Day: December 20, 2021

The Institute of Strategy and Policy on Natural Resources and Environment (ISPONRE) has recently coordinated with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to launch the “Plastic and Health Action Partnership” (PHA) with the aim of reducing impact of plastic wastes on public health.

The PHA is part of progress of the Local Solution for Plastic Pollution (LSPP) sponsored by the USAID and Center for Supporting Green Development (GreenHub).

In Vietnam, it is estimated that there is 25 million tonnes of solid domestic waste each year, and 10-20 percent of it is plastic.

The percentage of plastic waste and single-use nylon bags in the country’s urban areas has rapidly increased, accounting for 10 to 20 percent of domestic solid waste.

Solving plastic pollution problems requires the joint efforts of many parties, such as Governmental bodies, international organisations, NGOs, research institutes, universities and businesses, said Nguyen Trung Thang, ISPONRE deputy director, at the launch ceremony.

“Establishing PHA can be considered as an opportunity to recruit the participation of all related groups to help in reducing the harm of plastic pollution on human health,” he added.

Christine Gandomi, USAID acting director office of Environment and Energy, stated that the partnership would mark the beginning of a new era of collaboration, exchange of knowledge and good practices around plastic pollution challenges.

PHA would be among the first partnerships focusing on plastic and its impacts on human health, she said.

“This exchange and dialogue will help us address pressing development challenges in Vietnam,” she added.

PHA has mobilised 18 organisations in Vietnam. They are partners from international organisations, Government, NGOs, research institutes and universities.

In the future, PHA will support departments and localities all over the country to carry out policy advocacy activities related to plastic and health; build and contribute to a datacentre; boost communication activities; raise awareness on the relationship between plastic and health; and deploy pilot models to reduce plastic pollution across the country.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

The Ministry of Health has proposed that all non-essential activities, entertainment and festive activities in localities with a high risk of COVID-19 resurgence be suspended during the upcoming Tet (Lunar New Year) holidays.

The ministry sent an official document to the Government regarding strengthening anti-pandemic measures during the country’s Lunar New Year period.

In the document, the ministry said many localities are still recording a large number of COVID-19 cases in the community, especially in localities with high population density, high rates of trade and travel activities.

In addition, the Omicron variant is spreading rapidly, with complicated and unpredictable developments in many countries around the world.

To ensure the effective prevention and control of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ministry of Health proposed the Government consider stopping unnecessary gatherings of crowds, entertainment activities, festivals and religious activities in localities at risk of an outbreak during the Lunar New Year holiday.

Travel and trade activities during the Lunar New Year holiday must absolutely comply with the 5K message (masks, disinfection, no gatherings, medical declaration and distance) of the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 prevention and control, the document said.

Localities, based on the pandemic situation in their areas, will assess and update the pandemic level on the local portal and to the Ministry of Health to take up the anti-pandemic measures in the area according to Government’s Resolution No. 128 on safe and flexible adaptation with the pandemic and Ministry of Health’s Decision No. 4800 on COVID-19 guidelines.

In a separate move, the Ministry of Health also asked local administrations, Pasteur institutes, and the National Institute for Hygiene and Epidemiology to enhance surveillance for the Omicron variant.

All arrivals into the country since November 28, 2021, who have tested positive for coronavirus through the RT-PCR method or NAAT (Nucleic Acid Amplification Test) within 14 days of entry, will have their samples taken for genomic sequencing.

If the Omicron variant is detected, all close contacts of the infected will also be tested and all positive samples will be further analysed as well.

Health authorities must strengthen the surveillance system for cases with unusual developments and characteristics (number of cases, severe development or hospitalisation, or abnormal increase in mortality over time, geographical area, specific groups of people, etc.), and collect samples for screening and identification, to identify any Omicron transmissions.

All genetic sequencing results must be uploaded onto the Global Science Initiative and Primary Source (GISAID), which is a platform to share genetic data of influenza virus and SARS-CoV-2.

Localities have also been told to immediately administer the COVID-19 vaccines they have been allocated to boost vaccine coverage, with attention on the unvaccinated or partially vaccinated in their jurisdictions, as well as providing booster shots for priority groups (old people, people with chronic health issues, and immunocompromised conditions).

From the beginning of the fourth outbreak to December 17, the country recorded over 1.5 million cases of COVID-19, of which nearly 1.1 million patients were declared all-clear and more than 29,000 died. The number of community cases and deaths continue to increase rapidly in many localities.

Over the past week, Vietna has recorded about 15,000 new COVID-19 cases a day, including 9,000-10,000 community cases.

