In life, economic and health gains are not always equal. This is true for individuals and for countries. While Vietnam has managed to contain the pandemic so far, its economy has been hurt in recent months. 

Living in Hanoi for six months, I have seen with my own eyes the country labelled by many as the “economic miracle of the past 25 years.” The successful management of the coronavirus crisis, well covered by the Financial Times and the Washington Post among others, has given me an opportunity to see the country at its best. In fact, a bit of luck mixed with very good policymaking has extended this success to the economy – so much so that Vietnam is now projected to remain one of the world’s fastest-growing countries in 2020.