The National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control has recently agreed to adjust COVID-19 from Group A infectious diseases to group B. The announcement of the end of the COVID-19 pandemic will be made in accordance with the law.

The Ministry of Health is developing a process to adjust COVID-19 from Group A to Group B infectious diseases. IN THE PHOTO: COVID-19 vaccination for the elderly in 2021. Photo: P.C

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the number of COVID-19-infected cases in Viet Nam has decreased by 8.5 times compared to 2021, and 48 times compared to 2022.

In addition, the rate of people dying from COVID-19 in Viet Nam was at 1.86% in 2021, 0.1% in 2022 and 0.02% in the first five months of 2023. The rate is equivalent to, or lower than, that of some Group B infectious diseases being recorded in Viet Nam over the last 5 years such as dengue fever (0.022%), malaria (0.017%), white pharynx (0.102%), and pertussis (0.417%).

Accordingly, it is necessary for the Government, ministries, agencies and localities to adjust regulations, policies and requirements in line with the new situation as well as review issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic prevention and control in the past three years.

In the coming time, the COVID-19 pandemic will not come to an end, and its consequences will still linger, therefore, pandemic prevention and control work must be continued. It is necessary to improve the capacity of grassroots and preventive healthcare systems, overcome the aftermath of the pandemic and continue to stablise the lives of people, especially those directly affected by COVID-19.

The Ministry of Health will continue to guide other ministries, sectors and localities nationwide to review the prevention and control work, adjust related legal documents in line with the new situation, build plans to sustainably control COVID-19 in the new period as well as other epidemics that are likely to appear, and continue proper COVID-19 vaccinations.

Reporting by PHAN CHUNG - Translating by M.DUNG