While the rest of the world has struggled to contain the coronavirus pandemic, Vietnam seemed to defeat it before it even began. With a total of only 700 confirmed cases and 10 deaths, four months after COVID was declared a pandemic, Vietnam seems to be the country to emulate in a number of ways. So how did they do it?
Let’s discuss the ways Vietnam was able to fight COVID-19, why they were so successful, and how you can do your part, wherever you are, to help fight the spread of this deadly virus.
Vietnam’s Pandemic Numbers
The country winning the battle against the pandemic right now shares a border with China and, as of time of publication in early August 2020, has under 800 confirmed cases and very few deaths from the virus. This seems nearly impossible, given the way the virus has ravaged other countries. What are they doing to not only quell but eliminate the virus?
There are a number of ways they approached the task and a number of things you can do, no matter where you are, to keep yourself and your community safe.
What Vietnam Did to Stop the Spread
Due to the authoritarian nature of Vietnam’s leadership, they were able to limit their citizens' activity by what has been called “extreme but sensible measures” more effectively than in countries like the U.S.
In an interview with the Washington Post, Robyn Klingler-Vidra from King’s College London and Ba-Linh Tran of the University of Bath identified three key tactics widely used across Vietnam: temperature screening and testing, targeted lockdowns and constant communication.
The country’s most effective strategies included the following:
- In most countries, temperature screening was used as they opened up and allowed people to return to work. Vietnam was implementing temperature screening early on and at many locations. Vietnam administered only 200,000 tests, far less than the five million administered by the U.S. Still, their infection rate per test was considerably lower, making their country stand out in global testing conversations.
- They also shut down all travel and tourist traffic. By closing their borders, they were able to control the flow of anyone who might be infected to limit infection rates.
- In addition to those three key tactics identified, Vietnam also took other measures worth noting. Their government restricted movement and enforced mask-wearing.
Vietnam immediately restricted the movements of their own people to essential activities. Notably, their definition of ‘essential’ activities was much more restrictive than other nations. While many countries allowed restaurants to stay open for takeout and some gatherings in public places, Vietnam was able to control gatherings and police essential activities by keeping security on every block to watch and redirect people as needed.
The Role of Masks
Like much of Asia, Vietnam had a pre-existing mask-wearing culture, so it wasn’t difficult to convince people to wear masks. This, along with police enforcement (rather than making it optional or making it the law, but then not enforcing that law) ensured that nearly everyone wore masks in public.
Additionally, Vietnam’s mask production capabilities and technology were primed to respond to the pandemic. Mask manufacturers there were already employing Nano-Silver Technology to add extra layers of protection to their already high-quality masks, and were able to produce these masks at high enough volumes to ensure healthcare workers and the general population had access to them. In fact, their production levels are so high, that they are able to supply masks to companies around the globe — Boomer Naturals included.
Learn more about the effectiveness of nano-silver mask technology.
What We Can Learn From Vietnam
While we don’t have to transition into an authoritarian government to stay safe, we can undoubtedly model a few behaviors after the people of Vietnam. We can learn from others and implement a few lessons at the community and individual level without waiting for government mandates.
- When you feel ill or have symptoms, get tested, stay at home and avoid others.
- If your grocery store or place of employment isn’t temperature screening, you can screen yourself before leaving the house and make intelligent decisions about whether you should go out or stay inside.
- Avoid travel, even when you feel fine. Don’t invite relatives or friends into your home. Don’t encourage tourism for the time being.
- Wear a high-quality mask. Vietnam has some of the best mask technology on the market, and Boomer Naturals has forged relationships with some of the top mask producers in the country to make that technology available to you with our Nano-Silver Reusable Protective Face Masks By choosing to wear a high-quality mask, you protect yourself and others.
One of the best ways we can stay safe and healthy is to normalize mask-wearing and safer-at-home best practices. Encourage friends and family to follow suit. When quoting scientists or government officials isn’t enough, you might even lean on the story of Vietnam’s success and how it kept its people safe.
Final Thoughts
If you are looking for a high-quality mask with the technology needed to protect yourself and others, choose to buy your mask from a company like Boomer Naturals. We source our masks straight from Vietnam to ensure its successful technology is readily available. And with a supply in warehouses in the U.S., you won’t have to wait on international shipping timelines.
References:
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/07/23/vietnam-zero-coronavirus-deaths.html
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-52628283
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2020/04/30/vietnam-offers-tough-lessons-us-coronavirus/
https://theconversation.com/vietnam-has-reported-no-coronavirus-deaths-how-136646
https://boomernaturals.com