Vietnam activated its response system very early, utilising an integrated approach to fight COVID-19. This included the extensive use of tracing, testing, isolation and treatment together with enforcing policies, enhancing community education, increasing social resources and encouraging positive community behaviour. COVID-19 became the government’s top priority in February 2020 and a COVID-19 nationwide epidemic was declared in early April to reflect this.

Since late March, selective travel bans have expanded in Vietnam to include the suspension of entry for all foreigners. All incoming Vietnamese travellers have been subject to mandatory centralised quarantine. Flight passengers are required to wear masks. Selected hotels, dormitories and military campuses have been designated quarantine centres. Flights with confirmed cases are announced publicly to facilitate contact-tracing, allowing for self-reporting. Quarantine has also been applied to large communities where confirmed cases were detected.

Vietnam successfully developed a COVID–19 test kit in March for the broad screening of suspected cases. Vietnam has also conducted free testing for entrants at airports and required mandatory health declarations for all incoming travellers as well as residents. The recent COVID-19 outbreak in Bach Mai Hospital — the nation’s largest infection hotspot involving 44 cases in Hanoi — has prompted the expansion of selective screening to mass screening through the establishment of 10 makeshift stations in surrounding areas and performing testing at wholesale markets. Pharmacies are also asked to report individuals purchasing cold medicines.

Several field hospitals have been set up to prepare for an increase in cases. Innovation has been utilised to drive the development of robots that can disinfect rooms and transfer supplies to isolation wards.

Community education is being used as a preventative measure. COVID-19 text messages are regularly sent to around 38.44 million smartphone users with updates on COVID-19. The 65 million social media users in Vietnam are also spreading awareness by sharing videos such as the viral handwashing song which has since gone global.

At this stage, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States recommends using face masks in public settings and the World Health Organization (WHO) is considering updating its guidelines. A mask wearing policy came into effect on 17 March and covers all public places. Vietnam requires licenses for exporting masks and applies heavy penalties for retailers who are found price gouging. Fines for violating other COVID-19 prevention regulations — including hiding COVID-19 symptoms or spreading fake news — were also rolled out.

Retired health professionals, students and other individuals are volunteering to help fight COVID-19. Free rice ATMs and free masks and supplies are being provided to people on the streets and volunteers are cooking free daily meals for frontline doctors. Millions of dollars have also been raised to support COVID-19 efforts.

Although the WHO has suggested that Vietnam is ‘managing the outbreak very well’ Hanoi still faces challenges with containment. The recent and largest outbreak at Bach Mai Hospital is under control, but the unidentified source of infection still poses a high risk of spreading in the community and causing additional local outbreaks, like those seen in South Korea. Just to control the Bach Mai Hospital outbreak required the hospital be placed under lockdown. A total of 24,461 people is being traced and screened in relation to this particular outbreak.

A 15-day nationwide social distancing effort, which began on 1 April, is showing positive results. But given the long incubation period of COVID-19, social distancing has expanded to completely prevent community transmission and to allow proper time to detect new cases. City-wide lockdown scenarios are also being planned. Like other countries, these strategies will inevitably weaken the national economy. But Vietnam is making great effort to maintain social welfare especially for the poor and unemployed.

Choosing the right time to relax Vietnam’s strict control measures is an important issue. Given the ongoing global spread of the pandemic, relaxing control measures may put the country at risk of a second wave of infections. Ensuring social order and safety, and adequate healthcare workforce and facilities to assist them in their work, guaranteeing community compliance with control measures and securing social security are all crucial elements necessary for Vietnam to maintain its current success in the fight against COVID-19.

Minh Cuong Duong, a physician and epidemiologist based in Sydney, is an Associate Lecturer at the School of Public Health and Community Medicine, The University of New South Wales.

This article is part of an EAF special feature series on the novel coronavirus crisis and its impact.