DAILY LIFE IN VIETNAM DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC 2020-2021

Erikji wrote:

5.887 cases today.
And they still believe they will reach 0 case thanks to the lockdown!
Impossible.
Vietnam must learn to live with the virus like all the other countries.

What is your basis for "And they still believe they will reach 0 case"?  I've read of no government or health official who said that. 

Also, the "learn to live with it" claim does not have scientific support.  It may come to that, but that is not the sentiment I'm reading among the experts. 

I've been seeing that phrase repeatedly in the last month or so, and it appears to me that many of those who before belittled the threat of COVID-19 are now repeating this phrase, with the same goal -- stop disrupting their lives with restrictions.  But what are the implications of this imperative?  Stop attempting to contain the spread of the virus?  Ignore the additional loss of lives that will certainly occur?  This does not seem at all reasonable to me.

paulmsn wrote:

Erikji wrote:

5.887 cases today.
And they still believe they will reach 0 case thanks to the lockdown!
Impossible.
Vietnam must learn to live with the virus like all the other countries.

What is your basis for "And they still believe they will reach 0 case"?  I've read of no government or health official who said that.

Yes the government is on record as stating that to be their goal.

I quoted that here in the forum in another thread I believe, but I can't find that post because the search function on this site is now dysfunctional.

But it has clearly been the policy of the government to set that goal.

Every time there has been a lockdown so far, including the lockdown in Danang which I personally experienced, the government has not begun to back away from restrictions until a certain time period transpires when there are no new infections.

People such as goodolboy know that (prior to the new lockdown order for everything in southern Vietnam including HCMC) their only hope for escaping lockdown was zero new infections over a set period of time.

Any new infections would have reset the amount of time they needed to remain in quarantine.

Based on what the government has done so far in other areas, they will not begin to back away from total lockdown until there is a period of zero new infections.

If you recall, when worldwide lockdowns first began, there was something called the curve that needed to be flattened.

Not obliterated.

Just flattened, so that healthcare facilities would not be overwhelmed, and economies would not be destroyed, the theory went.

Perhaps you imagine that flattening the curve is the policy of the government of Vietnam?

Nothing in what they have done so far indicates that they plan to do anything except obliterate the curve.

This does not qualify as criticism of the government.

I'm simply stating facts

OceanBeach92107 wrote:

paulmsn wrote:

Erikji wrote:

5.887 cases today.
And they still believe they will reach 0 case thanks to the lockdown!
Impossible.
Vietnam must learn to live with the virus like all the other countries.

What is your basis for "And they still believe they will reach 0 case"?  I've read of no government or health official who said that.

Yes the government is on record as stating that to be their goal.

I quoted that here in the forum in another thread I believe, but I can't find that post because the search function on this site is now dysfunctional.

But it has clearly been the policy of the government to set that goal.

Every time there has been a lockdown so far, including the lockdown in Danang which I personally experienced, the government has not begun to back away from restrictions until a certain time period transpires when there are no new infections.

People such as goodolboy know that (prior to the new lockdown order for everything in southern Vietnam including HCMC) their only hope for escaping lockdown was zero new infections over a set period of time.

Any new infections would have reset the amount of time they needed to remain in quarantine.

Based on what the government has done so far in other areas, they will not begin to back away from total lockdown until there is a period of zero new infections.

If you recall, when worldwide lockdowns first began, there was something called the curve that needed to be flattened.

Not obliterated.

Just flattened, so that healthcare facilities would not be overwhelmed, and economies would not be destroyed, the theory went.

Perhaps you imagine that flattening the curve is the policy of the government of Vietnam?

Nothing in what they have done so far indicates that they plan to do anything except obliterate the curve.

This does not qualify as criticism of the government.

I'm simply stating facts

(CNN article)

Singapore wants to stop counting Covid cases. Its roadmap could be a model for other countries

"(CNN) As countries around the Asia-Pacific region tighten restrictions once again to curb potential breakouts of the Delta coronavirus variant, Singapore has laid out a new vision for life to return to normal.

