report

Tourism crisis Later restart the River cruises

Status: 19.06.2021 3:29 p.m.

River cruise ships are back in Bavaria – because of the infection protection with fewer guests on board. The long absence of the ships has left deep marks along the routes.

By Sebastian Grosser and Martin Gruber, BR

A melody sounds on deck of the river ship “NickoSpirit” before cruise director Ferdinand Selig starts his speech. “Welcome to Regensburg, dear passengers.” In front of Selig is a piece of paper with several names, which are in turn marked with different colors. “Please remember your grouping and don’t forget your mask when you leave the ship,” he says. At this point, several passengers have already gathered at the entrance of the ship to go ashore for a tour of the city. A maximum of 14 people are allowed in a group. This is part of infection protection.

Million revenues before Corona

The “NickoSpirit” is the first river cruise ship to be moored in Regensburg this year. Usually the season starts in spring. But Corona put the once booming tourism industry on the back burner in 2021. The Regensburger Stadtwerk, which manages the pier, is expecting around 100 landings this year. Similar to 2020, in the first Corona year, the city is expected to turn over only 100,000 euros with the ships. For comparison: in 2019, more than 1000 ships moored in Regensburg, with which the city was able to bring in a turnover of 1.3 million euros.

Hard times for tour guides

Michaela Ederer is already waiting for the guests at the Donaulände, where the “NickoSpirit” moored. The tour guide has longingly awaited the first ship and its passengers. “The last few months have been really tough,” she says. “The majority of the tour guides work as freelancers and rely on the tour guides and the sales they generate with them.”

In the peak of the pandemic, around 7500 tour guides nationwide were unemployed, says Ederer, who is also on the board of the Federal Association of Tour Guides in Germany. Many of her colleagues should have tapped their retirement reserves. “We are therefore very happy,” she says, referring to the arrival of the first passengers.

Passengers: No problem with infection protection

While the guests with audio guides in their ears follow the tour operator’s blue tablet to explore the historic old town of Regensburg, cruise director Selig talks to the passengers who have stayed on the ship. Unless they are sitting in the restaurant or on the summer deck, they all wear mouth and nose protection. Many of the mostly older passengers do not mind the infection control measures. “The guests are used to it,” says Selig. For the provider of cruise travel, however, creating a suitable hygiene concept was a bit of a challenge: In order to maintain the distance, only 143 of the otherwise 170 passengers are currently allowed on board. There is even a certified test center on the “NickoSpirit” so that everyone on the ship can be tested every 48 hours.

End of the cruise boom

While the provider Nicko had previously relied mainly on a German-speaking audience, other shipping companies, such as the largest industry association IG Rivercruise, have a harder time BR demand notifies. In particular, sales of shipping companies that specialize exclusively in guests from overseas such as the USA or Australia fell by 100 percent last year. But also those ships that were able to sail between July and October 2020 recorded losses of between 60 and 70 percent.

“The Queen would declare the year 2020 to be an ‘annus horribilis’. The IG Rivercruise joins this,” said the Industry association. The forecast for 2021 is no better. “The season is short,” said IG Rivercruise. Individual providers have therefore filed for bankruptcy, but had already got into financial difficulties before the pandemic.

Souvenir shops before the end

The lack of cruise business also brought Gabriele Winklmeier into existential difficulties. The 58-year-old has a souvenir shop in the old town of Passau. The ship tourists from the USA and France would actually be their main business. Due to the pandemic, hardly anything happened last year, according to Winklmeier. “This year, too, things have been bad so far: no buses, no ships, no customers. Now the first cruise ships are arriving, but they all dock outside.” She will probably give up her souvenir shop – after 17 years.

Winklmeier looks back with sadness: “Three years ago all hell was going on here. 300 guests as early as eight in the morning. You could still do business there. Today it can happen to me that I don’t have a turnover of 30 euros.” The guests of “NickoSpirit” will probably no longer buy souvenirs in Winklmeier’s shop. The cruise on the river ends in Passau. Several buses are waiting along the landing stage where the suitcases are already lined up. Cruise manager Selig, who has to say goodbye to his guests after nine days, draws a positive balance: “It was a relaxed trip, even if it seems unrelaxed. We were well prepared with the tests on board. Many guests were vaccinated or recovered. That is natural also a great relief for us. “

Cruises start again The return of the dream ships

As of: 06/17/2021 3:52 p.m.

The cruise industry is trying to start over in small steps. Successful vaccinations and falling infection numbers are fueling hopes, but the way out of the crisis should not be an easy one.

By Thomas Spinnler, tagesschau.de

The cruise industry, along with the entire tourism sector, was one of the biggest losers in the pandemic. The entire business came to a standstill at times. The 7-day incidence values, which have recently fallen across Europe, and the vaccination campaign, the progress of which is becoming increasingly noticeable, are awakening hopes for a successful restart in 2021, both in the industry and among those interested in cruises. It is not excluded. Just yesterday, a cruise ship with guests left Hamburg for the first time in seven months . This morning went for the first time since the outbreak of the corona pandemic in front of Palma in Mallorca a cruise ship at anchor, the “Mein Schiff 2” of the German shipping company TUI Cruises. It is said to be the first of more than 20 who will be calling this port by the end of August.

“Time was used”

“The chances of a real fresh start for the cruise industry are very good due to the measures that have been taken,” said Helge Grammerstorf, National Director of the Cruise Lines International Association Germany (Clia) tagesschau.de firmly. The providers used the time to expand the security measures against Corona, to keep the ships ready for the incoming operation and to strengthen the sustainability measures.

However, the memory of what happened during the start of the pandemic last year is likely to be fresh for many. Hundreds of vacationers were stuck on board, some for weeks, ports refused entry – the sometimes dramatic images are not so easy to forget.

“Safer than in the supermarket”

That is why protection against corona remains the determining issue on cruise ships. Grammerstorf is certain that health protection on the ships is guaranteed. Individual corona cases cannot be completely ruled out. But both staff and passengers would be tested before boarding, during the trip and also at the end of the trip.

“In principle, it is safer on the ship than when shopping in the supermarket, since the ships are completely sealed off from the outside,” says the Clia director. This also applies to shore excursions, which take place in closed groups that are not allowed to be left. “In the very rare event that a person should test positive during the voyage, it is provided that all affected persons and their contacts are taken off board to protect everyone else,” says Grammerstorf.

The shipyards are also suffering

The industry is an important economic factor. In Germany alone, the ocean cruise business is worth billions. According to the association’s data, the area with around 48,000 employees generated around 6.6 billion euros in 2019. Above all, however, it represents 80 percent of orders from German shipyards.

The German shipbuilders were therefore hit hard by the crisis. Because many shipyards have specialized in the construction and maintenance of cruise ships. Jobs have also been cut, both at the shipyards and among the cruise lines.

“Offers are accepted”

According to Clia, according to the latest available figures from September 2020, around 28,000 jobs have been lost, more than half. If the industry returns to a reasonably normal and predictable course of business, many will return. No wonder, then, when the hope of a new start becomes more and more urgent.

According to Grammerstorf, the customers are very enthusiastic about the offers, there is a great demand for cruises: “Demand pressure has built up while it was not possible to travel. The pre-bookings for 2022 are also very encouraging.” A more precise forecast is currently not possible, as the countries are only gradually opening up and therefore many departures are scheduled at short notice.

High costs, hardly any income

The business will hardly be profitable at first. No income, or at best low income, is offset by high running costs. After all, the ships cannot simply be completely decommissioned when they are in ports or in roadsteads. Some of the crew must remain on board, the ships must be kept functional, which requires regular and intensive maintenance. In addition, the huge passenger capacities of the ships cannot be used to their full capacity despite the start of travel activity due to the corona-related distance rules. Higher costs, also because of the various protective measures, are offset by lower income, which would have to be offset with higher prices. “At the moment, the main thing is to show that cruises can also take place safely under Corona conditions,” emphasizes Grammerstorf. The cruise operators have to accept that it is likely to be a losing business, at least initially

Contrary to the bustling atmosphere at the weekend, the streets of Ho Chi Minh City on May 30 were quieter after many Covid-19 cases in the community were announced. Many streets in the center of Ho Chi Minh City such as Dong Khoi, Le Duan, Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, Nguyen Du, Hai Ba Trung… were empty. Le Duan Street (District 1) The corners of the central streets of Ho Chi Minh City no longer have the vibrant rhythm of daily life Nguyen Hue pedestrian street (District 1) has been temporarily closed to prevent the Covid-19 epidemic. Nguyen Van Binh book street has also been closed, the entrances are all equipped with tables and chairs, flower beds, and barricades. The area in front of Notre Dame Cathedral on weekends is often crowded with people to visit, today also very few people. Turtle Lake is quiet, no longer the familiar image of students who come here every weekend. Many streets in the city are empty Nguyen Huu Canh Street, even at rush hour, is empty of traffic Cay Go overpass (District 6), an important intersection at the western gateway of Ho Chi Minh City, is no longer crowded as usual. Vo Van Kiet Boulevard is a lifeline of traffic, connecting the two ends of the Northeast – Southwest of the city, but there are few cars on weekends, a very rare image compared to weekdays. A restaurant on Nguyen Trai Street (District 1) only sells takeaways, and at the same time keeps a distance of 2 meters from customers according to the requirements of the authorities.

Officials of the Provincial Center for Disease Control apply IT in investigating and tracing cases with epidemiological factors related to the Covid-19 epidemic. In the face of complicated developments of the Covid-19 epidemic, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh directed to make a full-scale, stronger and more effective offensive with more active, comprehensive and more appropriate solutions. , more effectively in the spirit of “fighting the epidemic like fighting the enemy”. In particular, attention must be paid to epidemic prevention and control from early, remotely, from before the epidemic with the motto 5K + vaccines and technology solutions. Following the direction of the Government and the Prime Minister, during the past time, especially the 3rd and 4th Covid-19 epidemics in 2021, Quang Ninh has always focused on applying IT in work. epidemic prevention and control, has brought effective, such as: NCOVI voluntary health declaration for people; online medical declaration at tokhaiyte.vn (VietNam Health Declaration application); Bluezone detects close contact with sick people, suspected infected people through Bluetooth of smartphones; anti-epidemic map system at antoancovid.vn for service establishments, accommodation, crowded public places such as schools, medical examination and treatment facilities…; The system records people coming and going to public places through scanning QR codes at smartphone applications such as NCOVI, VietNam Health Declaration, Bluezone… Electronic medical declaration and QR code scanning are applied at Bach Dang Bridge epidemic prevention and control checkpoint. Concretize Notice No. 137/TB-VPCP dated May 30, 2021 of the Government Office “Notifying the conclusion of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh at the nationwide online meeting on the prevention and control of Covid-19 epidemic. -19″, the provincial directives related to the mandatory application of technology in the prevention and control of the Covid-19 epidemic, Quang Ninh Department of Information and Communications has actively implemented many solutions. In which, strengthening propaganda, guidance and supervision of localities and units throughout the province on installing Bluezone application; urgently research and build the province’s own website on the prevention and control of the Covid-19 epidemic, providing useful and necessary information to serve the direction and operation of the steering committees at all levels and serve people look up information; integrating the province’s Covid-19 map, connecting with central database systems and synchronizing electronic medical declaration data to serve the direction, administration and tracing; Build your own mobile app… Provincial General Hospital staff update hospital information on the National Covid-19 Safe Coexistence Map. Through the IT and telecommunications foundation infrastructure of the province’s e-Government system such as: Provincial public service portal, official email system, public Wi-Fi system… Department of Information and Communications is the focal point. broadcast messages and developments in epidemic prevention and control as well as the direction and administration of the province; provide information on epidemic prevention and control to press agencies, media as well as basic information systems, including information related to tracing work. At times with special factors, the Department produces newsletters or informational content to provide timely, fastest and absolutely accurate information to the press and the grassroots information system. Information in the province’s epidemic prevention and control is updated on the provincial portal and the provincial e-Government page on the Zalo platform. Most of the departments, branches, localities and units in the province currently have fan pages on facebook; All information on the prevention and control of the Covid-19 epidemic is gathered and posted on the e-Government page of Quang Ninh province on the Zalo platform… This is an important part of helping the province to spread messages to the people in the public sector. disease prevention and control, so that every citizen knows and proactively prevents and effectively prevents epidemics at all times and places. Minh Ha

Improving testing capacity for Covid-19 According to the explanation of Minister Nguyen Thanh Long, this outbreak in Ho Chi Minh City is different from previous times when it was not possible to completely trace all sources of infection. The cause is the appearance of clusters of cases, pathogens can spread and spread quickly, thereby causing potential case misses. Besides, the epidemic in the city has a very fast rate of transmission. When a case is recorded, many people in the family, production line or company have also been infected. Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long held a meeting with the Ho Chi Minh City Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control on the afternoon of June 19. Photo: Khoi Nguyen. Regarding the orientation in the coming time, the Minister of Health emphasized that improving testing capacity is one of the strategic solutions so that Ho Chi Minh City can quickly control and prevent the disease. Accordingly, Ho Chi Minh City needs to quickly improve testing capacity with a capacity of 500,000 aggregate samples per day, this scenario has been proposed before but needs to be implemented immediately to quickly stop the source of infection. Testing should be carried out in different forms, with key areas, to ensure that all relevant people are tested without omission and repeated testing after 5-7 days. With cases detected through screening, testing or hospital examination, the health sector needs to immediately localize and test the entire area, at the same time implement tracing measures and take samples for testing. In relevant cases, it is possible to apply sample 5 with F1, 10-20 with other cases. For industrial zones, the Minister said that Ho Chi Minh City needs regular screening tests to protect this area against the risk of disease invasion. At the same time, Ho Chi Minh City needs to have a large-scale screening test for the whole city in the form of 1-2 people per household. Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long. Photo: Duy Hieu. The Minister emphasized the need to quickly test for antigens, not to leave samples; Strengthening human resources to take samples and perform tests, and at the same time can consider and guide people to take samples for quick testing at home. Medical facilities need to test all patients who come for medical examination and treatment, not only focusing on groups of patients with clinical manifestations such as cough, fever, etc. Minister Nguyen Thanh Long said that the agencies under the Ministry located in the area will be mobilized to support the health sector in Ho Chi Minh City. In which, the University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Ho Chi Minh City mobilizes all students to participate in sampling, the Pasteur Institute of Ho Chi Minh City and other departments will provide maximum support with the coordination of HCMC. Preparing the plan that Ho Chi Minh City has 5,000 cases Minister Nguyen Thanh Long said that Ho Chi Minh City has distanced the whole city according to Directive 15, but the implementation still has many shortcomings. Ho Chi Minh City Hospital for Tropical Diseases, a large-scale Covid-19 treatment center in Ho Chi Minh City, is temporarily blocked. Photo: Chi Hung. The Minister recommended that the distance in Ho Chi Minh City should be implemented in different levels, depending on the characteristics of each area, should not rigidly apply Directive 16 throughout the city. Regarding treatment, Ho Chi Minh City needs to be ready for the scenario of 5,000 cases, plan to coordinate the army forces in the area to establish a field hospital; assigned Cho Ray Hospital to be ready for the scenario of setting up an emergency room to receive treatment for serious patients, especially cases requiring intensive intervention such as ECMO. For this scenario, the health sector in Ho Chi Minh City needs to review and prepare medical facilities, equipment and supplies. The Ministry of Health will provide some necessary equipment such as HFLC equipment, ventilators, ECMO to meet the treatment needs of serious patients. With the work of vaccination against Covid-19 vaccine, the Minister suggested that the city health sector should mobilize all efforts to implement the vaccination campaign according to the plan and schedule.

