August 16-22: PM asks for strengthened measures against COVID-19

Nhan Dan Online reviews the notable events that made headlines over the past week.

PM Pham Minh Chinh (Photo: VGP)
PM Pham Minh Chinh (Photo: VGP)

PM asks for strengthened measures against COVID-19

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh sent a telegram to Ho Chi Minh City and the provinces of Binh Duong, Dong Nai and Long An as well as related agencies on August 22, urging for strengthened social distancing and measures against COVID-19.

PM Chinh said that the situation remains complicated, asking for people's lives and health to be put first by stepping up social distancing and measures to prevent and control the epidemic.

He also demanded the highest support in human resources, medical materials, and other necessary forces from the central and local governments for Ho Chi Minh City and the three provinces of Binh Duong, Dong Nai and Long An in order to tighten discipline in the implementation of strengthened social distancing.

State, Party leaders seek EU's vaccine support for Vietnam

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A batch of COVID-19 vaccines supplied by COVAX Facility through UNICEF arrived at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi. (Photo: UNICEF Vietnam)

President Nguyen Xuan Phuc sent a letter to President of the European Council Charles Michel on August 18 suggesting that the European Union (EU) share COVID-19 vaccines with Vietnam, in an effort to step up the vaccine diplomacy strategy.

In the letter, President Phuc thanked the EU for its support to Vietnam in recent times, especially for offering 2.4 million doses of vaccines to the country via the COVAX Facility mechanism.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh also sent a letter to President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen. He expressed his wish that the EU would consider assisting Vietnam with vaccine supplies, as well as suggested that the COVAX Facility prioritise the allocation of vaccines for Vietnam and ASEAN member states amid the complicated developments of the pandemic.

Container cargo via seaports up 18%

Container cargo shipped via Vietnam’s seaports in the first eight months of 2021 witnessed a sharp increase of 18% compared to the same period last year, said the Vietnam Maritime Administration (VMA).

Container cargo for export was over 5.4 million TEUs, up 16%, while imported container cargo surged by 21% to over 5.5 million TEUs.

The total volume of goods via Vietnam’s seaports reached over 480.4 million tonnes in the first eight months, up 4% year-on-year.

Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City tighten social distancing measures

Authorities in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City have decided to strengthen social distancing restrictions with the aim to control the current complicated outbreaks of COVID-19 infections.

Accordingly, the capital city will extend social distancing measures until 6 am on September 6, especially during the National Day holiday (September 2).

In Ho Chi Minh City, the country’s current pandemic hotspot, the local authorities have also decided to intensify COVID-19 prevention and control measures from August 23 to September 6.

The move aims to realise the goal of putting the pandemic under control before September 15.

First mobile medical station set up in Ho Chi Minh City

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The mobile medical station No.1 has 10 oxygen cylinders (Photo: VNA)

The first mobile medical station debuted at Ward 11, District 3 of Ho Chi Minh City on August 20, aiming to give health care services to COVID-19 patients at home, thus contributing to easing overload in concentrated treatment facilities and hospitals and minimising deaths.

It is the first of 400 mobile medical stations that Ho Chi Minh City plans to set up across the city, according to Associate Prof. Dr. Tang Chi Thuong, Vice Director of the city’s Department of Health. Each station will take care of 50-100 COVID-19 patients, he said.

The mobile medical station No.1 has 10 oxygen cylinders, four oxygen concentrators, two SPO2 meters, COVID-19 test kits, and other medical equipment. It also has a mobile medicine cabinet for both COVID-19 patients and patients suffering common illnesses.

Vietnamese men win Outstanding Young Leaders of Asia 2021 award

Vietnamese businessmen and doctors have been honoured as outstanding young leaders of Asia in 2021 by the Asian Youth Council (AYC) for their significant contributions to the community.

The first representative is Hoang Tuan Anh, who is known for his rice-dispensing machine (Rice ATM) initiative. In early August, the businessman continued with the introduction of another solution - Oxygen ATMs, to accompany the community in overcoming the pandemic. His practical initiative has contributed significantly to treating COVID-19 patients.

Meanwhile, 32-year-old doctor Tran Anh Tu, from the department of infectious disease control at the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, has directly participated in a wide range of COVID-19 prevention and control activities in localities nationwide.

He also promoted his knowledge of information technology to offer technical improvement initiatives for raising professional efficiency at grassroots-level medical facilities, contributing to promoting the efficiency of pandemic prevention and control.

Vietnam retain Southeast Asia's reign in latest FIFA women's rankings

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Vietnamese players are actively training in preparation for the 2022 AFC Women’s Asian Cup Qualifiers. (Photo: VFF)

Vietnam held on to the top position in Southeast Asia in the latest women’s rankings as announced by the world football’s governing body, FIFA, on August 20.

Coach Mai Duc Chung’s side did not play any international matches in the last three months, and thus remain at No. 32 in the world and No. 6 in Asia with 1,657 points.

Vietnam were followed by Thailand (world No. 39), Chinese Taipei (world No. 40), Uzbekistan (world No. 43), and Myanmar (world No. 46) in the continent’s top 10.

Vietnam’s NanoDragon satellite completes final tests in Japan

On August 17, micro-satellite NanoDragon, which was developed and built by the Vietnam National Space Centre (VNSC), was officially transferred to the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) at the Uchinoura Space Centre in Kagoshima Prefecture in southern Japan, according to Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pham Anh Tuan, General Director of VNSC.

Prior to the hand-over, JAXA conducted its final tests on August 16-17 concerning the satellite’s shape, size and functions to ensure safety for the upcoming launch into outer space.

NanoDragon is scheduled for launch into orbit at a height of 560 kilometres from the Earth surface later this year.