The roadmap, proposed by three members of Singapore's Covid-19 task force, would scrap lockdowns and mass contact tracing and allow for a return to quarantine-free travel and the resumption of large gatherings. It would even stop counting the daily Covid cases.

The proposal is a radical departure from the so-called "zero transmission" model adopted by several countries and territories -- including rival Asian business hub Hong Kong -- which have so far proved successful at avoiding large outbreaks.

But this "zero transmission" model, which requires stringent, often punishing quarantine measures, will be almost impossible to maintain as new variants spread, and long term is simply not sustainable, the task force members claim. Instead, they say living with Covid can be done.

"The bad news is that Covid-19 may never go away. The good news is that it is possible to live normally with it in our midst," said Singapore's Trade Minister Gan Kim Yong, Finance Minister Lawrence Wong and Health Minister Ong Ye Kung, in an op-ed in the Straits Times last week.

"We can turn the pandemic into something much less threatening, like influenza, hand, foot and mouth disease, or chickenpox, and get on with our lives."

Source Helen Regan, CNN Updated 30th June 2021
"(https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/ … index.html)"

OceanBeach92107 wrote:

paulmsn wrote:

Erikji wrote:

5.887 cases today.
And they still believe they will reach 0 case thanks to the lockdown!
Impossible.
Vietnam must learn to live with the virus like all the other countries.

What is your basis for "And they still believe they will reach 0 case"?  I've read of no government or health official who said that.

Yes the government is on record as stating that to be their goal.

I quoted that here in the forum in another thread I believe, but I can't find that post because the search function on this site is now dysfunctional.

But it has clearly been the policy of the government to set that goal.

Every time there has been a lockdown so far, including the lockdown in Danang which I personally experienced, the government has not begun to back away from restrictions until a certain time period transpires when there are no new infections.

People such as goodolboy know that (prior to the new lockdown order for everything in southern Vietnam including HCMC) their only hope for escaping lockdown was zero new infections over a set period of time.

Any new infections would have reset the amount of time they needed to remain in quarantine.

Based on what the government has done so far in other areas, they will not begin to back away from total lockdown until there is a period of zero new infections.

If you recall, when worldwide lockdowns first began, there was something called the curve that needed to be flattened.

Not obliterated.

Just flattened, so that healthcare facilities would not be overwhelmed, and economies would not be destroyed, the theory went.

Perhaps you imagine that flattening the curve is the policy of the government of Vietnam?

Nothing in what they have done so far indicates that they plan to do anything except obliterate the curve.

This does not qualify as criticism of the government.

I'm simply stating facts

We are under lockdown now.  I imagine that if things got better, they would gradually reduce restrictions, and eventually they would be much less severe. They may want zero new cases, but I think they'd be quite happy to reduce them to a manageable level while vaccinating the populace as fast as possible.  Remember, they re-opened the beaches in Da Nang during this wave.  And then closed them again. 

Also, the situation in Vietnam is not comparable to the countries that had many infections early.  Vietnam is now in the low end of that situation, but before this, they were able to bring the relatively few cases down to zero.  I really doubt that the government believes they can do that with the Delta variant.

Andybris2020 wrote:

OceanBeach92107 wrote:

paulmsn wrote:

What is your basis for "And they still believe they will reach 0 case"?  I've read of no government or health official who said that.

Yes the government is on record as stating that to be their goal.

I quoted that here in the forum in another thread I believe, but I can't find that post because the search function on this site is now dysfunctional.

But it has clearly been the policy of the government to set that goal.

Every time there has been a lockdown so far, including the lockdown in Danang which I personally experienced, the government has not begun to back away from restrictions until a certain time period transpires when there are no new infections.

People such as goodolboy know that (prior to the new lockdown order for everything in southern Vietnam including HCMC) their only hope for escaping lockdown was zero new infections over a set period of time.

Any new infections would have reset the amount of time they needed to remain in quarantine.