Map of epidemiological information is established. Look at the map to avoid “hot spots” CovidMaps is an interactive map that helps people locate and look up epidemiological information visually on the map. It helps viewers take proactive precautions when moving near high-risk areas. The map is also a useful communication channel to help authorities promptly notify people of important information when accessing the map. CovidMaps also help professional agencies easily grasp the epidemic situation and detect epidemic hotspots. Le Yen Thanh, General Director of Phenikaa Maas Technology Joint Stock Company – the Covidmaps construction unit, said that the unit built itself using bMap map technology. The CovidMaps epidemiological map is currently being deployed in 9 outbreak localities: Da Nang, Hai Duong, Quang Ninh, Gia Lai, Bac Giang, Vinh Phuc, Phu Yen, Thai Nguyen and Lang Son. In these localities, people only need to access http: Covidmaps. (name of province and city).gov.vn for all epidemiological information related to Covid-19 in your locality. This is an effective tool for people to prevent the spread of the disease, easy to use on smartphones, and can be accessed by anyone. Le Yen Thanh said that when the Covid-19 epidemic broke out, many questions were raised and many problems solved. How to know that you have entered the epidemic area is the key to solving the next steps such as self-isolation, monitoring for signs of virus infection. In fact, the epidemiological information, the travel history of Covid-19 cases is inherently complicated. The updated data to the people is specific and regular (every 2 days), but it is still fragmentary, thus causing many difficulties in memorizing and finding the passing locations of the F0s. Tracing the journey, timely blockade, isolation at the right time is the key to cutting off the chain of infection of the virus. “Covid-19 map” on the application platform BusMap – city buses. The Covid map displays as a regular map with dots showing the locations of susceptible areas. This feature allows users to directly, easily and quickly identify places with a high risk of infection, thereby having an appropriate direction of movement, avoiding entering the epidemic area. The interface design of each map is quite easy to follow. The “stop” sign is the quarantine points, the house-shaped icon is the concentrated isolation facilities, the yellow dot icon is the patient’s home area, the + sign is a hospital and medical facility, the X sign is blockade and medical isolation areas. Each icon corresponds to the corresponding number detailed in real time. In addition, there are the number of F0 patients for the day, the number of Covid patients with updated data, and the phone number of the epidemic in the upper corner of the screen. Effective tool for epidemic prevention Mr. Le Yen Thanh said, when typing a specific address on the map, if that address is in a blockade or medical isolation area, there will be a red warning, with a specific blockade address. Patient housing areas are also highlighted in red. The map currently provides information including: Centralized isolation point, blockade area, patient’s home area, where the patient has been, where the patient has been for more than 14 days. Not stopping at a map just to see, the Covid map also recognizes whether the user’s location is coincident with an area at risk of infection. This helps users know the level of safety of their location and have an appropriate adjustment plan. Currently this feature is being widely introduced to BusMap users. During the process of being put into use, the application will actively receive feedback to improve this feature to provide the best value for people,” said CEO Le Yen Thanh. According to Mr. Le Yen Thanh, applying the epidemiological digital map to management, people can grasp epidemiological information in time, do not move to hot spots, helping to limit the spread in the community. Regarding the security of personal information, the specific information of the infected case such as address, full name is obscured. This is just the information that has been released publicly from the local epidemic prevention and control steering committee. When this data is available, the new data entry operator system is put in, because it is an official source of information, so it completely complies with the provisions of the law on personal confidentiality for infected cases. With the launch of the Covid-19 epidemiological information mapping software on May 24, Lang Son is the 9th province in the country to provide a Covid-19 epidemiological map tool to help the community monitor visually. epidemiological information of local cases through the Internet. As the first locality in the country to apply digital maps in the prevention of the Covid-19 epidemic in the area, Mr. Nguyen Van Quoc, Director of the Information Center for Public Services in Da Nang said: Translation information map Covid-19 epidemiology was built in August 2020 – when the first outbreak of the epidemic broke out in Da Nang and has been continuously improved since then. The data is constantly updated from reputable sources, combining both automatic and manual entry. Manual data entry is performed in cases where the addresses are not clearly identified. The biggest goal of this digital map is to help people have the most intuitive and accurate view of the Covid-19 panorama in Da Nang without having to search for individual bulletins. Le Yen Thanh said that localities in need will be free to transfer the application platform to serve the prevention of the Covid-19 epidemic.

Cases of BN12151-BN12171 were recorded in Bac Giang province in the isolation and blockade areas, related to workers working in industrial zones. The test result was positive for SARS-CoV-2. Cases from BN12172 to BN12231 recorded in HCMC: 51 cases are F1 cases, four are related to the Renaissance mission group, five are under epidemiological investigation. The test result was positive for SARS-CoV-2. To move towards herd immunity by the end of 2021, localities across the country are promoting vaccination against COVID-19. On June 17, an additional 200,263 people were vaccinated against COVID-19 vaccine, so the whole country had 1,991,059 doses of COVID-19 vaccine injected, of which 89,833 people received two full shots. According to data from the Ministry of Health, Thai Binh province has not recorded any new cases for 14 days. A total of 25 provinces (Yen Bai, Quang Ngai, Dong Nai, Quang Ninh, Quang Nam, Quang Tri, Thua Thien Hue, Nam Dinh, Hoa Binh, Tuyen Quang, Son La, Ninh Binh, Thanh Hoa, Thai Nguyen, Hung) Yen, Hai Phong, Tay Ninh, Gia Lai, Bac Lieu, Dien Bien, Dak Lak, Dong Thap, Tra Vinh, Da Nang, Thai Binh) have not recorded new cases for 14 days. The 4th outbreak is having unpredictable developments and spreading rapidly in Ho Chi Minh City, Ha Tinh, Bac Giang, Tien Giang, Nghe An and Binh Duong.

From April to now, Alpha has become the dominant strain in the US. Alpha’s superiority made scientists wonder why this virus strain spread so quickly. Recently, a study published online on June 7 was New York Times The quote has found the “secret of success” of this mutation: Alpha disables the first immune “stronghold” gland in the human body, giving the virus more time to multiply when it enters the body. up quickly. The Alpha mutation once made the UK crippled. Photo: Reuters. “Turn off the bell” alert Alpha has a total of 23 mutations – what sets it apart from other coronavirus strains. When this strain began to spread widely in the UK, researchers began examining the genetic sequence to look for an explanation of why it spread faster than other strains. Many researchers focused on nine mutations that change the proteins that coat the coronavirus and allow them to enter cells. One of those mutations helps the virus bind more closely to these cells, increasing the likelihood of successful infection. But other scientists focus on how Alpha affects the human immune response. Virologist Gregory Towers and colleagues at University College London cultured the coronavirus in human lung cells. They compared cells infected with Alpha with those infected with previous variants of the coronavirus. The team found that alpha-containing lung cells produced less interferon. Interferon is a protein produced naturally by cells in the immune system. They also found that in cells with Alpha, defense genes activated by interferon were less effective than in cells infected with other strains. Somehow, the most important “alarm bell” of the immune system barely “sounds” in the presence of the Alpha variant. “It becomes almost invisible (when it enters the human body),” Dr. Towers said. The UK has to impose strict restrictions because the strain B.1.1.7 spreads quickly. Photo: LBC. To find out how Alpha achieves this “invisibility,” the researchers looked at how the coronavirus replicates inside infected cells. They found that Alpha-infected cells made a lot of extra copies – about 80 times more than other variants – of a gene called Orf9b. According to previous research by molecular biologist Nevan Krogan and colleagues at the University of California, San Francisco, Orf9b makes a viral protein that attacks Tom70 — a protein needed to release interferon when the virus enters the body. body. From all of these studies, Dr. Krogan concluded that the Alpha variant contained a mutation that produced more Orf9b protein than normal. The Orf9b protein surrounds the Tom70 protein, reducing interferon production. The infected virus is no longer hindered by the immune system, so it rapidly multiplies in the human body. About 12 hours after infection, the immune system starts working again. Therefore, Dr. Towers speculates, people infected with Alpha have a stronger response than those infected with other strains. The virus-laden mucus lingers in both their oral and nasal cavities, making Alpha more contagious than ever. However, Dr. Laurent-Rolle insists more evidence is needed to support this conclusion. For example, scientists have not yet run a standard test to test the amount of the Orf9b protein. Dr. Krogan said he and his colleagues are looking to practice that experiment now. Totally different Dr. Krogan’s group also started similar tests on other strains, including the strain first identified in South Africa, called Beta (B.1.351) and the first identified strain. first in India, called Delta (B.1.617.2). The preliminary results surprised them. Both Beta and Delta reduce interferon in infected cells. But there is no indication that these two strains did so in the same way that Alpha did. Each strain evolved in a different way to control the immune system. Virus mutant particles B.1.1.7 from patient samples in the laboratory. Photo: NIAID. Cecile King, an immunologist at the Garvan Institute for Medical Research in Sydney, Australia, stressed that understanding how the virus evades the immune system will help in the development of a Covid-19 vaccine. Vaccines now help the immune system recognize mutated proteins. But research on patients recovering from Covid-19 shows that their immune systems learn to recognize viral proteins, including Orf9b. Some researchers are looking to include the coronavirus protein in a new vaccine. But this process needs care because some proteins reduce immunity. “It’s a pretty complicated process. But if we take a closer look, it might be possible,” Dr. King said.

Leaders of the Office of the Provincial People’s Committee, the Provincial Fatherland Front Committee, the Department of Health received and presented letters of thanks to the TML volunteer group. Through reference and research from available samples on the domestic market and some countries such as Korea and Japan, the group has focused on improving equipment to suit the actual conditions in Vietnam. According to the design of the sampling room with a width of 1.1 m, a length of 2.2 m, a height of 2.3 m, equipped with air conditioners and UV lights to help clean the air inside after each shift. A representative of the TLM team instructs medical staff to use the testing room. In addition, the room is equipped with an electronic speaker to help medical staff easily exchange information with the person being sampled outside. Medical staff can flexibly use specialized rubber gloves or medical gloves to conduct sampling. It is known that the group has produced 15 rooms so far, of which 5 rooms are given to Bac Giang province, 5 rooms in Hanoi, 3 rooms in Bac Ninh, and 2 rooms in Thai Binh. Medical staff inspecting equipment for taking samples for testing. Leaders of the Office of the Provincial People’s Committee, the Provincial Fatherland Front Committee, the Department of Health gave letters of thanks to the members of the TML volunteer group for actively researching product design, thereby helping medical staff to reduce the pressure on their products. force while on duty, prevent cross-infection in the community, and improve the effectiveness of epidemic prevention and control. At the same time, we hope that the group will continue to have many effective projects to support Bac Giang and other provinces and cities across the country that are affected by the epidemic. On the same day, the Department of Health allocated sampling rooms for testing in the following districts: Luc Nam, Lang Giang and Yen Dung; directing units to strengthen management and efficient exploitation of equipment. News, photo: Mai Toan

A couple and marriage registration certificate. (Source: wsj.com) New York State and New York City have fully reopened since May 19, but there is one place that is still unable to welcome special guests, happy people, that is the New York marriage registration office. . The building is located in the central district of Manhattan where people not only in New York come to register their marriage, so the standard important procedure here is that couples will hug, kiss passionately and take photos to save. memorable moment after being awarded the sacred certificate. But now, the traditional procedures indispensable for couples who want to be married cannot be done because of the risk of infection. COVID-19 too high, even when the pandemic has been pushed back in New York as it is now. The New York marriage registration office has been closed since March 2020 after the pandemic broke out here. It has long been considered a symbolic destination for marriage, and before the pandemic hit, this massive building saw long lines of brides and grooms lining up to be officially spoken. “I agree/you agree” to your other half. In an interview with the Vietnam News Agency reporter, Mr. Michael McSweeney, in charge of the marriage registration office New York , stated: “Before the pandemic hit, our office was very busy, especially during the warmer months, and we did marriage formalities for couples on a first-come, first-served basis. So every day, many people come to line up, they bring their relatives and children here, so the atmosphere is always fun like a festival. A lot of people in other places also want to choose New York as the place to officially say something special.” At that time, flower and photography shops are always ready to open their doors to welcome happy guests to capture their memorable moments. But those scenes are now gone. As of March 2020, marriage recognition ceremonies in New York must be conducted online, and couples receive marriage certificates also on the online platform. In 2020, the office marriage registration New York held an online marriage registration ceremony for 25,603 couples; much less than the 75,370 pairs registered in 2019 due to the impact of the pandemic. Joanne Stevenson and her husband, who went to the New York marriage office to complete the marriage certificate in 2019, shared: “It’s boring to see this place so quiet, but to be honest, that’s why we didn’t have to. have to line up.” As for Joanne’s husband, she remembers the scene like a “happy office” when they went to do the marriage procedures in 2019. He feels sorry now that couples have to get married online . City officials are planning to be able to open the door to welcome couples to register for marriage while ensuring everyone’s safety, but the ability to organize according to the traditional method before the pandemic is still too difficult. . Mr. McSweeney said that the marriage registration office is currently working with relevant New York City agencies to develop a specific plan to help people come to register their marriage directly as before. .

