The Spread of COVID-19 and Policy Responses in Vietnam: An Overview

Van Nguyen, Quang; Cao, Dung Anh; Nghiem, Son Hong

OBJECTIVES: Despite the proximity and high travel flows with China, Vietnam has been able to contain the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This study describes the characteristics of COVID-19 infections in Vietnam and policy responses to identify potential factors contributing to the relative success of Vietnam in containing this pandemic. METHODS: Narrative analyses were applied to describe the pandemic and policy responses. Descriptive statistics, generalized linear regression and a susceptible-infected-recovered model, were used to explore the effectiveness of Vietnamese policy responses to COVD-19. RESULTS: To date, Vietnam is one of the few countries that have successfully control the spread of COVID-19. At the 26 October 2020, Vietnam has 1169 infected cases of COVID-19, of which 1061 people recovered, and 35 people died from the disease. COVID-19 infected patients in Vietnam were relatively younger than those in other countries with an average age of 36. Most of the infected cases were from international travels. Policy responses from Vietnam were implemented early and strictly. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the proximity to China, where COVID-19 emerged, Vietnam has experienced a small number of COVID-19 infections and fatalities, compared with other countries. Most infected patients were relatively young and exposure was attributed to international travel. Early policy interventions were the main factors that contributed to the success of Vietnam to date.