French online newspaper: Vietnam finds success in “low-cost” strategy
The Asialyst, a French online newspaper specializing in news from Asia, posted an article recently that highlighted Vietnam’s achievements in combating the COVID-19 pandemic.
A health worker tests samples at the disease control centre of Da Nang city (Photo: VNA)
Paris (VNA) - The Asialyst, a French online newspaper specializing innews from Asia, posted an article recently that highlighted Vietnam’s achievementsin combating the COVID-19 pandemic.
In his article, French expertJean-Raphaël Chaponnière said Vietnam has been successful with its “low-cost” strategy.
Its small number of cases andzero fatalities have surprised many, especially as it has invested little in itshealthcare sector, he wrote. HCM City, for example, has only 900 intensive carebeds, or one per 9,000 inhabitants.
He also highlighted the quickresponse by the Vietnamese Government when the first cases were reported in Wuhanin December and when the first case in Vietnam was reported on January 23.
Vietnam decided to suspend allflights between Vietnam and China on February 1, closed land borders with its northernneighbour, and shuttered schools after the lunar new year holiday (Tet) in late January.
According to Chaponnière,Vietnam has given priority to a “low-cost” strategy in the COVID-19 fight by systematicallytracing those with possible contact with infected patients (known as F1, F2, F3,and F4), and quarantined all to control the risk of further infection.
He emphasized that the rate ofinfection in Vietnam is substantially lower than elsewhere around the world, despiteit sharing a border of more than 1,000km with China.
This is a major success, hesaid, as Vietnam’s financial capacity is limited compared to developed countries./.
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A health worker tests samples at the disease control centre of Da Nang city (Photo: VNA) 