Based on what the government has done so far in other areas, they will not begin to back away from total lockdown until there is a period of zero new infections.

If you recall, when worldwide lockdowns first began, there was something called the curve that needed to be flattened.

Not obliterated.

Just flattened, so that healthcare facilities would not be overwhelmed, and economies would not be destroyed, the theory went.

Perhaps you imagine that flattening the curve is the policy of the government of Vietnam?

Nothing in what they have done so far indicates that they plan to do anything except obliterate the curve.

This does not qualify as criticism of the government.

I'm simply stating facts

(CNN article)

Singapore wants to stop counting Covid cases. Its roadmap could be a model for other countries

"(CNN) As countries around the Asia-Pacific region tighten restrictions once again to curb potential breakouts of the Delta coronavirus variant, Singapore has laid out a new vision for life to return to normal.

The roadmap, proposed by three members of Singapore's Covid-19 task force, would scrap lockdowns and mass contact tracing and allow for a return to quarantine-free travel and the resumption of large gatherings. It would even stop counting the daily Covid cases.

The proposal is a radical departure from the so-called "zero transmission" model adopted by several countries and territories -- including rival Asian business hub Hong Kong -- which have so far proved successful at avoiding large outbreaks.

But this "zero transmission" model, which requires stringent, often punishing quarantine measures, will be almost impossible to maintain as new variants spread, and long term is simply not sustainable, the task force members claim. Instead, they say living with Covid can be done.

"The bad news is that Covid-19 may never go away. The good news is that it is possible to live normally with it in our midst," said Singapore's Trade Minister Gan Kim Yong, Finance Minister Lawrence Wong and Health Minister Ong Ye Kung, in an op-ed in the Straits Times last week.

"We can turn the pandemic into something much less threatening, like influenza, hand, foot and mouth disease, or chickenpox, and get on with our lives."

Source Helen Regan, CNN Updated 30th June 2021
"(https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/ … index.html)"

QUOTE from article
How they'll do it
The key for a lighter approach to the pandemic? High vaccination rates.
Singapore is on track for two-thirds of its population to have received their first vaccine dose by early July, and aims to fully vaccinate that figure by August 9.
"Vaccines are highly effective in reducing the risk of infection as well as transmission. Even if you are infected, vaccines will help prevent severe Covid-19 symptoms," the ministers said.

All well & good for Singapore (a City State) with a population of less than 6 million but not so good for the situation in Vietnam & Thailand with much bigger & spread out populations where vaccines are in short supply & vaccinated people as yet a small % of the population.

I personally do agree with & for me anyways it makes sense that we have to learn to live with it but in a country like Singapore & now UK opening up its easy to say & probably do. But at the moment in countries not so far advanced in the Vaccine roll out not so easy I think.

paulmsn wrote:

OceanBeach92107 wrote:

paulmsn wrote:

What is your basis for "And they still believe they will reach 0 case"?  I've read of no government or health official who said that.

Yes the government is on record as stating that to be their goal.

I quoted that here in the forum in another thread I believe, but I can't find that post because the search function on this site is now dysfunctional.

But it has clearly been the policy of the government to set that goal.

Every time there has been a lockdown so far, including the lockdown in Danang which I personally experienced, the government has not begun to back away from restrictions until a certain time period transpires when there are no new infections.

People such as goodolboy know that (prior to the new lockdown order for everything in southern Vietnam including HCMC) their only hope for escaping lockdown was zero new infections over a set period of time.

Any new infections would have reset the amount of time they needed to remain in quarantine.

Based on what the government has done so far in other areas, they will not begin to back away from total lockdown until there is a period of zero new infections.

If you recall, when worldwide lockdowns first began, there was something called the curve that needed to be flattened.

Not obliterated.

Just flattened, so that healthcare facilities would not be overwhelmed, and economies would not be destroyed, the theory went.

Perhaps you imagine that flattening the curve is the policy of the government of Vietnam?

