Zalo, with 67 million active users, plays an important role in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic in Vietnam.

The classification of COVID-19 patients need to prioritise high-risk groups, particularly those over 50 years old, have underlying conditions or are unvaccinated or partly vaccinated, said deputy minister of health Nguyen Truong Son.

The Ministry of Health on December 29 issued new definitions of COVID cases, suspected cases and close contacts in a bid to detect and manage new infections quicker and more effectively.

As Vietnam battles the 4th wave of COVID-19 pandemic lingering since late April, much of the country's resources have been streamlined to treat the infected people, limit transmissions and accelerate the national vaccination campaign.

An entrant returning from the UK was confirmed by the Ministry of Health on December 28 to be the first Omicron case recorded in the nation.

In light of the spread of the Omicron variant in Southeast Asia and around the world, Vietnam should act as though the variant is already in the country, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam has said.

The Ministry of Health (MOH) has asked grassroots healthcare units to care for Covid patients at home. One medical worker will be in charge of 30-50 patients or more.

In a document sent to the People’s Committees of cities and provinces, the ministry asked F1 cases to self-isolate at home within seven days and self-monitor their health for the next seven days. 

Several localities have proposed to charge COVID-19 patients with treatment fees if they refuse the vaccine without any contraindications.

HCM City authorities will compile “big data” on COVID vaccinations as part of its vaccination campaign to ensure that “no one is left behind.” 

The People's Committee in HCM City has just decided to approve the Health Strategy in the new normal state of flexible adaptation and effective control of the Covid-19 epidemic in the city to ensure safety for people's health.

PM Pham Minh Chinh has underlined the necessity of providing two injections for people over 18 years old, as well as a third jab for those who need to be vaccinated against COVID-19 no later than December 31.

The National Assembly Standing Committee offered opinions on the adoption of health care policies and mechanisms in the fight against COVID-19 pandemic during a meeting in Hanoi on December 8.

After giving the first Covid-19 vaccine dose to almost all adults, Vietnam is turning to a new strategy to curb the number of Covid-19 deaths.

More volunteer medical workers have been sent to the southern region as COVID-19 cases and fatalities continue to increase.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused severe impacts to all parts of life across Vietnam in 2021. A survey has found that the biggest concerns of Vietnamese people during the pandemic has been their health and their children's education.

The number of children under 16 hospitalised with COVID-19 in HCM City has risen recently, with many unaware of the infection until visits to doctors with flu-like symptoms such as cough and fever, according to the Department of Health.

The Hanoi municipal administration is considering restrictions on non-essential services amid a skyrocketing number of coronavirus infections in the community.

National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue chaired a meeting on December 3 to discuss the Government’s proposal on several special mechanisms and policies in the fight against COVID-19.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has requested consistently pursuing the policy of safely, flexibly adapting to and effectively controlling COVID-19 pandemic.