Level 1: This is the mildest level of intoxication, the person may not feel the obvious signs. Sometimes it will be confused with other skin problems. Usually, people infected with corticosteroids only feel mild itching on the skin at this stage. Grade 2: The condition of the skin has become worse. The skin appears blisters and spreads all over the face. These blisters then burst, leading to a skin infection. Level 3: The stage of dilatation of blood vessels under the skin. The patient always feels hot on the skin, especially when exposed to the sun or near hot areas. The face is swollen due to the accumulation of water and pus in the skin, and the pain is more intense. Level 4: The condition of the skin accumulating water and pus is more severe. In addition, the patient will feel the heat, burning more and more continuously than before. Grade 5: This is the most severe stage of the disease, named the irritant dermatitis stage. At this point, the blisters and pus have begun to peel and ooze outside, feeling terrible pain. The skin shows signs of severe infection, even necrosis. Cucumber mask… Corticosteroid-induced dermatitis Dry skin peeling form: This is a mild form, low toxicity corticosteroids, short time use, low concentration mixed: mild to moderate dry skin, not too severe, with itching; no papules; no redness of the skin; does not burn the skin; fast recovery time within 1-2 months of treatment. Irritant dermatitis: This is a very severe and acute form caused by the use of strong and highly toxic corticosteroids. Manifestations of symptoms: redness of the skin, accompanied by burning; itchy skin; dry, flaky skin in thick, rough patches; red papules, blisters; vesicles bursting with yellow exudate and the risk of skin infection. Acne-prone and seborrheic dermatitis: This is a persistent inflammatory skin disease that can last up to a year: oily skin and dirty-looking skin; skin with whiteheads, blackheads often stop using the cream; skin with inflammatory acne, pustules; skin with many concave scars and dark scars… Prolonged vasodilating erythroderma: This is a persistent severe form due to the application of corticosteroids, dexamethasone in pure unmixed form for a long time for several years or more: red, burning skin; redness of the skin that increases with facial movements, body movements, emotions, heat or chemicals; vasodilatation, redness of the skin that repeats many times a day, accompanied by a feeling of swelling in the face, tension under the skin, stinging, itching like ants… Blistering dermatitis: This is a severe, acute form, also known as Steven Johnson syndrome (toxic superficial necrosis syndrome) caused by highly toxic corticosteroid infection on congenital atopy. Manifestations include: the skin becomes more and more blister-like; may become infected the blisters turn into pockets of pus; blisters burst painful, burning; dry blisters, skin peels off leaving papules or prolonged redness; then the skin is darkened after inflammation. Signs of skin infection with corticosteroids. Steps to treat and restore skin Corticosteroid-infected skin can be completely improved, but the extent of skin recovery depends on the health and condition of each person’s skin. Moreover, the patient must be very patient and careful. The disease can be completely cured if detected early and the patient follows the treatment process properly. The steps below apply only to the case of using the cream mix for less than 1 year, the less time used, the higher the possibility of cure and recovery. In case of using a cream containing corticosteroids for a longer time, it is necessary to follow a separate treatment regimen of a dermatologist. Reducing and spacing out the frequency of using products containing corticosteroids: The principle is to slowly wean off so that the skin can adapt, so limit the application of the cream and gradually reduce the duration of application, until it is completely stopped. The time for each reduction in the number of applications is about 1-2 weeks. If you stop applying it suddenly, the skin will become worse, more acne-prone, itchy, dry, very uncomfortable. You can use acne medication, but only as prescribed by your doctor. Absolutely do not go to the spa to squeeze acne, it will be very easy to pit your face. You should let the acne break and pick it up gently. Do not take any more antibiotics or acne medications, because once the acne flares up, it will come up again. Care and protect the skin carefully during the treatment: Skin protection is a very important step to support the treatment. Because during the treatment, the skin becomes very weak and sensitive, the patches of peeling and blisters are dense. If you are not careful and protect the skin carefully, bacteria will easily penetrate, causing the skin to become infected. This interferes with the regeneration and healing process, if more severe, it will cause the skin to die. It is recommended to use a cleanser specifically for acne-sensitive skin, usually in the form of a non-foaming or very mild foaming milk cream, with a skin-friendly pH (between 5.0 and 6.0) to avoid causing dryness, use 2 times /day in the morning and evening. Do not use oily, foamy or granular cleansers because it can easily irritate the skin. If the skin is too weak, with blood veins, peeling skin, itching and discomfort, daily use of 0.9% sodium chloride physiological saline should be used to wash your face. Salt has the effect of reducing inflammation, reducing itching, antiseptic, removing dead skin … The most basic thing is to use sunscreen, cover it carefully when going out or in a dusty environment. The sunscreen and skin care products that doctors recommend are those for sensitive skin with SPF 30-50. Detoxify the skin: You should boil green tea leaves and drink daily instead of filtered water, then wash your face with that tea. Green tea has antibacterial, acne treatment and detoxifies very well. You can replace green tea by drinking lettuce or lemonade without sugar, or drinking detox tea, or detox tea. In addition, you should also steam 1-2 times per week to push out impurities in the skin and unclog pores. Should use perilla + marjoram + wormwood, or lemongrass + ginger, if picky, add a pinch of salt and half a lemon… All put in a pot to boil and then sit with a pot covered with a blanket or a large towel in the pot. for about 15 minutes or until the heat is gone. Mask to restore skin: Apply a mask 1-2 times a week with turmeric powder + honey + yogurt (or fresh milk). Also can use mask cucumber, bitter melon, tomato, green tea… Weak skin should not leave the mask on the face for too long, only 5-10 minutes. And if the skin is too thin and weak, then skip the mask, because the powder particles can make the thin skin more damaged.

Preparing to test Covid-19 isolation monitoring bracelet The first type is the Bluezone smart bracelet, manufactured by a Vietnamese enterprise. The expected price is 6 USD / unit, equivalent to about 138,000 VND. The bracelet uses Bluezone open source core, 30-day battery, and is used in cases where smartphones are not used like in factories, used for the elderly … to support monitoring, medical declaration… The second type is a GPS navigation bracelet to help manage in the isolation area, priced at 35 USD/piece (equivalent to 800,000 VND). This bracelet will identify the wearer’s location, have a warning to destroy or remove the bracelet; 30 days battery, can be charged repeatedly and reused. The bracelet has a warning sent to the quarantined person, the medical officer in charge when leaving the allowed range or violating the predetermined route. Previously, to comply with the request of the National Steering Committee for the Prevention and Control of the Covid-19 epidemic to complete the application to manage entry people from the time of entry, at the isolation area and to monitor their health after the end. On May 8, the Ministry of Information and Communications proposed to apply a specialized bracelet to support the monitoring of people in concentrated isolation and after centralized isolation developed by Vietnamese technology enterprises. According to the Ministry of Information and Communications, some countries have exported solutions to monitor quarantined subjects, but the use of available foreign solutions will lead to many limitations in mastering and customizing to suit the Vietnamese context. Male. The purchase of foreign solutions is also dependent on the production capacity of the partner, which can significantly affect the Covid-19 prevention and control plan. Meanwhile, Vietnamese enterprises now also have solutions (mastering technology and data stored in Vietnam) and sufficient production capacity, ready to deploy on a large scale in a short time. The quarantine bracelet can open up a new management direction for low-risk quarantined people, who will be fitted with a bracelet to monitor their self-isolation at home. This approach helps to reduce the risk of cross-contamination in the isolation area, and at the same time reduces the social burden, especially the epidemic prevention and control team. Besides this bracelet, a number of other technological solutions have been deployed by the National Center for Technology for Covid-19 Prevention and Control to manage isolation, manage vaccinations and certify electronic vaccines… the fight against the Covid-19 epidemic.

Le Thanh Ton Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City is deserted because of the implementation of social distancing. (Photo: Thanh Vu/VNA) Currently, Ho Chi Minh City has many outbreaks of unknown origin in the community and from there spreading to many people, so it is necessary to accelerate the screening and wide-ranging work to end the infection chains. This is the direction of Mr. Nguyen Thanh Phong, Chairman of the People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City at the meeting of the city’s Steering Committee for Epidemic Prevention and Control on the afternoon of June 15. Reporting at the meeting, Mr. Nguyen Tan Binh, Director of Ho Chi Minh City’s Department of Health, said that on June 15, the city recorded 90 cases of COVID-19. Up to now, Ho Chi Minh City has 1,252 cases of COVID-19 in the community with many outbreaks with wide spread such as the outbreak of the Phuc Hung mission group with 476 positive cases for SARS-CoV-2; Outbreak Hoc Mon Mechanical Workshop has 51 positive cases; Ehome 3 apartment outbreak has a total of 59 positive cases; Outbreak Road 11 (Hiep Binh Phuoc ward, Thu Duc city) has 8 positive cases; Outbreaks in Tan Thoi 2 and Tan Thoi Hiep 3 hamlets (Tan Hiep commune, Hoc Mon district) have 32 positive cases; Kim Minh company outbreak (Ward 13, District 5) has 27 positive cases; Outbreak Tan Phu District Hospital has 14 positive cases; Outbreak of Xuyen A Hospital has 22 positive cases… The director of the Department of Health is concerned about the outbreak at the Hospital for Tropical Diseases because the number of cases has reached 67, of which 60 are medical staff and 7 cases are family members of these staff. . Besides, more and more cases appear in companies and industrial zones in recent days. Concerned about the situation of many new infection chains appearing in the community, Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Nguyen Thanh Phong acknowledged that new outbreaks appear according to a common formula of hospital screening. detecting cases, then screening and tracing at living quarters and workplaces again discovered new cases. “There are more and more new cases with unknown sources of infection, so for infection chains with unknown sources of infection, it is necessary to focus on screening, testing and testing on a large scale because if not blocked, the epidemic will spread. to the community,” Mr. Nguyen Thanh Phong expressed concern. Chairman of the People’s Committee Nguyen Thanh Phong directed, in the immediate future, the health sector must carefully screen risk groups in hospitals; Sampling implementation extensive testing to industrial area , export processing zones from now until June 25; at the same time, monitor high-risk places including domestic and international flights, trains and ships entering Ho Chi Minh City. Mr. Nguyen Thanh Phong also suggested that departments, branches, districts of the city must be ready to prepare plans for epidemic prevention and control in a spirit of speed and determination because of the fact that there are still many cases of negligence in the public sector. epidemic prevention and control. According to the Chairman of the People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City, this is the time when the entire political system must try and devote all its efforts to the goal of epidemic prevention and control, ensuring the safety and health of the people. Only in this way can we shorten the time of social distancing and bring life back to a new normal.

Laos injects three vaccines, Pfizer, AstraZeneca and Sinopharm, free of charge to the people. On June 15, Laos started a new round of free vaccinations for people to reach the goal of 50% of the population being vaccinated against Covid-19. Vaccination in Laos has slowed down for a while because the country has to balance both the amount of vaccine received as well as the increasing demand for vaccination of the people after the second round of Covid-19 outbreak in Laos. Laos in mid-April. The latest batch of vaccines that Laos received was on the afternoon of June 14, with the help of China with the amount of 500,000 doses of Sinopharm vaccine that arrived in Vientiane through Wattay international airport. This is the fifth time China has donated vaccines to Laos, bringing the total number of Covid-19 vaccines that Laos has received from China to 1,902 million doses. As of the afternoon of June 14, Laos had received 2,135,620 doses of Covid-19 vaccine from countries and international organizations, the first dose was given to 713,709 cases, the second injection was given to 394,679 cases. well suited. According to the Lao Ministry of Health, the country has started a new round of vaccination with specific regulations for different vaccines that Laos receives aid from countries and international organizations. Accordingly, from today, starting the first dose of Pfizer vaccine in Vientiane, this is the number of vaccines Laos received by COVAX on June 2 with the amount of 100,620 doses. This vaccine can only be administered in Vientiane because the Pfizer vaccine is the type that needs to be stored in special equipment. Subjects include three subjects who are over 60 years old, people with underlying medical conditions, and officials and civil servants with a high-risk working environment for Covid-19. In addition, starting today, Laos also deployed the first dose of Sinopharm vaccine after receiving another 500 thousand doses from China; Administer the second dose of AstraZeneca vaccine to subjects who received the first dose. The latest information on June 15 published by the National Task Force for the control and settlement of the Covid-19 epidemic in Laos said that on June 14, Laos tested 2,025 cases, the results detected 15 positive cases. There are six cases of community transmission (in Vientiane Capital) and nine imported cases from Thailand (Champasak province and Savannakhet province). On June 14, there were 1,935 cases of entry into Laos, all cases entering Laos were checked for body temperature, taken samples for testing and isolated according to regulations (except for freight drivers). Since January 2020, Laos has tested 274,907 cases, detected 2,025 positive cases for SARS-CoV-2 virus (three cases have died). To date, 1,905 cases have been discharged, 117 cases are continuing to be treated. Currently, across Laos, there are 4,224 cases in isolation at 51 centers according to regulations. All cases in isolation centers have been sampled for Covid-19 testing.