Nothing in what they have done so far indicates that they plan to do anything except obliterate the curve.

This does not qualify as criticism of the government.

I'm simply stating facts

I imagine... 

They may...

but I think...     

I really doubt...

I had a feeling you would say that...

goodolboy wrote:

All well & good for Singapore (a City State) with a population of less than 6 million but not so good for the situation in Vietnam & Thailand with much bigger & spread out populations where vaccines are in short supply & vaccinated people as yet a small % of the population.

I personally do agree with & for me anyways it makes sense that we have to learn to live with it but in a country like Singapore & now UK opening up its easy to say & probably do. But at the moment in countries not so far advanced in the Vaccine roll out not so easy I think.

Also bear in mind that Singapore's plan is still a proposal as of now, although since it has the support of several government officials involved in the COVID-19 effort and Singaporeans do not question their government's plans very often, it will likely be put in place.  The details are not there yet, but they are planning to be more careful than the UK is being and will be ready to reimpose restrictions as necessary if things don't go well.

Social distancing and lockdown clearly doesn't work.

How can there be that many new cases each day if everyone has to stay home and not mix with others.

Trips to supermarket I suspect is the weak link in the plan, that and the disregard for masks I see most days.

People use lots of excuser to remove mask outdoors for non essential tasks

Jlgarbutt wrote:

Social distancing and lockdown clearly doesn't work.

How can there be that many new cases each day if everyone has to stay home and not mix with others.

Trips to supermarket I suspect is the weak link in the plan, that and the disregard for masks I see most days.

People use lots of excuser to remove mask outdoors for non essential tasks

I went three blocks on my moto to buy food a few days ago and saw three men with their masks on their chins.  Fortunately everyone at the store was wearing their masks properly.  One even had one of those plastic shield things.  Store transmissions and transmissions within a family are probably a good proportion of the increase.  And of course the Delta variant, which I read is 50 to 60% more transmissible than the Alpha variant, which was 50%  more transmissible than the original virus.

Jlgarbutt wrote:

Social distancing and lockdown clearly doesn't work.

How can there be that many new cases each day if everyone has to stay home and not mix with others.

Trips to supermarket I suspect is the weak link in the plan, that and the disregard for masks I see most days.

People use lots of excuser to remove mask outdoors for non essential tasks

There was a good article in the New York times a while back that made a pretty good case for outdoor casual contraction of the covid-19 virus being miniscule, if at all:

nytimes.com/2021/05/11/briefing/outdoor-covid-transmission-cdc-number

(from the article)

”There is not a single documented Covid infection anywhere in the world from casual outdoor interactions, such as walking past someone on a street or eating at a nearby table."

Jlgarbutt wrote:

Social distancing and lockdown clearly doesn't work.

How can there be that many new cases each day if everyone has to stay home and not mix with others.

Trips to supermarket I suspect is the weak link in the plan, that and the disregard for masks I see most days.

People use lots of excuser to remove mask outdoors for non essential tasks

I must say this time round compared to last time (Moscow Tower compared to Celadon City Emerald) there is a big difference.
Here there is definitely a pretty high degree of compliance with the directives now. One positive thing I see here (as a simple comparison but relevant) this time is that the barrier tape round the gardens & the out door exercise equipment has not been ripped down after 1 day & has been in place now for nearly 2 weeks now.  Here also no external deliveries get past the security gates now. They either have to drop it at the gate & the security will take it to your particular block or you have to walk to the gate (about 200 mtrs through the gardens) & pick it up like I had to do this morning for a delivery of Pho Bo. Which was my first outdoor walk after 16 days quarantine.

For me from what I saw & experienced anyways one of the biggest possible spreader events was the first mass Covid tests that were done & I was exposed to!

OceanBeach92107 wrote:

There was a good article in the New York times a while back that made a pretty good case for outdoor casual contraction of the covid-19 virus being miniscule, if at all:

nytimes.com/2021/05/11/briefing/outdoor-covid-transmission-cdc-number

(from the article)

”There is not a single documented Covid infection anywhere in the world from casual outdoor interactions, such as walking past someone on a street or eating at a nearby table."

