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COVID-19 testing (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – The Ministry of Health has proposed considering COVID-19 a Group A infectious disease , not an endemic disease in its latest draft on COVID-19 prevention and control measures in the new situation. Per the draft, Vietnam is still in the transition period between pandemic prevention and sustainable management. Regarding the reason why COVID-19 has not been considered an endemic disease in Vietnam yet, the Ministry of Health said that most countries in the world are in a state of unstable cases and deaths, with an erratic increase and decrease trend when new variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus appear. At the same time, acquired immunity (due to vaccines and infection) has not been stable for a long time and decreases over time. As a result, the application of epidemic prevention and control measures should be flexible and gradually moves towards the "new normal". The announcement of the end of the COVID-19 pandemic in … [Read more...] about Health Ministry yet to consider COVID-19 endemic disease

Administering the fourth dose of COVID-19 vaccine to medical staff in the northern province of Ninh Bình. — VNA/VNS Photo Hải Yến HÀ NỘI — If Việt Nam declares the end of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country, it will meet many difficulties in pandemic prevention and control and be hit by slower economic recovery, the Ministry of Health (MoH) has said. Under the latest draft plan on COVID-19 prevention and control in the new situation, which is waiting for input from the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 prevention and control, ministries, provinces, cities and experts, the MoH said that the pandemic situation has basically been controlled nationwide. However, the pandemic situation is still complicated in many countries and is even increasing again in some. The virus is constantly changing and recording new variants, which could potentially cause a strong outbreak on a large scale, beyond the health system’s capacity. Latent risks The SARS-CoV-2 virus has constantly … [Read more...] about Ministry of Health explains reasons for not announcing end of COVID-19 pandemic

Vietnam will keep a close eye on the emergence of new strains. Vietnam has detected imported BA.5 Omicron sub-variant after conducting gene sequencing of newly confirmed patients' samples, according to Dr. Phan Trong Lan, director of the General Department of Preventive Medicine under the Ministry of Health (MoH). Lan underscored that initial research showed the Omicron sub-lineages BA.4 and BA.5 spread faster than the old sub-variants (BA.1 and BA.2). There has been no specific evidence of the new sub-variants’ virulence, but some studies indicated that there is an aggravation in the African region. However,  the director confirmed that Omicron sub-variant BA.2 still remains the dominant one in the country. “The emergence of new strains is inevitable as a result of border reopening and the new normal situation, in which precautionary protocols are relaxed,” Lan said. He added that the BA.5 sub-variant was first detected in South Africa in January. Since then, it has … [Read more...] about BA.5 Omicron sub-variant detected in Vietnam

The adaptation of circular economic models would help Vietnam realize its commitment to net-zero carbon emissions target by 2050. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE) today [June 28] held a conference to kickstart the formulation of a national action plan to promote a circular economy in Vietnam. Minister of MONRE Tran Hong Ha at the event. Photos: UNDP At the event, Minister of MONRE Tran Hong Ha said climate change, environmental pollution, and the degradation of the natural ecosystem are posing threats to the world. He referred to the sixth assessment report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC-AR6) which stated that if global warming gradually increases 1.5 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial level, some impacts may be lasting or irreversible, such as the loss of some ecosystems. The IPCC also estimated since 2008, around 20 million people annually have been forced to leave their homes behind due to extreme … [Read more...] about Vietnam to draft national action plan for circular economy adaptation

NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue (L) and his Hungarian counterpart László Kövér at the press meeting on June 27. (Photo: VNA) Budapest (VNA) – Vietnamese National Assembly (NA) Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue's official visit to Hungary has attracted attention from the media in Eastern Europe. In Hungary, Magyar Nemzet (Hungarian Nation) newspaper ran an article saying the two countries’ traditional friendship has recorded great strides, especially since the visit to Vietnam by Prime Minister Orban Viktor and a trip to the European nation by General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong. Hue's visit from June 25-28 would create a stepping stone for the two countries’ comprehensive partnership to enter a new chapter in the time ahead, particularly after Vietnam and the European Union (EU) completed the ratification of the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) and a free trade agreement (EVFTA), according to Magyar Nemzet. In its writing, Magyar … [Read more...] about NA leader’s Hungary visit grabs headlines on Eastern European media

