Medical workers talk to residents before COVID-19 vaccinations in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue. Photo: VNA

As Covid-19 cases rise again, experts insist on more vigilance

As the number of Covid-19 cases is increasing, experts have issued new warnings on the importance of preventive measures and vaccine boosters.

The Ministry of Health (MoH) reported nearly 1,300 new cases of Covid-19 on Thursday, an increase of 100 cases from the day before. The new cases were mainly due to the BA.4 and BA.5 variants of the Omicron strain.

Associate professor Tran Dac Phu, former director of the General Department of Preventive Medicine under the MoH, said that the easing of anti-pandemic measures and neglect of preventive measures were behind the increase.

“People do not wear masks and do not take preventive measures, even in high-risk areas. Those with symptoms also do not quarantine, do not make a medical declaration, and do not get tested, so they do not know if they have COVID-19 or not,” said Phu.

He added that the number of new cases was not exact, because testing was no longer carried out, so asymptomatic cases were not included in the total.

Phu believes it is important to protect people at high-risk, such as those with underlying diseases, the elderly, and people who have not received a full course of vaccine.

Effective protective measures are still disinfection, wearing masks in high-risk areas such as hospitals and crowded places, or avoiding contact with infected people, cited VNA.

It is necessary to have booster doses of the vaccine to limit the number of new cases and avoid overloading the healthcare system.

Phu said that the health sector must properly assess the risk based on the real number of infections in their managed areas. They should assess severe cases and those under treatment.

“We have loosened preventive measures but still have to ensure control,” he said.

Phu said booster jabs were crucial in preventing the disease, avoiding severe cases, preventing the health system from becoming overloaded and reducing mortality.

“We must educate people on the vaccines, especially the elderly and people with underlying diseases," said Phu.

Vietnam still has 21.5 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine in stock, mainly Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, said Duong Thi Hong, deputy director of the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology.

The rate of booster doses for children over 12 had not reached the plan, she said. And the rate of basic doses for children between five and under 12 years old was also the same.

Ho Chi Minh City university to launch academic center for ASEAN students

The University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (UEH) has established a center devoted to supporting academics from ASEAN countries in the hope of attracting students from across Southeast Asia to the city to conduct research and launch new businesses.

The founding of the center, named ASEAN Hub, has been in the works for several years, UEH president Su Dinh Thanh said on Wednesday, according to VOV.

Su Dinh Thanh, president of the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (UEH), announces the launch of the ASEAN Hub on July 20. Photo: VOV

In particular, UEH hopes students from Thailand, Malaysia, and Laos will see the launch of the ASEAN Hub as an open door to begin their academic careers in Vietnam.

The city is poised to become a destination for international students and a bastion of scientific research thanks to expansive education infrastructure and a coterie of top professors across a variety of fields.

Professor Barney Glover from Western Sydney University, a UEH partner, said that the ASEAN Hub will also serve as a home to nurture future innovative startups.

Aside from facilitating the success of new startups by creating a research-rich environment for entrepreneurs, upping the number of successful companies headquartered in Ho Chi Minh City can help the city bounce back from the economic hit it took during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Rebecca Ball, senior trade commissioner at Austrade Vietnam, said the establishment of the ASEAN Hub will help strengthen the bond between Australian and Vietnamese universities.

In the future, the ASEAN Hub can help transform Vietnam into an academic center where international students can learn research schools and access advanced technologies.

Tourism sector lacks workforce after Covid-19

It is becoming difficult to ensure the quantity and quality of workforce for the tourism sector after the Covid-19 pandemic. The sector needs an influx of quality staff to meet the needs of the rising tourism industry.

Experts pointed out that demand is rising for human resources recruitment for travel firms, lodging and catering facilities in the region. Vietnam and other countries in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have signed agreements, allowing the exchange of laborers, covering the tourism sector, reported VNA.

Experts suggested the tourism sector in localities closely coordinate with the education and training sector to review and propose policies in support of tourism students. Photo: VNA

However, the Mutual Recognition Agreement on Tourism Professionals (MRA-TP) in ASEAN requires local education institutions to work harder to meet international standards, and managers and lecturers to equip themselves with technological knowledge, according to Nguyen Anh Tuan, from the Institute for Tourism Development Research.