According to a report from Australian TV we watched yesterday, a person can catch Delta just from walking by an infected person.  The animation clip shows an airline pilot unintentionally gives out this variant to a dozen people on his path between his entering and exiting the airport.

OceanBeach92107 wrote:

Jlgarbutt wrote:

Social distancing and lockdown clearly doesn't work.

How can there be that many new cases each day if everyone has to stay home and not mix with others.

Trips to supermarket I suspect is the weak link in the plan, that and the disregard for masks I see most days.

People use lots of excuser to remove mask outdoors for non essential tasks

There was a good article in the New York times a while back that made a pretty good case for outdoor casual contraction of the covid-19 virus being miniscule, if at all:

nytimes.com/2021/05/11/briefing/outdoor-covid-transmission-cdc-number

(from the article)

”There is not a single documented Covid infection anywhere in the world from casual outdoor interactions, such as walking past someone on a street or eating at a nearby table."

Looks like I was not wrong by stating my opinion about letting people go out to parks which is the case in Australia, maybe New York Times are wrong as well,,, 

Ciambella wrote:

OceanBeach92107 wrote:

There was a good article in the New York times a while back that made a pretty good case for outdoor casual contraction of the covid-19 virus being miniscule, if at all:

nytimes.com/2021/05/11/briefing/outdoor-covid-transmission-cdc-number

(from the article)

”There is not a single documented Covid infection anywhere in the world from casual outdoor interactions, such as walking past someone on a street or eating at a nearby table."

According to a report from Australian TV we watched yesterday, a person can catch Delta just from walking by an infected person.  The animation clip shows an airline pilot unintentionally gives out this variant to a dozen people on his path between his entering and exiting the airport.

An animation clip?

That's all the proof we need...

OceanBeach92107 wrote:

Ciambella wrote:

OceanBeach92107 wrote:

There was a good article in the New York times a while back that made a pretty good case for outdoor casual contraction of the covid-19 virus being miniscule, if at all:

nytimes.com/2021/05/11/briefing/outdoor-covid-transmission-cdc-number

(from the article)

”There is not a single documented Covid infection anywhere in the world from casual outdoor interactions, such as walking past someone on a street or eating at a nearby table."

According to a report from Australian TV we watched yesterday, a person can catch Delta just from walking by an infected person.  The animation clip shows an airline pilot unintentionally gives out this variant to a dozen people on his path between his entering and exiting the airport.

An animation clip?

That's all the proof we need...

Thing is, does anyone really know 100%? All I know is that I am not really that scared about getting it (might be foolishly) but what I do know is I dont want to be the old foreigner ended up laying on a hard floor surrounded by other infected persons, no AC or fan for at least 3 weeks like I have been showed first hand as the situation in some places now. My heart goes out to these poor people. I dont want to go into details or give links to what I have seen but no one wants to end up in that situation & as best I can I am staying put in my self imposed bubble there is no real need to go out cos I have this online ordering down to a fine art & everything is available if you search hard enough & hopefully on the 9th floor is high enough up that the Delta cant get at me until I get vaccinated or thrown out when ever that might be.

goodolboy wrote:

Thing is, does anyone really know 100%? All I know is that I am not really that scared about getting it (might be foolishly) but what I do know is I dont want to be the old foreigner ended up laying on a hard floor surrounded by other infected persons, no AC or fan for at least 3 weeks like I have been showed first hand as the situation in some places now. My heart goes out to these poor people. I dont want to go into details or give links to what I have seen but no one wants to end up in that situation & as best I can I am staying put in my self imposed bubble there is no real need to go out cos I have this online ordering down to a fine art & everything is available if you search hard enough & hopefully on the 9th floor is high enough up that the Delta cant get at me until I get vaccinated or thrown out when ever that might be.

