French newspaper praises Vietnam’s COVID-19 combat

French newspaper L'Obs has published an article appreciating Vietnam's fight against the COVID-19, stating Vietnam is a leading country worth being praised in the anti-coronavirus combat.

Blood samples are taken for coronavirus testing at Hanoi's Bach Mai Hospital. (Photo: VNA)
Blood samples are taken for coronavirus testing at Hanoi's Bach Mai Hospital. (Photo: VNA)

The author of the article, a French living in Vietnam, emphasised that Vietnam, a developing country with 93 million people that escaped from the war nearly 50 years ago, is taking simple but thorough measures to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, with no deaths from the acute respiratory disease recorded so far.

The article reviewed the measures Vietnam has implemented such as quarantining and treating COVID-19 patients in designated hospitals, testing and identifying high-risk cases, and then quarantining them for 14 days in military barracks or State-owned facilities. For other residents, all are encouraged to stay home.

The author highlighted collective and responsible action in combating the pandemic in Vietnam, such as the mask wearing by the entire population. Local competent forces always accompany the people. All districts broadcast disease prevention instructions through loudspeakers. All citizens receive an SMS almost daily with instructions or notices to find at-risk people.

“Collective and responsible action is a comprehensive solution to fighting the epidemic,” said the author.

The article stated that Vietnam is not too economically strong, with infrastructure yet to be modern, but has controlled the COVID-19 pandemic in a meticulous and organized way, demonstrating the State’s role in protecting the citizens.

“The government has prevented the spread of SARS-CoV-2 in a very humane way and applied measures step by step,” the author stressed.

Meanwhile, the BBC quoted Assoc. Prof. Dr. Jonathan London, an American sociologist and political researcher, as saying that Vietnam has responded seriously to the COVID-19 pandemic.