A historic agreement The European Union (EU) and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) started negotiations for a region-to-region free trade agreement in 2007. After negotiations were suspended in 2009, the EU decided to pursue bilateral trade agreements with the individual ASEAN member states. Negotiations between the EU and Vietnam on a free trade agreement were launched in 2010. Following the completion of technical discussions, talks were finalized in December 2015. In February 2016, the full text of the EVFTA was published. However, the official signing of the trade deal was delayed due to the pending judgment of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) on jurisdiction for the conclusion of the EU-Singapore Free Trade Agreement. To take the 2017 CJEU opinion into account, the original deal was split into the EVFTA and the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) in June 2018. Both agreements were signed on June 30, 2019 in Hanoi. The European … [Read more...] about EU trade deal offers opportunities to increase exports

Do Hung Viet, Assistant to the Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs, made the remarks while attending the annual debate on women’s rights at the HRC’s 50th regular session in Geneva on June 27. In his speech, Viet highlighted the important role of women, stressing the need to ensuring their rights and development opportunities through specific and effective support policies. He also shared Vietnam’s experience and efforts in this regard, noting Vietnam is one of the countries with the longest maternity leaves in the world. Emphasising the country’s priority for gender equality promotion and women empowerment, he added Vietnam is ready to cooperate with other countries in these common efforts. At the debate, participants underlined the necessity to build comprehensive and effective policies for ensuring gender equality and rights of women, who are in charge of a huge domestic workload but unpaid or underpaid, which has subsequently affected women’s full participation in … [Read more...] about Vietnam keeps prioritizing gender equality promotion: officials

Synopsis The new guideline cuts the length of mandatory quarantine for overseas travellers to seven days plus three more of home monitoring -- a drastic drop from about 21 days of quarantine and home monitoring combined. Related Indians visiting Malaysia can now get visas on arrival Canada says no test results needed for vaccinated travelers Indian tourists are flocking back to Australia. Here's why China on Tuesday reduced the length of mandatory quarantine for inbound travellers, in the biggest relaxation of entry restrictions after sticking to a rigid zero Covid policy throughout the pandemic. The new guideline cuts the length of mandatory quarantine for overseas travellers to seven days plus three more of home monitoring -- a drastic drop from about 21 days of quarantine and home monitoring combined. China closed off its international borders at the beginning of the pandemic and the number of international flights is still tightly restricted in … [Read more...] about China halves quarantine time for overseas travellers

Motorbike tours around Hanoi and cooking classes in Hoi An have made it into the Top 25 Overall Experiences in Asia, as voted on by readers of TripAdvisor. Foreign tourists enjoy Hoi An Eco Cooking Class. (Photo: TripAdvisor) According to TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice Awards, riding through downtown Hanoi came in at 15th among regional experiences that travelers should not miss out on during a visit to the capital of Vietnam. “Seeing landmarks such as Hai Ba Trung Temple, the Presidential Palace Historical Site, and Long Bien Bridge; sample some of the city’s finest street eats; and soak up the atmosphere in country villages,” readers of TripAdvisor wrote about visiting the capital city by motorbike. Furthermore, taking an Eco Cooking Class in Hoi An followed by a trip to local markets, as well as basket boat and crab fishing, was voted among the best experiences in Asia, coming in at 20th position. Hoi An Eco Cooking Class is a fun and interesting way in … [Read more...] about Hanoi and Hoi An among Top 25 Overall Experiences in Asia

A few of the educational institutions in Nguyen Hoang Group's ecosystem According to Bloomberg, Nguyen Hoang Group is working with a financial advisor to find a buyer for a minority stake of the company. They have gone out to potential purchasers, including private equity firms and other industry players, to evaluate interest. However, the sources said there is no guarantee that the Ho Chi Minh City-headquartered group will follow through with the planned divestiture. Nguyen Hoang Group is a world-class international education service provider that has successfully established a range of state-of-the-art national and international schools, universities, and partnerships across Vietnam and has 23 years of experience and expertise. The group's website stated, “Putting people at the centre of all its practices, Nguyen Hoang Group has designed a comprehensive educational system for all levels from kindergarten to PhD that are available in both national and international … [Read more...] about Vietnam’s educational services provider Nguyen Hoang Group to mull over stake sale