While the danger of transmission outdoors may be less than the CDC says, the claim "There is not a single documented Covid infection anywhere in the world from casual outdoor interactions..." is somewhat dishonest, because when they do contact tracing, they check the people who were in direct contact with the patient, not people they happened to walked by, so there would of course be no documented evidence.  In fact, tracing would be quite difficult -- "I passed a guy wearing a blue jacket" is unlikely to identify that person sufficiently.

OceanBeach92107 wrote:

[

An animation clip?

That's all the proof we need...

Animation (perhaps I used the wrong term) is attention getter but you don't have to watch the clip.  I liked it because from the silhouettes of the pilot and the flight crew, I could tell they're attractive.  The way I feel today, that's better than statistics.

Here is a more in-depth article on Singapore's future plans, and the opinion of one Singaporean expert on the situation in Vietnam:

https://tuoitrenews.vn/news/society/202 … 62141.html

Ciambella wrote:

I liked it because from the silhouettes of the pilot and the flight crew, I could tell they're attractive.

You sound like my wife.  She favored Italy in the recent European Cup because they were the "most handsome" team.   

paulmsn wrote:

goodolboy wrote:

Thing is, does anyone really know 100%? All I know is that I am not really that scared about getting it (might be foolishly) but what I do know is I dont want to be the old foreigner ended up laying on a hard floor surrounded by other infected persons, no AC or fan for at least 3 weeks like I have been showed first hand as the situation in some places now. My heart goes out to these poor people. I dont want to go into details or give links to what I have seen but no one wants to end up in that situation & as best I can I am staying put in my self imposed bubble there is no real need to go out cos I have this online ordering down to a fine art & everything is available if you search hard enough & hopefully on the 9th floor is high enough up that the Delta cant get at me until I get vaccinated or thrown out when ever that might be.

While the danger of transmission outdoors may be less than the CDC says, the claim "There is not a single documented Covid infection anywhere in the world from casual outdoor interactions..." is somewhat dishonest, because when they do contact tracing, they check the people who were in direct contact with the patient, not people they happened to walked by, so there would of course be no documented evidence.  In fact, tracing would be quite difficult -- "I passed a guy wearing a blue jacket" is unlikely to identify that person sufficiently.

Didnt the CDC back track a few months back claiming covid was actually airborn unlike their orignal claims of close contact transmission only ?

[link under review]

THIGV wrote:

You sound like my wife.  She favored Italy in the recent European Cup because they were the "most handsome" team.   

Yes!  And they won so there's something to be said for good looking people.

BTW, even in my younger years, I knew I would never marry an Italian man, but there's nothing wrong with admiring and being admired right back, and nobody does admiration better than an Italian man.

Jlgarbutt wrote:

Didnt the CDC back track a few months back claiming covid was actually airborn unlike their orignal claims of close contact transmission only ?

No, they always knew airborne transmission was most likely -- why would this conronavirus be any different from all the others?  They never claimed that close contact was the only or primary means of transmission, but have instead changed their understanding after experience and research to lower the possibility of transmission by touch contact.  Frequent handwashing and use of disinfectant is useful, but not nearly as important as simply wearing a mask and avoiding the exhalations of others. 

That's what good scientists do -- adjust their understanding in the face of more evidence.  Changing recommendations because of more information is a good thing.  They are not gods and don't expect people to regard their pronouncements as unchanging and final.  If someone wants that, they should consult a religious text.

yesterday there was a big storm with rain but the swallows & swifts at Celadon City had a ball!!
Free to fly anywhere without vaccine or test certificate.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bW1EQitCOEshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1ZYhVpdXbQ

goodolboy wrote:

yesterday there was a big storm with rain but the swallows & swifts at Celadon City had a ball!!
Free to fly anywhere without vaccine or test certificate.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bW1EQitCOEshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1ZYhVpdXbQ

Monkeys have taken over areas of VT. They have come down from the hills looking for food.