Immediately after, the Center for Disease Control of Dong Thap province conducted a confirmation PCR test sample for this case and the result was negative for SARS-CoV-2. Dong Thap province has two confirmed PCR testing facilities. Explaining this result, the Dong Thap health sector said that usually, rapid tests have high sensitivity to easily screen all suspected cases so as not to miss subjects when investigating and tracing. But with the rapid test, it is not possible to confirm that the subject has Covid-19 but after performing the rapid test, a PCR test must be performed to confirm the screened result. New PCR test confirms whether the subject has Covid-19 or not. Related to the above case, today, there has been a lot of information on social networks that reflects incorrectly, causing confusion and insecurity in public opinion. Phuong Chau Sa Dec International Hospital is operating normally, well streamlining all stages, well implementing regulations on epidemic prevention and control for medical examination and inpatient departments. Dong Thap province’s functional sector recommends that people should select official information from competent professional agencies to speak, avoid spreading and sharing false information that causes confusion among the public.

Immunity in a person who has had COVID-19 lasts up to 13 months after infection. A study at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis (USA) also emphasizes the effect of vaccination after COVID-19 infection, because some patients under observation have very low antibody levels. In a study by Rockefeller University scientists (USA) who followed 63 people with COVID-19 in the spring of 2020. They found that antibodies are produced by recording B lymphocytes memory becomes more effective in neutralizing SARS-CoV-2. In addition, the researchers also found that “vaccination boosts immunity naturally developed by these people during infection, to the point where they can be protected against new variants appear”. Therefore, once infected with the virus and vaccinated against COVID-19, immunity will be created especially strong. Rosemary ( Femme Actuelle June 2021 )

This company has now been locked down and sampled all 350 employees at the garment factory. Also located in Vinh Loc A Industrial Park, on June 12, through screening, Quoc Anh General Hospital discovered a positive case for nCoV. This person is a worker at Van Duc Food Company. The health sector has traced and sampled more than 100 F1. 500 workers at the facility’s dormitories have been tested. Through the screening of these two companies, the health sector discovered 11 positive aggregate samples. The health sector is conducting large-scale screening samples in industrial zones. Photo: Chi Hung. In addition, on June 13, through screening, Xuyen A Hospital discovered a positive case of a worker in Tan Phu Trung Industrial Park. The health sector detected 4 more positive cases and 6 positive pool samples. Binh said another infection chain was detected through community screening in a residential area of ​​An Lac ward, Binh Tan district. Through testing more than 1,500 workers staying in Binh Tan district, working at PouYuen Company, two positive cases were found. This afternoon, the health sector tested about 1,000 workers and the Department of Health is expanding rapid antigen testing in this area. Binh informed that on the afternoon of June 15, the Department of Health coordinated with Binh Tan and Binh Chanh districts to test more than 25,000 officials and workers in Vinh Loc Industrial Park. According to the announcement of the Ministry of Health, from April 27 to now, Ho Chi Minh City has 894 Covid-19 patients. In particular, the largest outbreak related to the Renaissance missionary group was basically under control. However, the epidemic was complicated when there were many clusters of cases with unknown sources of transmission. In particular, the epidemic has penetrated the Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Ho Chi Minh City. The first case was detected on June 12 in the information technology department. Only 4 days after being discovered, this outbreak had 69 people including medical staff and related people. On June 14, Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Nguyen Thanh Phong made a decision to ease social distancing in Go Vap district and Thanh Loc ward (district 12), reducing from applying Directive 16 to Directive 15. The city remains separated under Directive 15 for 2 weeks. Unloading checkpoints in Go Vap At 0:00 on June 15, all quarantine checkpoints at the gateway of Go Vap district were lifted according to the decision to reduce the distance level of Ho Chi Minh City.

Cu Chi Covid-19 Treatment Hospital has received 192 patients/500 beds for Covid-19 treatment. The fact that Cu Chi Covid-19 Treatment Hospital is on-site dialysis for 5 Covid-19 patients is a very good thing, acknowledging the outstanding efforts of the medical staff working here, when before Meanwhile, Ho Chi Minh City Hospital for Tropical Diseases has not been able to do this. In addition, Cu Chi Covid-19 Treatment Hospital can also perform emergency surgical interventions, gastrointestinal endoscopic interventions, obstetric interventions, etc. on Covid-19 patients without having to be transferred to other hospitals. city’s specialist hospital. This helps the health sector in Ho Chi Minh City not be passive in receiving severe Covid-19 patients, especially when it has to blockade the City Hospital for Tropical Diseases as in the past days. As for the 500-bed Covid-19 treatment unit, “split into two” from Pham Ngoc Thach Hospital, as of June 15, it has received 10 Covid-19 patients for treatment. Trung Vuong Hospital is ready to take part in receiving and treating Covid-19 patients, with a scale of 1,000 beds. Thus, the health sector of Ho Chi Minh City has realized the goal of deploying 2,500 beds to treat Covid-19 patients at 8 hospitals, including: Cu Chi field hospital (300 beds), Hospital Covid-19 treatment in Can Gio (600 beds), City Hospital for Tropical Diseases (400 beds), Cu Chi Covid-19 Treatment Hospital (500 beds), Pham Ngoc Thach Hospital (500 beds), Hospital City Children’s Hospital (100 beds), Children’s Hospital 2 (60 beds), Cho Ray Hospital (40 beds). The health sector of Ho Chi Minh City is ready to implement a plan to increase the total number of beds for treating Covid-19 patients to 3,500 beds, when Trung Vuong Hospital comes in, with 1,000 treatment beds. Another good news is that from June 16, Tan Phu District Hospital will reopen, after 15 days of temporary blockade due to 4 emergency drivers infected with Covid-19 from the outbreak of the Ehome 3 apartment complex. Binh Tan District). During medical isolation to prevent and control the Covid-19 epidemic, medical staff who were in close contact with Covid-19 cases were taken to quarantine according to regulations. Isolation staff at the hospital and at home all adhere to isolation regulations, are periodically tested for Covid-19 with all negative results. According to the Board of Directors of Tan Phu District Hospital, the hospital has arranged to arrange personnel and start up equipment to be ready for operation again on June 16, 2021.

Thus, for the Covid-19 epidemic from the end of April until now, the total amount that EVN and its member units have contributed and supported for the affected provinces and cities, as well as supported the The health sector’s epidemic prevention and control activities are more than VND 408 billion. Currently, EVN and its units are trying to continue to perform well the “dual duty”, both to prevent and control the Covid-19 epidemic, and to ensure electricity supply for economic development. – society of the country. In addition, from the electricity bill period June to December 2021, EVN will exempt and reduce electricity bills for 2 groups of customers: tourist accommodation establishments and establishments used as isolation places, treating people suspected of being infected with Covid-19. Step 1: Visit https://www.bluezone.gov.vn or download directly at App Store or CH Play. Step 2: Once downloaded, the application will ask for permission to use Bluetooth to record contact with other Bluezone installed users. If Bluetooth is not open, drag the status bar and turn on Bluetooth; or go to Settings, select Bluetooth and turn it on. Step 3: Once the installation is done, click Scan Around. If someone near you less than 2m has used Bluezone, the application will automatically identify these users and put them in the contact list.

Workers collect garbage in the quarantine area. Photo: CTC Worried waste collection workers Due to the outbreak of COVID-19 epidemic, garbage collectors are very concerned because the waste source has the potential to contain pathogens, especially in isolation and blockade areas. However, due to the nature of their work, environmental sanitation workers still have to perform this task. According to Mr. Tran Van Toan (environmental sanitation worker of Ho Chi Minh City Urban Environment Company Limited): “The COVID-19 epidemic broke out, we felt very worried, the nature of our work had to continue. come in contact with a lot of waste and can’t tell which ones contain pathogens. However, we are fully equipped with protective equipment and strictly adhere to epidemic prevention and control, so we are somewhat reassured.” Agreeing, Ms. PTT (a garbage collector in Tan Phu district) shared: “With the current epidemic situation, many people don’t even dare to go out, let alone access the isolation and collection areas. garbage, because it’s really hard to know where there are infected people. However, sanitation workers like us, if they don’t do it, they won’t have a source of income to take care of their families. We hope that we will be given priority to vaccinate against COVID-19 to help alleviate some worries.” There is a risk of disease transmission from medical waste Ho Chi Minh City Urban Environment Company Limited (CITENCO) is the unit that collects and transports medical waste and waste at hospitals, isolation areas for treatment of COVID-19 patients in Ho Chi Minh City. and isolation areas, blockade areas established under the decision of the People’s Committees of districts in the city. According to experts, in isolated and isolated areas, the waste that is often at risk of infection is hazardous medical waste. For workers who collect, transport and process this type of waste, there is also a high risk of infection. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Huu Dung, Chairman of the Vietnam Built Environment Association, commented: The collection, transportation and treatment of waste in isolation areas, field hospitals and COVID-19 patients’ blockade It is necessary to strictly follow the instructions and regulations on environmental safety and hygiene. Sanitation workers who collect and transport this type of waste, if not properly protected, are likely to be infected with disease. “The waste in the isolation area, this field hospital is mixed with household waste and medical waste, including hazardous waste such as bandages, medicine, patient waste… Especially, viruses. can be transmitted in the air and remain on the surface of the object for a certain time,” Dung said. Also according to Prof. Dr. Nguyen Huu Dung, environmental sanitation workers who collect, transport and process various types of waste are very susceptible to exposure. Therefore, they need to be equipped with safe and appropriate working tools, and should enjoy appropriate protection and remuneration. “In my opinion, first of all, they should be given priority to get vaccinated against COVID-19 to prevent disease,” said Dr. Proposal to prioritize vaccination for garbage collectors According to a representative of CITENCO, currently all medical waste in hospitals, centers and polyclinics is collected and treated by the company according to the strict process of hazardous waste. During the outbreak of COVID-19, the company was directed by the People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City to be in charge of collecting domestic waste in the isolation area for patients infected with COVID-19. To ensure the safety of workers during the process of collecting, transporting and treating wastes that may contain COVID-19, CITENCO proposes to the City People’s Committee and the Department of Health to give priority to public officials and employees. The company is participating in the collection and transportation of waste vaccinated against COVID-19 as soon as possible. “The recommended vaccination cases include the staff directly managing and directing the company’s epidemic prevention and control; workers and drivers who directly collect, transport and treat wastes that may contain COVID-19, medical waste, domestic waste, and cremation; workers often come into contact with people,” said the representative. In Hanoi, Mr. Nguyen Huu Tien, General Director of Hanoi Urban Environment One Member Limited Liability Company (URENCO), also said: The company has sent a written request to the Hanoi People’s Committee, the Steering Committee for COVID-19 prevention and control. The Hanoi Department of Health considers and creates favorable conditions for the company’s officers and employees to be given priority to vaccinate against COVID-19. Hazardous waste is strictly handled According to CITENCO, the collection, transportation and treatment of medical waste are carried out by the company according to a very strict process, ensuring the safety of workers and preventing the spread of disease to the outside. The workers are equipped with protective gear that meets the standards of the medical industry. Accordingly, the waste is sealed in a special yellow container or bag, labeled with a warning of the risk of infection. Garbage before being collected to put on specialized transport vehicles (closed containers) is sprayed with disinfectant. Waste when transported to Dong Thanh waste treatment site (Hoc Mon district) continues to spray disinfectant again before being processed by high-temperature combustion technology. After burning, waste must be solidified and buried in a safe landfill dedicated to hazardous waste.

Explaining the mechanism of action of this method, Mr. Quang said, test participants will be gargling with salt water. This solution is then put into a test tube and placed in the test device. If in other methods, the time to return the results will take from half an hour to several hours. Meanwhile, with this method, it only takes 10 seconds to produce results, Mr. Quang shared. Bkav CEO Nguyen Tu Quang. Photo: Trong Dat To do this, Bkav uses a frequency band of light shining into the test tube containing the patient’s saline solution, which is collected by the sensor at the output. Bkav’s artificial intelligence technology will help measure how much frequency is absorbed. Different frequencies of absorption produce different types of disease, in this case Covid-19. Mr. Quang said: “The naked eye can’t recognize the difference of those absorption frequencies. We have to train the AI ​​to know which is the specimen of the Covid patient and which is the human sample. not infected with Covid-19”. According to Quang, Bkav’s method of testing for Covid-19 with saline mouthwash solution will give faster results than conventional methods. The founder of Bkav company said that compared to the method of testing Covid-19 by breath, the salt water test technology is simpler, with the investment money for a testing unit much cheaper, even almost no cost. This test method has been tested by Bkav since the end of 2020 at the Central Hospital for Tropical Diseases. “Initial results were recorded as positive with a recognition rate of over 90%,” Mr. Quang said. According to CEO of Bkav, this business is the second company in the world to develop saline testing technology. Previously, a company in Israel had developed this technology.

Workers give an H9 bird flu vaccine to chicks at a farm in Changfeng district, Anhui province, April 14, 2013. Photo: Reuters. A 41-year-old man in eastern China’s Jiangsu province has been confirmed as the first case of a rare bird flu called H10N3, Beijing’s National Health Commission (NHC) said. The man, a resident of Zhenjiang City, was hospitalized on April 28 and was diagnosed with H10N3 on May 28, the NHC said on June 1, adding that his condition was stable. determined. The NHC did not give details on how the man became infected but said a check of his close contacts found no other cases and the risk of transmission was very low. What does the world know about H10N3? Little is known about this virus, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), which appears to be very rare in birds and does not cause serious illness. The World Health Organization (WHO) said that although the source of the patient’s exposure to the H10N3 virus has not been identified and no other cases have been found in the local population, there is still no indication of the disease. person-to-person transmission. However, avian influenza viruses may have little effect on birds but can have much more severe effects in humans, such as the H7N9 strain that killed nearly 300 people in China during the winter of 2016-2017. The WHO says there are only rare cases of human-to-human transmission of the H7N9 virus. What is the risk of H10N3 infection? The risk of further transmission of H10N3 is currently thought to be very low, with experts describing the case as “sporadic”. Such cases occasionally occur in China, where there are large numbers of domestic and wild birds of many species. And with increased surveillance of avian influenza among the population, more and more cases of avian influenza virus infections are occurring. In February, Russia reported its first human case of the highly damaging H5N8 virus on poultry farms across Europe, Russia and East Asia last winter. Authorities said seven people infected with the virus had no symptoms. Experts would be wary of any cluster of H10N3 cases, but for now, a single case is not a cause for concern. The WHO told Reuters in a statement: “As long as avian influenza viruses are circulating in poultry, sporadic human infection of avian influenza is not surprising, it is a living reminder that the threat of an influenza pandemic persists.” According to Filip Claes, regional laboratory coordinator of FAO’s Transboundary Animal Diseases Emergencies Center in the Asia Pacific regional office, only about 160 virus isolates have been reported. for 40 years to 2018. However, influenza viruses can mutate rapidly and mix with other strains circulating on farms or among migratory birds, known as “reclassification,” which means they can produce new strains of the virus. Genetic changes pose a threat of transmission to humans. What more will the world need to know? The genetic sequence of the virus that infects the patient has yet to be published and will be needed to fully assess its risk. Scientists will want to know how easily H10N3 can infect human cells to determine if it could pose a greater risk. For example, the H5N1 variant that first infected humans in 1997 is the most lethal, killing 455 people globally to date. It takes only a few mutations before the H5N1 variant is capable of spreading easily from person to person, said Ben Cowling, a professor at the University of Hong Kong’s School of Public Health. Having the genetic information of the H10N3 variant will help assess whether it is “closer to the virus we should be worried about,” he said.

