Re-opening of school, tourism based on sufficient grounds, careful consideration

Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam emphasises the urgency to re-open schools. - Illustrative image (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi - The Government's decision to re-open schools cautiously and tourism activities in a controlled manner has been made based on thorough consideration and sufficient grounds following the shift in the anti-pandemic strategy towards safe and flexible adaptation to and effective control of COVID-19.

While rising COVID-19 cases in recent days including many detected at schools have prompted concerns among parents, the death toll on February 22 was only 77 and the number of patients in critical conditions stood at 3,434. As of February 22 afternoon, nearly 192 million doses of vaccine had been administered, with 59 provinces and centrally-run cities reporting an over-90-percent coverage of the second shots.

Vietnam began to change its strategy in fighting COVID-19 in October last year, from zero COVID-19 to safe and flexible adaptation to and effective control of the pandemic.

The appearance of the Delta and later Omicron variants made border closures, strict quarantine of COVID-19 patients and those who have had direct contact with them, as well as tight blockade in pandemic-hit areas, become less effective.

The "freezing" of socio-economic activities and education have entailed adverse impacts and consequences, and could not last forever.

Addressing an online meeting to discuss the re-opening of schools on February 17, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam emphasised the urgency to re-open schools.

Meanwhile, General Director of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) Nguyen Trung Khanh revealed plans and preparations for resuming tourism activities, saying that the tourism industry has prepared necessary conditions to re-start the market from March 15.

The resumption of commercial flights, unrestricted international flights, and the issuance of visas, are key factors for tourism recovery. Vietnam has recognised the COVID-19 vaccination certificate of 79 countries and territories around the world.

The reopening of schools and tourism activities nationwide is based on the fact that COVID-19 herd immunity status in Vietnam has recorded a high level.

Vietnam is expected to complete the third shot of COVID-19 vaccine for all eligible people by March 30.

The increased proportion of people receiving the booster shot has helped reduce the number of fatalities caused by COVID-19 and critically ill patients.

Tran Thi Nhi Ha, Director of the Hanoi Department of Health, said that although Hanoi has recorded the highest number of new COVID-19 cases in the country in recent days, the number of severe cases in the city stands at only about 5 percent, compared to the 11 percent recorded in October 2021.

Epidemiologist Thu Anh said Vietnam is at the peak of herd immunity, as the number of cases is large, but most have only mild symptoms.

In the past two months, Vietnam welcomed more than 8,500 international tourists, but only 27 cases of COVID-19 were confirmed.

According to Vu The Binh, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Tourism Association, tourism resumption is a vital issue for the sector in particular and the economy in general because the closure of tourism will affect a series of other industries.

Currently, most localities nationwide have had plans to resume international tourism activities, he added.