Monkeys

colinoscapee wrote:

Monkeys have taken over areas of VT. They have come down from the hills looking for food.

Monkeys

I wrote about it in my blog a few days ago and the respond from the world (well, only 3 countries where my readers live) was divided.  Some people thought bringing food to the hill was the right thing to do while others thought that by feeding wild animals, human beings are messing with the law of nature.

colinoscapee wrote:

goodolboy wrote:

Monkeys have taken over areas of VT. They have come down from the hills looking for food.

Monkeys

Suppose the tourists would have fed them, lots of knock on effects you never really think about with this lock down. Wonder how many of the pigeons, ducks & geese in the park here will see it through without being looked after.

goodolboy wrote:

colinoscapee wrote:

goodolboy wrote:

Monkeys have taken over areas of VT. They have come down from the hills looking for food.

Monkeys

Suppose the tourists would have fed them, lots of knock on effects you never really think about with this lock down. Wonder how many of the pigeons, ducks & geese in the park here will see it through without being looked after.



https://i.postimg.cc/n9kgN2p4/IMG-20210527-155427.jpg

Govt officials here are going around feeding them.

Ciambella wrote:

johnross23 wrote:

I'm in Thắng Tam ward... Testing was in the large courtyard at the school next door and was very efficient without the need for a line/queue as people were being tested as soon as they arrived. Basically, the whole process took less than five minutes.

Thank you, John.

Colinoscapee is in Nguyễn An Ninh ward, I think, or at least he was at one time.  Hopefully he'll let us know the goings-on in his area. 

Since the lockdown,  I only have the Bà Rịa Vũng Tàu Media for updates (and man, how often they update!  About 25 times a day, if not more; half are real news and the other half are opinions from the peanut gallery.)  According to the reports, Wards 11 and 12 were 100% tested.  (Does that mean every Mega Market employee was tested and hopefully, with negative result?  I'm concerned because MM is my preferred source of over-the-phone grocery.)  Ward 8 was already done, I think, and Ward 7 is being tested today.

Still, not every ward is represented so it would be great if other members chime in.

Apparently, everyone who tested in Thắng Tam ward was negative as case numbers are still shown as 4.

Our building was also given the all clear in the process, which is certainly a huge relief.

Here is the Covid map for Ba Ria-VIng Tau:

https://vtu-covidmap.cosoyte.com/

Actually, it is the Covid map for Vung Tau City.

Vietnam has produced the first test batch of Sputnik V vaccine, according to this article.  That was fast.

https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/coronavir … -1.5517522

paulmsn wrote:

Vietnam has produced the first test batch of Sputnik V vaccine, according to this article.  That was fast.

https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/coronavir … -1.5517522

Just as a matter of interest, how many on here would take it if offered?

Hmm sputnik.. russian.. not sure I would

Having said that with the negative press about Asta Zeneca vaccine links to blot clots.. not sure I'm 100% happy about any of them

Is anyone convinced once the vaccine reaches everyone it will be the end of covid? Many of the cases here in VN affected people in medical professions that had vaccine and still catch it

I hope I'm wrong, but I think covid is going to be part of life for a long time to come yet

Jlgarbutt wrote:

Is anyone convinced once the vaccine reaches everyone it will be the end of covid? Many of the cases here in VN affected people in medical professions that had vaccine and still catch it

I hope I'm wrong, but I think covid is going to be part of life for a long time to come yet

long as it stops me dying from it I am all for it, but not off some advert on a forum

goodolboy wrote:

Just as a matter of interest, how many on here would take it if offered?

I'd research it, because I know nothing about it.  I don't even know what type of vaccine it is. 

Its effectiveness is claimed to be very high, but that might just be propaganda.  I'd look for studies by groups not associated with Russia -- there have to be some by now.  Since it will take a month to verify the test batch, there's time.

Ah, the Sputnik V vaccine uses a heterologous recombinant adenovirus approach using adenovirus 26 (Ad26) and adenovirus 5 (Ad5) as vectors for the expression of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) spike protein.  So basically they are injecting two vaccine doses with different adenoviruses, modified so that they cannot complete their normal reproductive process, with added instructions for expressing the COVID-19 spike proteins. 