Marjoram Illustration. If fresh leaves are available, the mother just needs to wash them, pound them, and then pour the water into the baby bath water. If not, you can dry the marjoram leaves and use them gradually. For each baby bath, the mother takes a handful of dried leaves, puts them in a pot to boil for a while, and then mixes them in bath water for the baby. Marjoram juice helps heat rash “fly” quickly and baby’s skin will be smooth again. Bitter melon Bitter gourd is very safe for young children. Mothers can take 1-2 bitter melons, cut them into small pieces and put them in a blender with boiled water to cool, then filter out the residue, mix it with water to bathe the baby. Bitter melon is very cool, benign, has a beautiful green color and a slight aroma. When bathing the baby, the essence of this fruit will penetrate into the skin to soothe the heat rash and skin irritation. Oatmeal Bathing your baby with oats is a trick I learned from a foreign friend. Oatmeal grind into powder, mix in bath water, soak baby in water several times a day. The avenanthramide in oatmeal has natural anti-inflammatory properties, which will help the heat rash heal faster. Things you should not do when your baby has heat rash – Do not squeeze too much lemon or boil the leaf juice too thick. Squeezing a lot of lemon into the bath water or directly rubbing lemon on the skin can cause irritation and damage to the baby’s skin due to its high acid content. If you mix lemon and salt into the bath water, don’t use too much, but pay attention to the right ratio, because otherwise it will sting and irritate the baby’s immature skin. With the cooking of leaves, mothers should not cook too thick, because the starch of the leaves can accumulate on the skin, causing bacterial infections, dermatitis, allergies for the baby. – Do not bathe the leaves when the baby’s skin is scratched and festering. When the skin is already in a state of redness, inflammation is too severe due to the baby’s itching, scratching, causing scratches, losing the protective film, bathing in water even though it has been cooked can also increase the risk of bacteria entering, making love Infections increase, sometimes causing unexpected complications. There are children with inflammation in the area near the nervous system, blood vessels such as the face, neck, head, if the mother still gives a leaf bath without timely treatment, it can cause cerebral vein thrombosis and leave sequelae throughout. life. The habit of massaging babies with coconut oil, olive oil… in hot summer days increases discomfort, causing eczema or heat rash in babies. – Do not bathe adult shower gel or massage baby. Adult shower gel, which contains high alkalinity, easily makes the baby’s skin dry, so it increases the infection and rash on the baby’s skin. Meanwhile, many mothers have the habit of massaging their babies with coconut oil and olive oil. However, on hot summer days, using these essential oils only adds to the discomfort, causing eczema or heat rash in your baby. – Do not self-medicate without a doctor’s prescription. If the baby’s condition is very itchy, there are whiteheads on the skin, thick, red, prolonged heat rash …, mothers should take the baby to a dermatology specialist for examination and treatment. Absolutely do not buy topical medication or keep the child at home to self-treat, because it can make the disease worse, not to mention the complications that can cause the baby. Besides, to prevent heat rash for children in the summer, mothers should not incubate the baby too carefully or wear too many clothes for the baby. Always keep baby’s skin dry and clean. Choose clothes for children that are designed with cool and absorbent materials. Do not apply too much cream or powder on the baby’s skin. In addition, you need to limit your child’s exposure to the sun, take a cool shower, and drink enough water. Avoid scratching the heat rash, because when the skin is scratched, it can easily lead to skin infection. According to Dr. Thanh Nho, with common cases of heat rash, just bathe the child every day to keep the skin clean. It is possible according to folk experience, using cool plants and fruits such as bitter melon, marjoram, earthen, lemon … to bathe children also have a good effect. However, when using these leaves, they need to be washed thoroughly before crushing, filtering or boiling water for bathing. Choosing a good quality talcum powder to dab on areas with heat rash after bathing your baby is also a way to limit this situation.

With the criteria of low cost, efficiency and ease of use, the Hospital of Traditional Medicine, the Ministry of Public Security has created a thermal shockproof shirt for medical staff who are carrying out the fight against the COVID-19 epidemic in medical conditions. extreme hot weather. Senior Lieutenant Le Thi Hoa, Medical Officer of Infection Control Department, Traditional Medicine Hospital of the Ministry of Public Security, the creator of the thermal shock jacket said: ‘This shirt is simply designed with a mesh body. three holes, cool material”. Mesh shirts have a relatively cheap cost of only 50,000 VND, so they can be produced in large quantities to serve the frontline health ministries involved in the prevention and control of COVID-19. The highlight of this thermal shock jacket is the dry ice bags weighing 500g wrapped by a layer of insulation foam with a thickness of 1cm to prevent the ice from directly contacting the human skin and placed in a zip bag to prevent water, Fast cooling effect. Each net shirt is arranged with 4 ice bags in front and back to keep the net shirt balance. 1 set of thermal shockproof vest complete with materials made of mesh cotton fabric to make the process of heat diffusion between the body and the air inside the frame easier, 4 elasticated front and back pockets, each bag for 1 extra piece of insulation 1cm thick and 1 bag of dry ice 500mg. The weight is not too heavy to help doctors manipulate and move conveniently. After acceptance, the Traditional Medicine Hospital of the Ministry of Public Security evaluated the thermal shock jacket to be effective in 6-8 hours, enough for one shift for doctors and nurses, the hospital will quickly coordinate with units to produce large quantities, promptly serve health workers who are performing frontline anti-epidemic tasks. Major General Pham Ba Tuyen, Director of the Hospital of Traditional Medicine under the Ministry of Public Security, who directly experienced the thermal shock jacket, said: “After only a few days from ideation and product testing, the hospital’s leaders instructed to urgently check and accept to quickly put into production and distribute to health workers who are on duty of epidemic prevention in the provinces, especially Bac Giang and Bac Ninh”. On the afternoon of June 3, the Traditional Medicine Hospital of the Ministry of Public Security sent reinforcements to the field hospital in the Bac Giang epidemic center with more than 60 anti-heat shock shirts and many drugs to support epidemic prevention and control.

Vehicles move on the street in Wellington, New Zealand. (Photo: THX/VNA) It is no coincidence that New Zealand consistently tops the rankings of both Bloomberg and Australia’s Lowy Institute for COVID-19 response. At the end of 2020, Bloomberg ranked New Zealand as the country with the best overall response in the world to the pandemic. In May 2021, the country in Oceania continued to hold the top spot in Bloomberg’s ranking, despite the rate vaccination against COVID-19 in New Zealand is still quite low, 4.8% of the population, while this index of Singapore, the second ranked country, is up to 29.9%. It is worth mentioning that from October 2020 to May 2021, only in April, New Zealand “gives” this top position to Singapore. Over the past three months, New Zealand has not recorded any more cases of infection in the community. Since the discovery of the first COVID-19 patient on February 28, 2020, this Pacific island nation has had a total of 2,681 cases, of which 17 are being treated, 26 have died and 2,638 who recovered. Life has almost returned to normal for the Kiwi Country’s 5 million people. Authorities lifted restrictions on people and economic activity in the country, but mostly closed borders to prevent the virus from entering the country. When assessing New Zealand as the world’s leader in COVID-19 response, experts agreed that the country had taken the most decisive, quick and effective measures to handle the pandemic, with the least impact. to economic and social activity. To achieve this, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s government, with the support of the people and business community, has adopted a strategy of “going ahead and going strong.” New Zealand’s anti-epidemic model is basically prevent the virus from entering foreign countries, purchase equipment to protect essential workers, strengthen testing, contact tracing, isolating cases and above all implementing blockade and social distancing society to cut off the chain of infection.The “secret” of this country can be summed up in six words: drastic-timely-synchronous. Immediately after the World Health Organization (WHO) announced the SARS-CoV-2 virus as a global health emergency, New Zealand on February 2, 2020 decided to ban the entry via air of foreign nationals. All passengers arriving from China, while New Zealand citizens and arrivals from other countries must self-isolate for 14 days. On March 25, when the number of cases in the country was about 200, New Zealand quickly declared a national emergency and Close the border Although the country’s economy is heavily dependent on tourism. Foreigners entering by air and sea must be tested and isolated at a designated facility. With this step, New Zealand has “locked” the door to the virus entering from abroad. The New Zealand government also urgently establishes a national system to directly register personal protective equipment to identify all equipment manufacturers capable of supporting the fight against the epidemic. Many domestic enterprises have responded and increased domestic production or cooperated with foreign companies to find sources to buy masks, hand sanitizer, face shields and medical gowns. The government is also promoting the establishment of a public-private joint venture to purchase test kits and reagents (chemicals for testing the SARS-CoV-2 virus) from various suppliers. While many countries are also looking to buy these medical items when supplies are scarce, New Zealand has achieved a higher test rate than developed countries like the US or South Korea at the same time, with about 2,200 tested per 100,000 population by mid-May 2020. For contact tracing, New Zealand using both “low technology” and high technology to identify and test all close contacts of COVID-19 patients for 14 days. The primary method of tracing is that officials ask each COVID-19 patient to identify their close contact. In addition, the “NZ COVID Tracer” smartphone application for tracing virus infections was deployed simultaneously. People wear masks to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in Auckland, New Zealand, February 14, 2021. (Photo: THX/VNA) New Zealand has stopped, not just mitigated, the spread of the disease in the community thanks to the rapid adoption of very strong measures. On March 25, 2020, just three days after confirming a domestic infection, authorities implemented a nationwide blockade measure. This is one of the countries applying the strictest blockade order in the world. Although New Zealanders have a high sense of self-discipline, the police still encourage citizens to report violators of epidemic prevention regulations. In just a few weeks, police received more than 336 reports of violations. New Zealand’s disease chart in the first wave of infections last year has demonstrated the effectiveness of anti-epidemic measures. The number of new cases per day began to decrease significantly from 89 cases / day on April 5 to only 9 cases / day two weeks later. On April 27, the government began easing the blockade order, although it still imposed some distancing measures. On May 13, New Zealand did not record any new cases, so on June 8, the government completely lifted the blockade order. During the outbreaks of re-emergence in Auckland city in August 2020 and February 2021, authorities immediately took drastic measures. For example, on February 14, New Zealand locked down Auckland, the largest city in the country to prevent the COVID-19 epidemic after recording three new infections in the community on the same day. Meanwhile, the remaining localities apply level 2 restrictive measures. When the outbreak in the community is extinguished, restrictive measures are also eased step by step with extreme caution. One highlight of New Zealand’s anti-epidemic work is the application of technology. New Zealand was one of the first developed countries to use a smartphone app to track infections. In April, the country also launched a trial of a surveillance “elarm” application to detect the SARS-CoV-2 virus, with an accuracy of up to 90% within three days before the patient showed symptoms. such as cough, shortness of breath, and fatigue. Integrated with wearable devices such as smart watches or health monitoring devices, the application uses artificial intelligence to detect sudden changes in the user’s heart rate, temperature body temperature, thereby providing an early warning to detect signs of COVID-19. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern (centre). (Photo: AFP/VNA) Experts say that New Zealand has proactive, strong, focused, science-based epidemic response measures, and at the same time implements these measures well. In research published in the journal The Lancet Public Health, expert Sarah Jefferies and colleagues point to the factors contributing to New Zealand’s success in the fight against the pandemic are rapid improvements in testing capacity and management. handling cases, the blockade order was for a short time (almost 4 weeks) but very strict. In addition, rapid interventions when the number of cases is low, for example, the warning level increases from 1-4 in five days when the number of cases has not exceeded 1,000 cases. A team of experts from the University of Otago (New Zealand) highlighted the key element of the government’s rapid, science-based risk assessment combined with early and decisive action. The implementation of interventions at various levels (border control, control of community spread, and control of cases) are also effective against the epidemic. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is highly appreciated for her ability to effectively convey the main message to the community – consider fighting the epidemic as the task of a unified collective of 5 million people, thereby being trusted and obeyed by the people. under very strict restrictions. The above-mentioned drastic measures against the epidemic helped reduce human losses with a very low mortality rate, only 0.53 cases per 100,000 people, but also cost the economy due to the closure policy as well as the impact of the pandemic. Translate. New Zealand’s economy recorded a record 2.9% contraction in 2020. However, in terms of the long-term outlook, the economy is forecasted to grow again this year thanks to the government’s economic stimulus package and New Zealand’s ability to restore normal life as before. pandemic. Moreover, it is the good control of the epidemic that has brought New Zealand’s great economic recovery opportunities. The results of a Bloomberg survey conducted in October 2020 with the participation of about 700 people, most of them senior executives in many industries, of which 53% are from large corporations and 47% are from large corporations. SMEs, showing that New Zealand is the country most trusted by business leaders to invest in the future. In fact, the economy of the “kiwi land” has rebounded as business confidence recently improved and the unemployment rate plummeted to 4.7% in the first quarter of 2021. The Ministry of Finance projects gross domestic product (GDP) growth to reach 2.9% in 2021 and gradually accelerate to 4.4% in 2023. Kiwibank’s chief economist, Jarrod Kerr, said the view For the future, a program to roll out vaccines, travel bubbles with Australia and many other countries in 2021 will support solid growth in 2022. New Zealand’s drastic, timely and synchronous approach to the COVID-19 epidemic, from blockade, distance, to tracing and treatment, has become a model of anti-epidemic recognized by the international community. and provide useful lessons to help governments plan how to respond to the current pandemic as well as future pandemic outbreaks.

