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The inspectors pay a visit to Tan Son Nhat International Airport |
Although the number of Covid-19 hospitalizations in Ho Chi Minh City has decreased markedly plus no new variants have been recorded during the Tet holiday (the Lunar New Year), severe SARS-CoV-2 variants are likely to attack unvaccinated elderly and people.
The delegation of the Ministry of Health led by Dr. Nguyen Vu Thuong, Deputy Director of the Pasteur Institute, had a working session with the Hospital for Tropical Diseases and the Department of Health in Ho Chi Minh City on epidemic prevention and control of Covid-19 on January 31.
At the meeting, Dr. Nguyen Thanh Dung, Director of the Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Ho Chi Minh City, said that the number of severe Covid-19 patients transferred to this infirmary had decreased sharply during the Lunar New Year holidays. On average, this hospital only treated about 15-17 cases, and the number is decreasing, now there are only three severe Covid-19 cases.
The hospital also rehearsed the situation of activating the No.13 Field Hospital in case the epidemic situation increases before the Tet holiday. In addition, the hospital has also prepared a sufficient number of special drugs to treat Covid-19, drugs used for patients with severe complications such as antibiotics, antifungals, intravenous fluids, and anticoagulants.
However, he disclosed there is a possibility of a shortage of Albumin infusion because the supplier cannot import the goods, and the registration number cannot be renewed; therefore, he recommended the Ministry of Health have a supply plan for the infusion for the hospital.
Speaking at the meeting, Dr. Nguyen Vu Thuong said that Ho Chi Minh City has fully prepared to deal with infectious and non-communicable diseases, accidents and injuries during the Lunar New Year holidays. Nevertheless, the risk of new variants in the community is still great.
Elsewhere in the world, the World Health Organization still considers Covid-19 a global emergency, of which the most worrying are new strains that may be resistant to vaccines and treatment. Although the number of hospitalized Covid-19 cases in Ho Chi Minh City has decreased markedly, and no new variants have been recorded during the Tet holiday, there will be new variants that attack those who have not been vaccinated. Therefore, visitors to tourist spots, communal houses-temples and pagodas were advised to don masks to prevent the spread of the disease.
Furthermore, the Department of Health of Ho Chi Minh City needs to have a proactive plan to prevent it by increasing information about the disease and advising people to get vaccinated against Covid-19. After the festive season, people from all over the country return to the city, so the city health sector needs to continue to increase booster shots to protect people, said Dr. Nguyen Vu Thuong.
Previously, the delegation also paid a visit to Tan Son Nhat International Airport to inspect the airport’s preventative measures against Covid-19.
The Ministry’s inspector delegation praised the efforts of the medical staff in the Medical Center of District 3 who have been on duty throughout the New Year to vaccinate people according to regulations.
