F0 rate plummets, vaccine coverage accelerated

From the peak of more than 4,000 infection cases/day in early August, in recent days, the province has only recorded around 1,000 cases/day and gradually decreased day by day. This is a good sign and proves that the province's strategy to control and adjust anti-epidemic measures in the "new normal" state has been effective.

Good news

According to the Covid-19 tally, in the past 10 days (from September 27 to now) the number of F0 cases has been decreasing sharply and day by day. Specifically, on September 27, the whole province recorded 3,793 cases, 2,103 on September 30th, 1,283 on October 3rd, 1,107 on September 5th, and 852 on October 6th. The average daily decreased from 100 to 300 cases. From September 18 to 26, the whole province recorded 26,530 Covid-19 cases, but from September 27 to October 5, there were only 17,766 cases, down 8,764 cases after nearly 20 days. Dr. Nguyen Hong Chuong, Director of Provincial Department of Health, said the decreasing rate of F0 cases was a good sign, the fight against the pandemic was effective; especially when the province controlled and adjusted measures in the "new normal" state.

Workers in Phu Hoa ward (Thu Dau Mot city) are happy to be vaccinated against Covid-19.

This is the result of the strategy of narrowing "red zones", expanding and protecting the "green zones", controlling and preventing sources of infection combined with accurate contact tracing and rapid testing. The province will have a specific summary but it is still too early to confirm. However, the whole provincial political system has tried very hard to prevent the spread of the Delta variant; in which the important factor leading to the recent sharp decrease of infection cases is the rapid vaccination rate for people in the province. The decrease in the number of cases does not mean that people are negligent and subjective, but it is necessary to strictly implement the "5K" rules of the Ministry of Health, scan QR codes at their destinations," said Dr. Nguyen Hong Chuong.

Along with a sharp decrease in infection cases, the rate of new cases with symptoms requiring hospitalization for treatment is also decreasing, the rate of discharged patients is increasing. Up to now, the province has had 200,435 patients discharged and recovered, accounting for 90% of the total number of infections (218,812 cases). Namely, on September 28, the province had 4,993 patients discharged, more than twice the number of hospitalized patients (2,314 patients). In the following days, the number of hospitalized patients also gradually decreased; on October 1, there were 1,276 patients; on October 3 it was 1,057; and on October 5, it was 637 patients. Along with the determination to "separate" all F0 cases from the community, the provincial health authority is determined to arrange and coordinate three-tiers of treatment and sample collection, to elevate the role of mobile medical stations in community and enterprises.

For the first time, health stations have applied a home health care package for F0 patients having no symptoms or no risk factors; namely, the home treatment package is to create the best conditions for patients to recover, while reducing pressure on treatment areas, field hospitals. Hospitals of the second tier continue to be upgraded, increase oxygen sources and appropriate equipment, especially specific treatment drugs under the guidance of the Ministry of Health to help reduce severe and critical cases in order to reduce pressure on hospitals of the third tier floor. Two hospitals of the third tier, i.e. treatment area of Provincial General Hospital and Provincial Emergency Hospital, continue to be maintained, meeting the need for active resuscitation of critical patients.

To accelerate the rate of vaccination

In order to heighten community immunity and live together with the coronavirus, the province is currently accelerating the rate of vaccination with the second shot for all people. Accelerating vaccination rates is one of the reasons for the drop in daily infections. In order to soon resume production, the province is prioritizing the second shots for workers. This is an important condition to help factories and companies quickly recover production in the coming time.

Mobile medical station of Phu Chanh Industrial Complex gives the second shots for workers at factories.

Dr. Nguyen Hong Chuong, Director of Provincial Department of Health, said that from a province with low vaccination rates, vaccine coverage is not high, but so far, more than 95% of people aged 18 and over have been vaccinated at least one shot, including a large number of workers. Accumulated to October 5, the province gave 2,319,808 shots of all kinds of Covid-19 vaccines out of a total of 3,386,250 allocated doses; of which 2,040,734 people injected with the first dose and 279,074 people injected with the second dose. In order to ensure wide coverage, there were times when Binh Duong accelerated the vaccination rate to more than 100,000 injections/day, such as in the reception of 750,000 doses of Vero Cell vaccine, the province injected all allocated shots within five days and safety was also guaranteed.

According to Department of Health, localities in the province are currently implementing the 46th phase of vaccination plan with 324,600 doses of Vero Cell vaccine. All these vaccines have been allocated to localities, specifically Di An city is the most distributed with 67,000 doses, followed by Thu Dau Mot city (62,000 doses), Tan Uyen town (55,000 doses), Ben Cat Town (40,000 doses), Thuan An City (30,600 doses), North Tan Uyen district, Dau Tieng district with 15,000 doses, Phu Giao district, Bau Bang district with 18,000 doses each. Currently, the localities are accelerating vaccination, mobilizing the participation of mobile health stations. In which, during two days 4 and 5 September, mobile health stations in the province injected more than 17,000 doses of Vero Cell vaccine.

Ho Hue Hoa, a worker of Hang Lan Company (Phu Chanh Ward, Tan Uyen Town):

Nearly 200 workers and I are working under the "three-on-site" plan at our company. When the company announced the list of workers for injection, I was very happy to receive the second injection on time after I received the first one. The company provided us fully with fever-reducing medicine and nutritious meals, hence we quickly regained our health and worked again. From now on, my colleagues and I feel more secure and are motivated to work harder.

Pham Nhu Cong, a worker at Wanek Company (VSIP 2, Hoa Phu Ward, Thu Dau Mot City):

On October 4, I received the second Covid-19 shot, so I feel more assured about my health to continue working. I hope other workers would soon be vaccinated with two doses of Covid-19 vaccine to better protect their health and work confidently. I want to thank provincial leaders for helping us get the second shot on time.

Pham Thi Phuong, a worker at Cheng Chia Wood Company (Tan Vinh Hiep ward, Tan Uyen town):

Facing the complicated disease situation, while often working in a collective environment, I myself feel a bit worried and hope to receive full two doses of Covid-19 vaccine soon. Now that I have received the second injection, my health is better protected, I can work better in the future, and at the same time will continue to strictly follow the disease prevention and control measures in accordance with recommendations of the Ministry of Health.

Reported by Kim Ha - Translated by Ngoc Huynh