Jacob Hopkins, the first volunteer directly infected with the virus These volunteers have lined up to participate in the “human trial,” which has long been successfully used to develop vaccines for diseases such as typhoid and cholera. The world’s first human trial for Covid-19 began in the UK in March of this year, as scientists tried to determine the minimum dose of virus needed to infect volunteers. from 18 to 30 years old. Alastair Fraser-Urquhart, human trial volunteer Alastair Fraser-Urquhart “registered immediately” to participate in the trial and also became the manager of 1Day Sooner, a British non-profit that advocates for volunteers to participate in research studies. save on humans. “We are really, really lucky that an mRNA vaccine is a viable platform to start with, but there is no guarantee it will,” he said, “And even if it turns out to be completely useless. , thanks to a test like this, you can detect that in a matter of weeks instead of months.” Mr Fraser-Urquhart was one of the few to take part in the first phase of the trial, in which volunteers were screened before going into isolation at the Royal Free hospital in London. A few days later, the virus was injected into Fraser-Urquhart’s nose by a scientist wearing full protective gear while he lay in bed wearing only a T-shirt and jeans. There were about six other researchers, all covered from head to toe, standing in that room. “One of them stood in the corner of the room and counted down the seconds… as if it were a rocket launch,” Fraser-Urquhart said. He said the experience was both terrifying and memorable. “In the same room with such a large amount of pure virus… it looks like normal water. I didn’t expect to see coronavirus like this.” According to Jacob Hopkins, the first volunteer directly infected with the virus, after being injected, they will lie down for 10 minutes before sitting up and holding the position for another 20 minutes. “When we finished, we were… high five. It was a really weird moment, it was like “that’s great, Covid!”? And then it all really started.” After contracting the virus, the participants were monitored 24 hours a day for at least 14 days, and blood samples and nasal swabs were collected every day. Both Fraser-Urquhart and Hopkins felt fine for the first few days, but had to go through a few “difficult” days before recovering. “Honestly, it wasn’t easy, but it was an extraordinary experience, and one of the best things I’ve ever done in my life,” Hopkins said. “When you contribute to a project that can bring a lot of good… it feels good to be a part of it.” After discharge, the participants were followed up for a year so the researchers could detect any long-term symptoms. Overall, each person will be supported around £4,500 (VND 146.8 million) for their contribution. Fraser-Urquhart donated his first donation to The Vaccine Alliance, and plans to donate the rest to other charities. “It’s good to be able to demonstrate that at least some of the volunteers participate purely out of compassion,” he said. “Actually, this support never influenced my decision to join.” Some scientists have hesitated to expose volunteers to Sars-CoV-2 – the virus behind COVID-19 – because it currently has no cure, although there are several methods. The treatment has been shown to be effective. Meanwhile, some advocates of the trial argue that the coronavirus poses a low risk to young and healthy people and offers high benefits to society. These benefits include the ability to accelerate the development of a second-generation vaccine, as developing countries grapple with inadequate demand. They can also be used to compare people who are suitable for vaccines, develop treatments, and advance the scientific understanding of the virus.

Visitors who are granted a “Digital Certificate of Covid-19” can enter many European countries from July 1. After two weeks of consecutive declines in the number of new Covid-19 cases, Spain recently announced the relaxation of entry regulations for travelers from 10 countries, including the requirement to test negative for the virus. SARS-CoV-2. Meanwhile, North Macedonia also closed almost all Covid-19 treatment centers and makeshift hospitals after the number of cases dropped by 90%. Germany, Italy and Cyprus are also expected this week to allow food and beverage restaurants to open for service. In the recently approved border opening plan, the leaders of the European Union (EU) set out two main conditions. Firstly, the EU only reopens its borders to those countries that have controlled the Covid-19 epidemic well for a certain period of time, with indicators of the infection rate among the population equal to or lower than that of the EU. Second, only those who have been granted a “Covid-19 Digital Certificate” can travel freely. For Europeans, the “Digital Certification of Covid-19” is expected to take effect from July 1, and is expected to become the “key” to open the economy, especially. is the tourism industry. Because European countries have lost hundreds of billions of euros since the Covid-19 pandemic broke out, closing their borders with the outside for nearly a year. According to statistics, the “smokeless industry” contributes about 14% of Spain’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), over 13% of Italy’s GDP, nearly 8% of France’s GDP and even up to 20% of GDP of Spain. Greek. Therefore, if this summer tourist season fails, the economies of countries such as Greece and Spain are at risk of not being able to recover. The emergence of medical certificates not only helps promote tourism within the EU countries, but also allows visitors from countries outside the union to enter, especially visitors from the US and UK, two countries. The country has the highest rate of vaccination against Covid-19 in the world today. Gloria Guevara of the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) called the “Digital Certification of Covid-19” a big step towards the recovery of the tourism industry, helping EU countries in time. welcome a large number of visitors in the summer tourist season. Currently 46 per cent of the EU’s adult population has received at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, while 300 million more will be delivered soon. The EU’s goal is to fully immunize 75% of adults by the end of July. If according to plan, EU countries can confidently reopen safely. Along with the tourism industry, many other business and manufacturing sectors will also recover. The European Commission (EC) predicts that the bloc’s economy will grow 4.2% this year. Although the “Digital certification of Covid-19” is considered the “key” for Europeans to regain their former rhythm, according to health experts, the opening of borders and the easing of controls epidemic still needs to be conducted with caution. European countries will have to closely monitor and make specific assessments in each phase. The World Health Organization (WHO) also recommends that the vaccine is considered a “light at the end of the tunnel”, but its effectiveness has not been fully evaluated while the strains of the SARS-CoV-2 virus continued to appear. Therefore, countries around the world need to choose safe steps. Step 1: Visit https://www.bluezone.gov.vn or download directly at App Store or CH Play. Step 2: Once downloaded, the application will ask for permission to use Bluetooth to record contact with other users who have installed Bluezone. If Bluetooth is not already on, drag the status bar and turn on Bluetooth; or go to Settings, select Bluetooth and turn it on. Step 3: Once the installation is done, click Scan Around. If someone near you less than 2m has used Bluezone, the application will automatically identify these users and put them in the contact list.

Duy Son – Ho Chi Minh City Texas Medical Association, USA In essence, SARS-CoV-2 is still transmitted from F0 to F1 and F2 by respiratory droplets in the form of droplets and contact with objects contaminated with the virus. The virus can survive on surfaces such as chair armrests, toilet doorknobs, etc. If we touch, then lift, eyes, nose, mouth, we can be infected with the virus. In particular, new strains of the virus can spread in the air, so in crowded places and closed environments such as bars, discos, and industrial parks, the risk of nCoV infection is very high. According to the scale of the expert group on Covid-19 and the Committee on Infectious Diseases, of the Texas Medical Association, USA, daily living activities are divided into 5 risk groups. In which, going to the bar, karaoke, discotheque, massage; attending religious ceremonies and events > 500 people; to the sports stadium; Attendance at a large concert is ranked as the highest risk of infection (9/10 scale). Going to the movies, going to the amusement park, going to the gym, eating the buffet are also high risk, on a scale of 8/10. Places in the medium-high risk category include: Barbers, restaurants, weddings, funerals, airplanes, soccer fields, and hugging, kissing or shaking hands when meeting friends. The average risk group includes: Having dinner at someone else’s house, having a barbecue, going to the beach, shopping at the mall, camping, working in the office continuously for 1 week, swimming pool, visiting home relatives, friends. Low-medium risk groups include: Going to the market, grocery shopping; go for a walk, walk or bike ride with other people; play golf; two nights in a hotel; sitting in waiting room for medical examination; libraries and museums; walking in crowded places… Activities with the lowest risk of virus infection are: Opening parcels and parcels; buy takeaway food; pump; playing tennis; camp. In the face of the rapid spread of the new strain, the majority of Covid-19 patients have no symptoms, we should protect ourselves by limiting gatherings in crowded places, complying with the 5K regulations of the Ministry of Health. . Vietnameseization: Nhu Y.

On April 12, three million Indians gathered on the banks of the Ganges River. They gathered in the ancient city of Haridwar, in the state of Uttarakhand, to take a dip in the sacred river. Devoted and full of Hindu devotees crowded the streets. The Naga Sadhus, the “saints” of the Hindu ascetic practice, pose for a photo on the banks of the Ganges. Photo: AFP. This is one of the holiest days of the Kumbh Mela festival. This festival is one of the most important occasions for Hindus, attracting millions of pilgrims every year. On the same day, India recorded 169,000 new Covid-19 cases and surpassed Brazil to become the second hardest-hit country by the pandemic, according to Guardian . Ignore danger In the weeks before that, a second deadly wave of Covid-19 swept across the whole of India. However, calls to cancel the festival were rejected. By April 15, more than 2,000 festivalgoers had tested positive for the virus. As of the end of the festival on April 28, more than 9 million people have soaked in the water of the Ganges River. The actual number of Kumbh Mela participants is yet to be announced. Millions of pilgrims return home without being tested or quarantined. Several states have begun belated efforts to trace and isolate returnees from Kumbh Mela. In Madhya Pradesh, 789 pilgrims have been placed in quarantine. Of those, 118 tested positive. The Naga Sandhus attend a procession on the banks of the Ganges. Photo: Reuters. T Jacob John, former head of virology at the Indian Council of Medical Research, said: “The pilgrims in the states carry with them mutated strains of the virus and spread the disease everywhere.” . Ashish Jha, dean of the School of Public Health at Brown University, said that Kumbh Mela could be “the largest super-contagious event in the history of the Covid-19 pandemic”. Devotees attend night prayers on the banks of the Ganges River at the Kumbh Mela festival, April 13. Photo: Reuters. During the festival period, the state of Uttarakhand recorded a 1,800% increase in the number of virus positive cases. Most of the infections are related to the Kumbh Mela festival. No one escapes Covid-19 Thakur Puran Singh, a senior member of the BJP, does not believe he has contracted Covid-19 at Kumbh Mela. At dawn on April 9, he and his family drove nearly 600 km to Haridwar to attend the Kumbh Mela. Over the next five days, his family took several dips in the Ganges River. On April 16, a day after returning home, Mr. Singh started showing symptoms of Covid-19. At first, he refused to believe that he had Covid-19. However, on April 21, his condition worsened. When he was taken to a local hospital, doctors suspected he had Covid-19 because his lungs had been damaged. His son did not believe him and took him to another hospital that he considered more reputable. Thakur Puran Singh and family participate in Kumbh Mela festival. Photo: The Guardian. “I couldn’t believe the doctors and their diagnosis. I didn’t even wear a mask when I took my dad to the hospital,” said Dinesh Singh Thakur. However, Mr. Singh died en route. Eight days later, his brother, Balwant Singh, also died with symptoms of Covid-19. “Even after Mr Singh’s death, the family kept a secret that they had come to Kumbh Mela,” said Dr. Shameema, regional medical director. After returning, they also participated in four weddings. Dr Iqbal Malik, another health official, confirmed that four members of Mr Singh’s family have tested positive. More than two dozen other people who were in close contact with Singh’s family members also had similar results. Mr. Singh’s body was cremated according to the procedures of the victim who died from Covid-19. However, his family still does not believe that he died from the virus. “There are 11 people in my family, why is it that only my father is gone? My father’s death was not due to Covid-19. Fate has called him,” Thakur said. Regret Gopal Singh’s family and neighbors were touched to see him return to his hometown from Kumbh Mela. The people of Madhi Chaubisa village came out to greet him and hoped for blessings. Contrary to the joy of the villagers, he was still terrified. Singh joined about 100 others from the surrounding villages on a sacred pilgrimage to Kumbh Mela. On the way home, he saw everyone falling ill. Many passengers said they had high fever and diarrhea. However, their vehicle did not stop at any of the Covid-19 testing sites. Devotees await the Naga Sadhus at the Kumbh Mela festival. Photo: AP. “I have been to Kumbh Mela twice before but I have never seen anything like this. A lot of people have been infected,” he said. Mr Singh insisted on being tested for Covid-19 despite a local doctor dismissing his concerns. Four days later, as expected, he was positive for SARS-CoV-2. Before that, he had contact with many people in the village. Three other people traveling with Mr Singh also tested positive. Ragu Raj Dangi, head of the village, said: “After everyone returned from Kumbh Mela, the number of people with Covid-19 has increased to more than 30 cases in just a few days. There are still a lot of other people who have symptoms but haven’t been tested.” A few days later, Mamta Bhai, Mr. Singh’s neighbour, developed a fever. She was treated by a local doctor. Although she was later taken to the intensive care unit, she still did not survive. Singh feels guilty: “Stubbornness and ignorance pushed us into a disaster. I feel terrible. Because of fanatics like me, other people get the virus.” Mr. Pragyaanant Giri, a Hindu monk, also went to Kumbh Mela. Like many at the monastery, he believes Covid-19 is a conspiracy. After a month of attending the festival, Mr. Giri developed symptoms of a sore throat and high fever. His companions advised him to rest. The police officer asks a person to leave after taking a dip in the water of the Ganges. Photo: Reuters. After that, his condition worsened. After two weeks of intensive care, Mr. Giri passed away. Despite the rules for patients dying from Covid-19, his body was buried at the monastery. People in the monastery said: “More than 10 people who came into contact with Mr Giri have developed Covid-19 symptoms and some have been hospitalized. However, most members of the monastery are not tested.” Even after Giri’s death, the belief that Covid-19 is not real still pervades the monastery. Swami Harigiri, the head of the monastery, thinks this is a plot against the Hindus. “We drink cow urine. Covid-19 will not affect us. Giri’s death caused by Covid-19 is fake news,” he said. In a small village in the eastern Indian state of Bihar, a group of five women came to the festival on an 11-day trip. After returning, two people died. Although the local health department announced the victims had tested negative for Covid-19, family members told a different story. Awadh Kishore Tiwari, grandson of Bindu Devi, one of the two dead women, said: “She fell ill the day she returned home. The very next day she was gone forever. My mother also tested positive after coming into contact with her.” Ms Devi’s brother-in-law, Awadhesh Chauhan, said he advised her not to attend the Kumbh Mela because of Covid-19. However, she laughed off: “Nothing will happen to me, don’t worry”. Bringing the ashes of unclaimed Covid-19 victims to the Ganges River Indian volunteers collect ashes from crematoriums to organize funerals for Covid-19 victims in Haridwar city.