Vo Minh Hieu, from Vexere Services Trading Company Limited, noted that the shortage of high-quality tourism workforce in the Mekong Delta, especially rural and coastal localities, has reached the alarming rate.

Statistics from the Mekong Delta Tourism Association show that in 2018, the number of untrained tourism workers made up around 85 percent.

Tuan suggested employees learn about digital technology and improve their soft skills.

Meanwhile, employers should increase on-the-spot training for their staff to improve their knowledge about information technology, big data and AI under both long and short-term plans.

They need to stay updated on regulations and policies on labour, and step up cooperation and information sharing, he said.

According to Bui Thi Ngoc Hieu, Deputy Director of the HCM City Department of Tourism, the city counts more than 70 tourism training institutions, providing some 17 percent of trained tourism workers for other cities and provinces.

HCM City has cooperated with other localities like Hanoi and the central city of Da Nang to implement measures to raise the quality of the tourism workforce.

The municipal Department of Tourism has also coordinated with travel firms and associations to organise short-term training courses on tourism and hospitality.

Experts suggested the tourism sector in localities closely coordinate with the education and training sector to review and propose policies in support of tourism students.

Localities in the Mekong Delta should work to attract Vietnamese experts and intellectuals at home and abroad to help with industry research and the building of local tourism development strategies and programs.

Phu Yen holds potential to have UNESCO geopark: experts

Phu Yen boasts potential to build a geopark accredited by the UNESCO, said experts at a conference held in the south-central province on July 23 regarding international cooperation for the local development of a geopark and sustainable tourism.

They said the province possesses three main values to form a geopark - geological heritage, cultural heritage and biodiversity. Phu Yen is characterised by metamorphic rocks dating back about 2.5 billion to 542 million years ago; architectural works showing the Champa - Vietnam - Hoa - Europe cultural interference, coastal sand ecosystems, lagoons, and rich coral reefs, VOV reported.

Photo: VOV

Vice Chairman of the provincial People's Committee Dao My said that the authorities has determined the goal of building the Phu Yen geopark towards achieving the global-geopark accreditation by UNESCO in order to preserve and promote its heritage values and promote sustainable economic and social development.

Director of the Geology Museum Truong Quang Quy clarified that the proposed area for the establishment of the Phu Yen geopark covers 1,575 km2, including Tuy Hoa city, Song Cau town, Dong Hoa town, Tuy An district and parts of Phu Hoa and Son Hoa districts.

Dr. Bui Viet Hung from the European Research Institute affirmed that the building of a global geopark is a catalyst for sustainable tourism development.

Concluding the conference, Chairman of the provincial People's Committee Tran Huu The said currently, Phu Yen is implementing its plan for 2021-2030 with a vision to 2050, creating a favorable condition to make a detailed blueprint for the geopark project.

Transport ministry approves North-South Expressway sub-projects in 2021-2025

The Ministry of Transport (MoT) has approved 12 sub-projects of a mega project to build the eastern section of the North-South Expressway in the 2021-2025 period.

These sub-projects will cover a total length of 723.7km, including sections of Ha Tinh – Quang Tri (260.9km), Quang Ngai – Nha Trang (352.06km), and Can Tho – Ca Mau (110.9km).

Their total investment is estimated at about VND147 trillion (US$6.27 billion), cited NDO.

Illustrative image. Photo: VNA

According to the Ministry of Transport, the approval of the sub-projects is a key milestone that concludes the project preparation and leads to the implementation phase.

Earlier on January 11, the National Assembly approved the investment plan for the Eastern North-South Expressway project in the 2021-2025 period, paving the way for the Government to start the preparatory process.

Localities are working to speed up site clearance, striving to hand over 70% of the cleared sites to contractors before November 20 so that construction can kick off before year-end.

The country currently has 1,163km of expressways. Some 916km are expected to be completed by 2023, bringing the total length to 2,079km, according to the ministry. That figure should grow to 3,000km and 5,000km in 2025 and 2030, respectively, it said.

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