandemic has now reached over 5 million. Furthermore, the total number of recoveries grew to more than ...

Vietnam Covid-19 Updates (March 9): Daily Infections Skyrocket to More Than 162,000 As of 6 pm on March 8, Vietnam has detected 4,776,873 Covid-19 cases since the start of the outbreak, ranking 21st out of 225 countries ...