This Is How Vietnam Has ‘0’ COVID-19 Deaths
No, it’s not because of “Pho” (Vietnamese Soup)
The world’s superpowers are struggling to contain the corona outbreak. While Vietnam is treating the pandemic “like a piece of cake.”
Now I know that some of you might start with communism, fake numbers, media silence, etc for the “0” deaths because of coronavirus. But let’s be more realistic and think rationally for once.
Consider how a country with a greater rate of death resulting in road accidents over pandemics — can hide critical data to its citizens. Especially during a time where even a “fart” goes viral in social media! “TikTok” or whatever that is.
For the record, Vietnam was the first country in the world to be free from the SARS outbreak in the year 2003. To find out how Vietnam did the inevitable again, I went on to a fact-finding spray through all my International links. And this is what I found.
Being ahead of the Virus
Understanding its limited medical capacity to combat any wide-spreading illness — Vietnam rather chose the “Prevention is better than cure” policy.
As early as the New Year celebration in 2020. Vietnam received information about pneumonia-like flu from its neighboring state of China. Where the virus originated.
Vietnam did not waste any time, instead opted to screen all the passengers who travel to and from China — as early as the 10 of January. Going a step further. Vietnam’s government said it was “declaring war” on the coronavirus, though the outbreak was confined to China during that time.
Amidst several parties claiming that Vietnam was overreacting. They ordered the 97 million Vietnamese to wear masks in public — and maintain social distancing in public and private places.
Please note that, during all this, the WHO was treating the virus only as a pandemic and did not advise any country towards drastic measures.
First reported patient & beyond
Vietnam reported its first coronavirus-infected patient on the 23 of January. The same day the government established a committee to overlook the COVID-19 operation. Other critical timely decisions taken by Vietnam were:
· Established 40 emergency response teams on standby. To assist affected locations for quarantine, disinfection, and transporting patients or identification of patients.
· Isolating the confirmed and suspected patients. At Army controlled Quarantine Centers.
· Ordered a crackdown of known clusters by gathering the intelligence received via multiple sources. Starting from the travel history and movement from confirmed cases. And moving deeper into subdivisions of society where the virus has a potential risk.
· Activation of the Emergency Epidemic Prevention Center.
· Prepared its national hospitals nationwide to get them to the “combat ready” status — whilst sourcing essential drugs, medical equipment, and protective gear.
· The Health Ministry issued two hotline numbers. For information on coronavirus, and to educate the public.
· Advised citizens to contact the nearest hospital if suspected symptoms persist.
· The government went above and beyond the call of duty, by creating two songs. With steps on how to prevent getting infected with COVID-19. And it went viral. The songs were a highly effective strategy adopted by the Vietnamese government. To gather the population towards government measures.
· Created two types of testing kits to test patients.
· They sent periodic SMS messages to all phones from the early stages. Educated people about what they could do to protect themselves. Vietnam made use of all tools available to get the public on board the “new normal”.
Amidst the rising numbers
The number of confirmed cases was on the rise. But this made no real impact on the country. Vietnam was one step ahead of the game by now.
While people from wealthy countries were complaining. About the minor steps that some governments took. Vietnamese people were rallying around the government. Because they understood that there is a transparent and genuine effort by the government to protect the people. Which many of our western leaders failed to craft, in the hearts of wounded people. This minor change was a driving force behind the sudden and unorthodox changes Vietnam took. Based on homegrown solutions. None like the west who were simply waiting for the “Gods” of the WHO to dictate terms on safety. And for the record, the WHO failed miserably.
By the 1 of February, Vietnam closed its borders with China. Grounded flights to and from China. They intensified coronavirus tests vigorously throughout the country. They were controlling all suspected cases within the Quarantine Centers.
During the Peak communal spread
Vietnam suspended entry for all foreigners from midnight on 22 March. Ordered isolation for 14 days in all cases of entry for Vietnamese citizens. Vietnam implemented nationwide isolation for 15 days from April 1. And few more instances too.
As of June 15, Vietnam had no COVID-19 cases for two months from communal transmissions.
Finally, on 23 April 2020, the Vietnamese government lifted the social isolation rule. Also, allowing reopening of the country.
When the country has had a remarkable record of “0” deaths.
Lessons to learn from Vietnam
They acted in unison towards achieving a common goal. The government and the people worked in harmony and mutual understanding. To defeat the common enemy. Instead of creating headlines on human rights and freedom — they picked the rational option, which is “not to die”.
Vietnam was focusing on saving lives, rather than the next election. This is how you make a country great again. For all the doubters who think money, power, and a giant defense budget protects you. You are way off the track my friend. Because only genuine commitment backed by the love for greater good protects lives.
Fancy tough guy speeches are good to hear, but not to live. To live you have to scarifies, to live you have to follow rules and to live you surely have to think more like a human. And less like a computer.
My verdict on Vietnam’s “0” fatality made me realize the weak, narrow-minded arrogance that many of us westerners have. Towards things, we know less about. Vietnam has proved to us that resilience alone triumphs.
If you want me to say in short, how Vietnamese won the war on COVID-19. I would say. Vietnam did something that we Americans and Europeans failed to do with the coronavirus.