How to get rid of Miss Vi? To get out of pandemics like Co Vi, it is now clear that it is not possible to rely solely on social distancing measures and aggressively tracing the virus. Closures and tracing are very important measures, and the Vietnamese government has excelled in the early stages of fighting the epidemic with these measures alone. But in an open world, the border door can’t close no matter how hard it is, tracking the ghost of Co Vi successfully this time but still wondering when it will come back. But if you keep busy with “national resistance”, “defensive counterattack”, you will be hungry all the time. Relying on medical treatment is even worse, because firstly, there is no medicine to guarantee that 100% of people infected with Co Vi will survive; the second (and more important) is that when there is an outbreak, the health system simply collapses, you have very little chance of being hospitalized, and if you do get into the hospital, there will be no more oxygen to breathe. . Some of my friends whispered to each other (=Phew) measures to eradicate Co Vi such as drinking hot water, eating garlic, steaming with leaves, or simply… fiercely drinking! If you apply it to yourself, it won’t hurt anyone other than your spouse, children, or grandchildren, but I beg you not to incite Phai to do the same, because that is verbal karma. Miss Vi is “contagious or dead” and our way out Co Vi’s principle of existence (and many other infectious viruses) is “infect or die”. Viruses are not cells, so they cannot reproduce outside of the body, and when outside the body, Co Vi does not last long. When the majority of the population is immune, the probability of transmitting Co Vi decreases, even those who are not immune are protected, the epidemic will be basically extinguished. This is the phenomenon of “herd immunity”, which has long been observed and concluded by scientists with many previous pandemics. Herd immunity can occur during natural epidemics. After about 70% of the population has been infected with Co Vi, about 1-5% will die, the rest will become immune. Assuming Vietnam followed this model, it would have to sacrifice about a million people. Certainly most of us disagree with this measure. There is another way that does not require such sacrifices to achieve herd immunity, which is to vaccinate the majority of the population. Immune cells can be “trained” to recognize Co Vi by the S protein molecule on its surface. When real Co Vi invades, immune cells secrete antibodies that “lock hands” with these S proteins. Co Vi’s protein S mimics the body’s ACE (angiotensin-converting enzyme) molecular structure to adhere to cell surfaces. If protein S is surrounded by antibodies, then Co Vi also “botay.com”. Not everyone wants a vaccine But in the world there is a part of people who think they will not get vaccinated. Some even think that this is a conspiracy of certain forces to invest a lot of money to profit on the sacrifice of their fellow human beings. Others will not go for injections because they find it annoying, or afraid of spending money. Attitude to vaccination is a personal choice, but is greatly influenced by social relations, by the community to which the individual belongs. Here, I would like to introduce two social issues that have a great influence on the attitude to accept vaccination, which have been analyzed quite meticulously by sociologists. 1. Religion and vaccines (Main reference: Pelcic et al 2016. Religious exception for vaccination or religious excuses for avoiding vaccination Croat Med J 56(5):516-521) Religious beliefs have a huge influence on vaccination acceptance attitudes. All major religions have favorable attitudes towards vaccination. The first precept of Buddhism is abstaining from killing, so Buddhists accept vaccinations to keep themselves and others healthy. On the other hand, Buddhism considers all species to be non-killing beings, and believes that humans can also be reincarnated into other beings. Thus killing animals for vaccine research may be contrary to Buddha’s teachings. The Catholic Church does not prohibit vaccination. Historically, Catholic and Anglican missionaries (Catholics in England and some former British colonies) have inoculated with smallpox in North America. Today’s development of biomedical research leads to an issue that may contradict Catholic doctrine, which is that some vaccines are produced on cultured cell lines of fetal origin, specifically Meruvax. , Rudivax and MR-VAX (Rubella prophylaxis), A-VAQTA and HAVRIX (hepatitis A), Varivax (chickenpox), and Polivax (smallpox). But when there are no other vaccines to choose from, parishioners are still encouraged to vaccinate to protect young children and the community, especially pregnant women. In Islam, food is divided into two categories, halal is allowed, and haram is not. Pork is haram, so pharmaceuticals that use gelatin (a glue made from animal skin including pig skin) should not be used. However, the Koran also speaks of “law of necessity”, in case the believer does not have a halal to choose from, forcing the use of haram will not be considered a sin. Immunizations are meant to protect life, as “izalat aldharar” (prevention of harm), and “maslahat al ummah” (for the public good). So even if a certain vaccine is related to pigs, it is still possible to apply “forced law when necessary”. Some religions or religious sects may be anti-vaccination. Protestantism does not have a central system, so local churches have very different attitudes on vaccination. Some Protestant priests do not raise the issue of vaccinations in their sermons because they think this is a generally accepted attitude of the whole society. Others leave it to the laity to interpret and choose their attitude towards vaccines. Still others have publicly condemned vaccines, arguing that vaccination is an intervention against God’s will (interfering with Divine Providence). 2. Belief in science and attitudes towards vaccines Key references: Sturgis et al. Trust in science, social consensus and vaccine confidence. Nature Human Behaviour May 17, 2021. This is a study published last week by three authors Patrick Sturgis, Ian Brunton-Smith and Jonathan Jackson from the London School of Economics and Politics (LSE), the University of Surrey (UK) and the University of Sydney Law School (Australia). . https://www.nature.com/articles/s41562-021-01115-7.pdf. The authors analyze data obtained from the Wellcome Global Monitor (Gallup Institute) survey, conducted since 2018 (before the Covid-19 pandemic), about people’s trust in science and the attitude to accept vaccines in Vietnam. 144 countries. The average number of participants in each country was 1000, with China, India and Russia alone being sampled 2000 people from each country. In this poll, the global average result is that more than four-fifths of the population believe in science, the highest in North America, Western Europe, Australia and New Zealand, the lowest in South America, Eastern Europe and Africa. Chau. The percentage of men who believe in science is higher than that of women. Scientific trust is also higher among the educated and high-income population. In countries where the gap between rich and poor is low, there is often high scientific trust. Regarding the attitude of accepting vaccines, about 92% of the global population think that vaccination of children is necessary, 78% think that vaccines are safe, and 84% think that vaccines are effective. This attitude also varies markedly across countries. Again, this is the result of an investigation from 2018, that is, about vaccines in general, not just the vaccine against Co Vi. Next, the authors analyzed the correlation between trust in science and vaccine acceptance attitude. A major part of the results can be illustrated by Figure 1, where countries are divided into five groups according to the assessment of science trust and vaccine acceptance from high to low (left to right). In the highest group, the consensus between scientific belief and vaccine acceptance attitude is highest (blue graph has the steepest slope). This correlation decreases, in the lowest group, the graph is horizontal, which means that there is almost no consensus between scientific beliefs and vaccine acceptance attitudes. Illustration: The relationship between scientific beliefs and vaccine acceptance attitudes. Credit: Nature Human Behaviour 2021. Someone may counter that “I know Mr. A is very rich and Mr. B is highly educated, but neither of them accept vaccines”. Please answer that the above research results are based on the science of statistical probability. That is, the results are only true for the majority, not necessarily for individuals. And statistical probability also tells us that when we deduce from a few particular observations to apply to the majority, the probability of right/wrong can be only 50/50.

A healthcare worker is vaccinated against COVID-19 at a hospital in Kolkata, India. Photo: AP In India, the number of infections on May 30 was 165,553 cases, the lowest level in the past 6 weeks. The number of deaths also tended to decrease, to 3,460 cases and the third day in a row below 4,000 cases.

The vaccination campaign is being accelerated by India, although vaccine supply remains a big challenge. As of May 30, India has injected more than 212 million doses of the vaccine, ranking third in the world after China and the US. About 12% of the population was vaccinated with at least one dose, of which 3.1% were fully vaccinated. Prime Minister Narenda Modi’s government said on May 30 that about 120 million doses of the vaccine will be included in the vaccination program in June, a significant increase from 79.8 million doses in May. , government advisers also said that India could reach a supply of 2 billion doses of vaccine between August and December this year, mainly from two domestic manufacturers, the Serum Institute of India (Serum Institute of India). SII) – responsible for producing vaccine samples of AstraZeneca and Bharat Biotech Company, the focal point of domestic production of Covaxin vaccine. In June, the government will provide 60.9 million doses of vaccine to the states to vaccinate health workers along with some other forces on the frontline against the epidemic, people over 45 years old. About 58.6 million doses will be ordered and distributed by state governments and private hospitals. Malaysia on May 30 recorded 6,999 new cases of COVID-19 and was the 5th consecutive day of outbreaks of infection. The government of this country plans to set up more large-scale vaccination centers, mobilize private medical staff to participate in vaccination campaigns in the context of Malaysia preparing to implement a nationwide shutdown. for a period of two weeks, from June 1-14. Medical staff take samples for COVID-19 testing for people in Selangor, Malaysia on May 23, 2021. Photo: THX/VNA Speaking at an online press conference on May 30, Malaysian Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Khairy Jamaluddin said the government will establish five new large-scale vaccination centers in Kuala Lumpur and have Two more similar centers could be established in the northern state of Penang and the southern state of Johor. Each of such centers has the capacity to administer 40,000 doses of vaccination per day. The Government will also conduct training and training for doctors and nurses to perform vaccinations, stemming from the fact that some vaccines need different handling and storage methods and are different from conventional vaccines. Mr. Jamaluddin also said that the supply of vaccines will increase in the near future, so the government will mobilize manpower from hospitals and private medical centers to voluntarily participate in the vaccination campaign. According to Jamaluddin, Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s government is also expected to set up mobile vaccination centers at roads to vaccinate people. Currently, about 6% of Malaysia’s 32 million people have received at least one vaccination. In the Philippines, the head of the Philippine Government’s COVID-19 Task Force, Mr. Czar Carlito Galvez Jr, said on May 30 that more than 5 million doses of the vaccine have been administered to people, after nearly 3 months of implementation. vaccination campaign. People wear masks to prevent COVID-19 infection in Manila, Philippines. Photo: THX/VNA Most of these were administered to priority groups, including 1.4 million doses for healthcare workers, 1.368 million doses for the elderly and 1,150 million doses for people with underlying medical conditions. Vaccines introduced in the Philippines include Sinovac, AstraZeneca, Sputnik V and Pfizer. Galvez also said that in June, the Philippines is expected to receive an additional 10 million doses of vaccine, including the amount of vaccine through the Covax Initiative program, 2.3 million doses of Pfizer vaccine, 2 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine and 1 million doses of vaccine. Sinovac vaccine. The first batch of 250,000 doses of Moderna is also expected to arrive on June 21. The administration of President Rodrigo Duterte has set a target of vaccinating about 70 million people or more than 50% of the population this year. However, this plan is facing major challenges. In addition to the limited supply of vaccines, the lack of confidence in Chinese vaccines is also a big barrier. It was Mr. Duterte who recently had to speak to reassure, urging people to avoid the mentality of choosing a vaccine, but to see that having a vaccine to inject is already a good thing.

You can use rice water to whiten your teeth at home. Erosion of tooth enamel is the cause of yellow teeth. Over time, the enamel covering the tooth surface will wear away, exposing the pale yellow dentin underneath. The following causes can also cause teeth to become yellow: Weak tooth enamel is inherited from relatives. The patient uses the antibiotic tetracycline – a drug to treat infections, but inhibits tooth enamel, causing teeth to become discolored and yellow. People with diseases related to breathing, diabetes, heart disease,… Signs of yellow teeth may be a sign that your health is not good, so pay attention to the color of your teeth. and seek medical attention promptly. How to whiten teeth with rice water Not only has the ability to whiten skin, help skin stay youthful and rosy, but rice water is also an extremely effective at-home teeth whitening ingredient. Because it contains a lot of vitamin PP, rice water has a clear effect in whitening teeth, disinfecting the throat and improving bad breath effectively. Teeth whitening with rice water is extremely convenient, easy to do, and cost-free. A few notes when applying the following method: You wash the rice for the first time to remove impurities clinging to the rice. Note do not use this water. Then continue to wash the rice a second time, rub it vigorously so that the vitamins and nutrients from the rice dissolve in the water Your job now is simple, just use a brush dipped in water to wash rice and brush evenly on your teeth. Should maintain this habit more often during the day to quickly achieve results.

Also according to Prof. Dr. Le Thi Quynh Mai, B.1.617.2 data on GISAID currently has not recorded the loss of Y144 mutation, so this mutation needs to be further monitored and studied. GISAID is an updated map of SARS-CoV-2 gene sequencing results, which is continuously updated by scientists around the globe. This map was consulted by scientists in different countries, closely following the evolution of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Earlier, at the National Online Conference on the situation and urgent solutions to prevent and control the Covid-19 epidemic taking place on the morning of May 29, Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long informed: The strain is currently common in Vietnam. Nam is an Indian strain that has shown signs of increased infectivity and more severe disease compared to previous outbreaks. Step 1: Visit https://www.bluezone.gov.vn or download directly at App Store or CH Play. Step 2: Once downloaded, the application will ask for permission to use Bluetooth to record contact with other Bluezone installed users. If Bluetooth is not open, drag the status bar and turn on Bluetooth; or go to Settings, select Bluetooth and turn it on. Step 3: Once the installation is done, click Scan Around. If someone near you less than 2m has used Bluezone, the application will automatically identify these users and put them in the contact list.