According to the Ministry of Health, the Omicron variant has appeared on four continents. At least 77 countries and territories have confirmed cases of Omicron.

According to the World Health Organization, Omicron is worrisome because it increases the chance of reinfection, it can evade immunity systems, and it spreads 3.2 times faster than the Delta strain. However, there is no evidence that the Omicron variant reduces the effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccine, nor is there evidence of increased morbidity and mortality.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

A virtual Vietnamese language training course for Vietnamese teachers in Europe and North America concluded at a ceremony held by the Commission for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs (COVA) under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Hanoi on December 19.

In his remarks, Director of the COVA’s Department of Information and Culture Dinh Hoang Linh said the nearly one-month course brought together 142 members from 20 countries, during which they were equipped with teaching skills and relevant documents.

The course formed part of a Vietnamese language training programme for Vietnamese teachers abroad, co-organised by the COVA and the Ministry of Education and Training from October 9 to December 17.

Apart from the course for Vietnamese teachers in Europe and North America, there was another for those in Asia and Australia.

The programme featured two seminars where delegates shared views on measures to remove difficulties to improve the quality of Vietnamese language teaching abroad.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

The central city of Da Nang city is piloting the installation of QR code display boards on street name posts across its Son Tra district to serve the need on searching information of residents and visitors.

Accordingly, QR code display boards are being installed on 111 street name posts across 30 major roads in Son Tra district.

Residents and visitors can use their smartphones to scan the QR code and will be directed to a link to access the information.

The galvanised steel QR code display board has a length of 18cm and a width of 12cm, on a blue reflective background with white letters in both Vietnamese and English.

Initially, detailed information about Da Nang tourism will be displayed in Vietnamese. In 2022, Son Tra district will expand the installation of QR code display boards in more roads, and add English in displayed information.

Nguyen Dinh Hung, a resident in Son Tra district, said this is a very good practice and suitable with the trend at present because most people have smartphones to scan QR codes in order to search for information about tourist destinations in a simple and convenient way.

According to the municipal People’s Committee, the work has contributed to implementing the direction of the Standing Committee of the municipal Party Committee on building and developing Son Tra district into a modern urban centre and a key tourist, service and marine economic hub of Da Nang.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

The Prime Minister has requested all ministries, sectors, and localities to ramp up efforts against COVID-19 in the face of the new variant Omicron.

According to the PM’s official dispatch issued on December 19, the COVID-19 pandemic remains highly unpredictable around the world amid the emergence of Omicron, which has been found to spread much faster than the Delta variant.

Though Vietnam hasn’t seen any Omicron cases, the numbers of infections, patients in critical condition, and related deaths have still been on the rise, and the healthcare systems in some localities have become overloaded, it said.

Facing that fact and the high possibility of recording Omicron in the country, the PM asked the Ministry of Health to keep a close watch on the global pandemic situation to make timely guidelines, propose necessary and appropriate measures to the PM, and increase monitoring so as to detect any new variant early.

All ministries, sectors, and provincial-level People’s Committees have to step up the application of COVID-19 prevention and control measures, boost examination, and strictly deal with those who violate anti-pandemic rules.

The Government leader told the Health Ministry and provincial-level administrations to organise as safe and fast as possible vaccination and ensure that no persons subject to vaccination are left without full inoculation, especially the ones in high-risk groups.

They were also requested to increase training in home treatment to avoid overloading at higher-lever hospitals and enhance the capacity of the healthcare system at all levels.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Information and Communications was demanded to promptly complete IT tools and work with relevant sides to conduct uniform and effective application. This ministry also needs to coordinate with the Party Central Committee’s Information and Education Commission to step up communications to raise public awareness of the pandemic, Omicron, and prevention measures, according to the dispatch.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

A memorial and reburial service was held in the northern province of Dien Bien on December 19 to rebury the remains of two Vietnamese soldiers who laid down their lives during the Dien Bien Phu campaign in 1954.

The event took place at the Doc Lap martyrs’ cemetery in Dien Bien district.

One of the martyrs was To Kim Chuy, born in 1924 in Thai Binh province. He was posthumously presented the Victory Order, third class.

The remains were discovered in Dien Bien Phu city’s Na Tau commune.

Remains of martyrs reburied in Dien Bien hinh anh 2

At the reburial service (Photo: VNA)

Addressing the ceremony, Colonel Le Tien Dung, Deputy Political Commissar of the provincial Military High Command, affirmed that the Party, State and people are always grateful to the soldiers who sacrificed their lives for the country’s independence and freedom.

Source: Vietnam News Agency