COVID-19 vaccination in the northern city of Lạng Sơn. — VNA/VNS Photo Anh Tuấn

HÀ NỘI — The COVID-19 pandemic is unlikely to be completely controlled by 2023 as more variants emerge, Shane Fairlie, Communication for Health Technical Officer with the World Health Organization (WHO), has said.

Therefore it will be necessary to continue implementing measures to prevent and control the pandemic. Vaccination coverage and personal prevention measures are key solutions to respond and reduce the risk of future surges of COVID-19.

The WHO expert was speaking at the launching ceremony of the communication campaign to prevent and control the COVID-19 pandemic organised by the Ministry of Health on Monday.

Nguyễn Thị Liên Hương, Vice Minister of Health, said Việt Nam had taken various measures to put the pandemic under control and create conditions for socio-economic recovery and development, gradually stabilising people's lives. Currently, mass gatherings are allowed nationwide.

However, the COVID-19 situation is forecast to remain complicated.

To ensure effective disease control and safe and flexible adaptation, the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control has agreed on 2K measures, including masks and disinfection, vaccines, medicines, treatment, technology and public awareness. 

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Nguyễn Thị Liên Hương, Vice Minister of Health, delivers a speech at the launch ceremony of the communication campaign to prevent and control the COVID-19 pandemic in the new situation on Monday. — VNS Photo Thanh Hải

​The Ministry of Health has developed guidelines to implement pandemic prevention measures, such as new rules on wearing medical masks in public places and communication messages on prevention and control.

The campaign will take place from September 12 to October 31. In cooperation with the WHO in Việt Nam and some technology partners, the ministry deploys various content on popular social networking platforms targeting people in the social community.

Hương called on ministries, agencies, organisations and individuals to act together to implement measures such as wearing masks, disinfection, vaccines, drugs, treatment, technology and other measures under the guidance of health authorities at central and local levels.

Hương said the ministry wanted people to raise their awareness of performing personal preventive behaviours to adapt safely and flexibly normal and achieve a healthy and strong Việt Nam.

Although the pandemic is still basically under control, the country has recorded an average of more than 2,000 new COVID-19 cases daily.

Many localities have recorded cases of new variants of Omicron with the ability to spread faster than the original strain.

Due to the largest vaccination campaign, more than 258 million COVID-19 vaccines had been administered nationwide by September 4.

Việt Nam is one of the countries with a high number of vaccine doses and vaccination rates worldwide, effectively limiting community transmission and reducing the risk of serious illness and death. — VNS