They use two different adenoviruses so that they can overcome any pre-existing adenovirus immunity in the population.  Several other vaccines, such as the Oxford–AstraZeneca vaccine and the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, also use the recombinant adenovirus approach, but with only one vector. 

Because of the modifications, the virus stops after expressing the COVID-19 spike proteins and the infected cells are eventually destroyed by the immune response elicited by the spikes.  Only minor side effects have been noted, mainly soreness at the injection spot. 

While Russia approved the vaccine before any trials were completed, phase III trials in Russia of 14,964 adults and 4,902 placebo receivers show it to be very effective -- at 21 days after the first dose of vaccine, efficacy is reported as 91.6%.  Unpublished data on 3.8 million Russians vaccinated with two doses point to an efficacy of 97.6%. 

There has only been one study so far outside of Russia, in the UAE.  They show 97.8% efficacy in preventing symptomatic COVID-19 and 100% efficacy in preventing severe disease after two doses.

paulmsn wrote:

goodolboy wrote:

Just as a matter of interest, how many on here would take it if offered?

I'd research it, because I know nothing about it.  I don't even know what type of vaccine it is. 

Its effectiveness is claimed to be very high, but that might just be propaganda.  I'd look for studies by groups not associated with Russia -- there have to be some by now.  Since it will take a month to verify the test batch, there's time.

Two firms in India, Dr. Reddy's Laboratories (they are a huge supplier of various medicines to US) and Shilpa Medicare have been licenced to produce Sputnik vaccines in India. Sputnik completed bridge trials in India and have been approved by Indian Medical Association. Roll out from Dr. Reddy's is expected in August. Efficacy is upwards of 85% for the two shot vaccine (read recently, couldn't locate the link now). Sputnik will be the third vaccine in India after Astra Zeneca and Covaxin.

I just received my second COVID-19 test.  Last time we lined up outside the building and were tested in a room on the ground floor.  This time they knocked on my door and directed me down the hall to where they had set up testing.  I guess they are going floor by floor.  This time they swabbed both nostrils and twisted the swabs for a long time.  It both hurt and made me want to sneeze, which I had to repress as best I could.  I asked, and it is routine testing, not because someone has COVID-19.

I also received three coupons for buying food yesterday.  I can buy food today, on the 25th and on the 27th.  I usually hit two grocery stores and a Ministop to get all the things I want, but since the store takes the coupon, I will have to use all three coupons in one trip to do that.  I'm hoping that this measure makes the stores emptier.  They were all regulating entry, but I was still closer than I wanted to be to others, except for one store that limited customers to two at a time.  Long wait outside, though.

That's an interesting update.. since our testing a couple of weeks back we have heard nothing since. Guessing the one person that test positive was enough?

As for the shops.. in some places very unusual things seem to seek out faster than stuff I would have thought locals buy first.

Local bakery stops doing ordinary Bahn Mi and just sells rye bread instead.. but for some reason they add fruit to the mix .

The nasal Saab thing doesn't sound like much fun..

Jlgarbutt wrote:

That's an interesting update.. since our testing a couple of weeks back we have heard nothing since. Guessing the one person that test positive was enough?

As for the shops.. in some places very unusual things seem to seek out faster than stuff I would have thought locals buy first.

Local bakery stops doing ordinary Bahn Mi and just sells rye bread instead.. but for some reason they add fruit to the mix .

The nasal Saab thing doesn't sound like much fun..

Maybe they wanted to make sure they got everyone by going floor to floor. 

In my neighborhood, three stores used to sell packages of sliced fruit of various kinds, but after the shutdown, I could find none until just a couple of days ago.  The grocery I usually go to has successively had a cooler case full of beef and nothing else, then only pork, then only chicken and now back to pork.  I guess it's just whatever they can get that day.