Vietnamese citizens returning to Viet Nam on May 9 are quarantined in the northern province of Hoà Bình. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — With an index score of 77, Việt Nam is ranked second globally by its citizens for its COVID-19 response, and first among Southeast Asian countries, according to a newly released study of over 23 countries and territories by Singapore-based social research agency Blackbox. 

Only 14 per cent of Vietnamese citizens felt angry or frustrated during the crisis – the least of any country in the survey.  

94 per cent of Vietnamese felt that keeping the public informed on the virus with accurate information had worked in their favour in managing the pandemic, contributing to the country’s excellent performance in the fight against COVID-19, according to the study. 

David Black, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Blackbox Research, said Việt Nam’s impressive score reflects the country’s swift and strict measures to clamp down on the spread of the virus, as well as its regular and transparent communication with the public on ongoing case investigations.

 “Việt Nam’s effectiveness in curbing the spread of the virus so far has led to a heightened level of trust and confidence of citizens in their leaders, especially when we compare the country with some of its Southeast Asian neighbours who have at times struggled with testing, contact tracing and dealing with new clusters of cases,” said Black. 

Scoring 85, China tops the index with the most citizens rating its performance favourably. New Zealand is the only Western country with an index score exceeding the global average – implying that citizens in Western countries are generally less satisfied with their countries’ performances. 

Meanwhile, Japan ranks last with an index score of 16, due to its perceived poor political performance and business leadership, as well as lacklustre community performance, Blackbox said. — VNS