The effectiveness of the vaccine so far cannot be denied. The United States, although not widely open to the world, has dragged down its number of infections in just the past few months. Based on data collected during vaccination, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has announced that the effectiveness of major vaccines such as Pfizer or Moderna is up to 95%. even with new variants. This makes it possible for American people to comfortably go out without having to wear a mask, while the US Government considers lifting the ban on international movement. Similar effects have also been observed in Israel and Europe, where vaccination rates have reached 60% – that is, herd immunity can be generated. The “miracle” that brought life back to its normal rhythm seemed to be at last. Small doses of vaccines are becoming the hope of the whole world in the fight against COVID. However, at the same time, a new wave of infections broke out in India. Since mid-April, an additional 5 million new infections have been recorded in this South Asian country. The number of new infections continuously reached approximately 300 thousand cases per day, of which several thousand people died from the disease every day. The epidemic tsunami was so great that it knocked down India’s health system in just a few days, a real disaster. It is hard to believe, until the 4th wave of infections broke out, India was the country with the 3rd highest number of COVID vaccines in the world and was a hope for the whole world thanks to its huge vaccine supply. However, the number of nearly 100 million doses of vaccine administered out of a population of 1.3 billion is still too small to achieve a state of herd immunity, as epidemiologists hope. The government’s subjectivity then caused the contagion to erupt violently at a time when major religious ceremonies were held in this huge country. Consequences for the people and country of India so far have not been fully enumerated, but more dangerous, it is slowing down the whole world’s efforts to open up, when the supply of vaccines is mainly for people. Poor countries under the WHO COVAX program have stalled, because India has urgently applied a ban on vaccine exports to save itself first. In addition, the fourth wave of infections has also begun to spread around the world, from Asia, Africa to South America, where vaccination rates are far from reaching the thresholds that can create health problems. herd immunity. No one can stand alone The Indians cannot be blamed for the decision to close the vaccine supply at this time, because indeed the images and death figures every day in the newspaper make anyone horrified. Before that, it was India that took the lead in efforts to help the poorer people to have access to 66 million doses of vaccine in the first quarter of this year. Now that responsibility needs to be reinforced. In contrast, the US, UK, EU and Israel have come up with plans to reopen. Learning from India’s mistakes, these countries have been more cautious. From May 23, tourists can return to Israel and the EU if they comply with the mandatory conditions. The problem is that if that rule is followed, there are not many qualified guests. Because, in addition to having received the correct vaccines recognized by the EU, that traveler must also be from countries with the number of new infections below 25 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in the previous 14 days. Those are the countries that the EU calls “safe”. However, there are currently only 7 countries outside the EU that meet this criterion, such as Israel, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, etc., but that list does not include the US. That is, the invitation to travel to Europe is still only “give it up”. The door was opened but very few people could enter. The “Indian lesson” makes us realize that vaccination speed will determine the success or failure of a global vaccine strategy. As the United States and Israel quickly immunized the majority of the population, the SARS-CoV-2 virus was easily defeated. But, the drip vaccination rate will not be enough to create herd immunity and even allow the virus to mutate against the same old vaccines. Finding a vaccine for the poor is never easy. The fourth wave of contagion, therefore, has broken out in these very countries, with new variants that are more dangerous and could completely hit countries that already have high vaccination rates. Therefore, in order to solve the problem at the root, it is the rich countries that will have to take the lead in a new effort, to rescue the worldwide shortage of vaccines. Conflicts of interest A group of 13 countries has been identified by the World Bank (WB) as holding control and global distribution of vaccines. Among these, there are of course big countries like India, China, Russia, the G7 group and a few other European countries like Austria, Switzerland, Sweden. They are collectively known with a beautiful name, “The Club of Vaccine Producing Countries”. This club controls up to 88% of vaccines and 91% of vaccine companies in the world. Among them, mainly developed countries in the West. It is not surprising that the US and EU have achieved the highest vaccination rates in the world in a short time. Despite earlier claims to share vaccines with the world, “vaccine nationalism” prevailed initially. They have even started to have an oversupply of vaccine in their inventory after the last 3 months of intense vaccination. Therefore, when making the call for the rescue of vaccines in the world, both WHO and the United Nations are directly targeting this group of countries. Now it’s time for them to extend their hand to play the role of “saving the world”. However, this is also the time when the controversy broke out the most. The US has announced that it will deliver 70 million doses of its vaccine to developing countries between now and July. The EU will also contribute back to the COVAX program, after a temporary withdrawal to keep the vaccine for itself. But, even so, it’s still not enough. Because the most advanced vaccines being used by the US and EU require extremely complex preservation technologies that are not easy for poor or developing countries to meet. In Africa, hundreds of thousands of doses of vaccines have been destroyed, even though they still have their expiry date, because they cannot guarantee the storage conditions on the way to users. This situation may be even more serious, when the number of vaccines from the EU and the US is brought in in large numbers in the near future. And the cost of high-end vaccines like Pfizer or Moderna is never cheap, when Pfizer – BioNtech or Moderna apply the most advanced technologies that not even Russia or China have access to. A new call has been made, for rich countries to share vaccine copyrights with poor countries, in order to create a vaccine that suits them. However, advanced genetic technologies are copyrighted by major pharmaceutical companies, where they want to hold the secret not only for this COVID vaccine. As a result, the controversy has shifted from the states to the people of the vaccine-hungry poor countries, with the wealthy owners of the big pharmaceutical companies. Loss of motivation to research to find new products is the reason that big pharmaceutical companies rely on to protect their patents. Meanwhile, inequality in vaccine distribution has serious consequences for the lives of hundreds of millions of other people. Still, it wasn’t easy for those wealthy owners to give in. Therefore, before relying on the “kindness” of pharmaceutical companies, the most concrete thing that rich countries can do is probably just to try to fill this inequality by giving poor countries the opportunity to do so. access to their starting surplus vaccine resources. Saving people is actually saving yourself.
Tu Uyen

Hanoi is the locality with the most people downloading the anti-epidemic application Bluezone Out of 33 million people using Bluezone, more than 20.58 million people have entered their phone number in the information on the application. The number of people providing phone numbers to the authorities has increased by nearly 1 million people compared to April 28, 2021. The two localities leading the country in the number of people downloading the Bluezone application are Hanoi (3.1 million people) and Ho Chi Minh City (2.83 million people). In the opposite direction, provinces like Dien Bien (70,500 people), Tuyen Quang (121,000 people), Yen Bai (130,000 people), … are the localities with the lowest number of people downloading Bluezone. Considering the percentage of population, Da Nang (43.7%), Hai Duong (40%), Hanoi (38.6%), Quang Ninh (37%), Bac Ninh (34%) are localities has the most number of Bluezoners. However, there is a fact that the number of people who download and actually use the Bluezone application is still a significant difference. In Hanoi, where the most people download Bluezone, the number of Bluezone accounts actually active is only 1.23 million, accounting for 40% of the total number of accounts. Meanwhile, in Ho Chi Minh City, the number of real Bluezone users (turn on Bluetooth for Bluezone to work) is about 1.1 million people, accounting for 38% of the total number of accounts. The same thing happened in Da Nang (40%), Hai Duong (38%), Quang Ninh (38%), Bac Ninh (39%), Hai Phong (38%), Thai Nguyen (38%) when not Which province or city has the number of people actually using Bluezone exceeding 50% of the population. Currently, Hanoi, Bac Ninh, Bac Giang, Vinh Phuc, Da Nang,… all have documents to encourage people to apply technological solutions such as electronic medical declaration and install Bluezone application to prevent , anti-epidemic. The Bluezone application is currently one of the five recommended technology solutions to prevent the spread of Covid-19. This is a low energy Bluetooth technology application solution. Smartphones with Bluezone installed can communicate with each other, recording close contact. The exposure history data will only be saved on the user’s mobile device. When there is a new infection and that person’s mobile phone has Bluezone installed, the contact history will be used to alert those who also have Bluezone installed and have been in close contact with the case. Bluezone can also help alert F2 people (close contact with F1). Bluezone warns if the user has been in close contact with someone infected with Covid-19, helping to reduce the risk of spreading in the community, helping people return to normal life.

Map of epidemiological information of Covid-19 in Bac Ninh province Lang Son has just launched the Covid-19 epidemiological information map (CovidMaps) at the address: https://covidmaps.langson.gov.vn, allowing real-time monitoring of the epidemic situation. With the Covid-19 epidemiological information map, Lang Son has more digital technology solutions for management and administration in the local Covid-19 epidemic prevention and control. According to the information on the digital map, as of May 26, this province had 44 F0 cases, 2,213 F1 and more than 19,000 F2 cases and tested 11,380 cases in Lang Son city and 10 cases. district in the province. The CovidMaps map informs the living area and contact location of Covid-19 patients within 14 days, helping people easily identify the route of people infected with Covid-19 and concentrated isolation points to prevent infection. move to. A representative of the Department of Information and Communications of Lang Son province said that the map provides Covid-19 epidemiological information to help people not move to hot spots and avoid infection. People can see concentrated isolation points, medical isolation areas and disease control points in Lang Son displayed on the map in real time. The CovidMaps map also informs the living area and contact location of Covid-19 patients within 14 days. This helps people easily identify the route of people infected with Covid-19 and concentrated isolation points to not move to. The information displayed on the map is quite intuitive and detailed. With concentrated isolation points, the warning section will show the time of application, the maximum number of receptions, the number of people in quarantine and the number of people that can receive more. When people have a need to find places where patients infected with Covid-19 have been with the exact time, the system will look up the patient’s epidemiological information by number. In addition, the digital map also displays a list of patients by number or abbreviation, along with basic personal information such as year of birth, gender, health status and where they are being treated. The digital map is displayed very specifically, on the screen there are annotations for each icon such as the isolation area, the patient’s home area, the epidemic control point… for people to easily grasp, not move to. With the launch of the Covid-19 epidemiological information mapping software on May 24, 2021, Lang Son is the 9th province in the country to provide a Covid-19 epidemiological map tool to help the community track Visualize epidemiological information of local cases via the Internet. Up to now, Da Nang, Bac Giang, Vinh Phuc, Bac Ninh, Quang Ninh, Quang Nam, Gia Lai and Phu Yen have also deployed Covid-19 epidemiological information mapping software (CovidMaps). As one of the “hot spots” in terms of the number of Covid-19 patients with many complicated developments, Bac Giang has applied the Covid-19 Epidemiological Digital Map. Covidmaps uses digital map technology to digitize useful information such as: Locked areas, medical isolation; lists and information related to each patient (living quarters, travel schedules); concentrated isolation locations; Addresses of hospitals, health stations… Through this, help people, epidemic prevention and control units, and managers update information about the disease quickly, regularly and smoothly. From there, we can analyze the daily situation of the Covid-19 epidemic in the locality in order to proactively implement effective prevention and control measures. Covidmaps Bac Giang has an address at: https://covidmaps.bacgiang.gov.vn; https://bandodichte.bacgiang.gov.vn. The application of Covid digital map has been making an important contribution in supporting the authorities and people in the province to quickly update information, direct and organize the effective implementation of measures to prevent and control the epidemic. On the digital map, as of the morning of May 26, Bac Giang province had recorded 1,454 cases of Covid-19. Previously, Da Nang was one of the leading localities across the country to apply digital maps in the prevention of the Covid-19 epidemic in the area. The Covid-19 epidemiological information map was built in August 2020 – when the first outbreak of the disease broke out in Da Nang and has been continuously improved since then. The data is constantly updated from reputable sources, combining both automatic and manual entry. Representative of Danang Public Service Information Center, the biggest goal of this digital map is to help people have the most intuitive and accurate view of the Covid-19 panorama in Da Nang without having to find individual bulletins. In particular, from the success of this software after the actual application time in Da Nang, the software development team has supported CovidMaps for a number of other provinces across the country…

Representatives of leaders of the Department of Information and Communications and ATALINK Technology Joint Stock Company signed a cooperation agreement to deploy a software system to assess the risk of COVID-19 infection in real time. The software system running online at the domain name thainguyen.atalink.com will support the control of the current status of COVID-19 prevention and control, contributing to shortening 95% of the time to deploy and synthesize reports from businesses ( businesses and governments update online reports daily). Thereby, quickly identifying and zoning businesses with high risk of infection. All data updated on the software will be secured according to ISO/IEC 27001:2013 standard. According to the cooperation agreement between ATALINK Technology Joint Stock Company and Thai Nguyen province, ATALINK will provide free support for about 6,000 businesses in the province to deploy the software system for a period of 3 years from May 23, 2021 to May 23, 2021. May 23, 2024. In addition, ATALINK will consult and coordinate to deploy technologies and solutions suitable for businesses in the province during the implementation process. Speaking at the reception, Mr. Do Xuan Hoa, Director of the Department of Information and Communications, suggested that ATALINK Technology Joint Stock Company continue to improve the software to match the current state of data of businesses in the province. . At the same time, the Department will advise the Provincial People’s Committee and the Thai Nguyen Provincial Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control to direct the application of the software in the area.

As a major parts manufacturing company for industrial machinery, SMC China resumed operations in early February 2020, while the epidemic swept through China. But within a month, production activity here returned to pre-epidemic levels. After 3 months, SMC has 0 infections among nearly 7,000 employees, according to Think China . SMC China General Manager Ma Qinghai said that when the virus spread at the end of January 2020, many companies in China switched to producing ventilators and masks. This led to a sharp increase in orders received by SMC China. Therefore, the return to the operation of the company is paramount. The core strategy of SMC China is to keep the defense and not allow the virus to have a chance to stay. “Our employees know each other face to face and are familiar with the factory environment. As long as we secure the entry point, there will be no cross-contamination. The key lies here,” Ma said. Check employee health via mobile phone SMC China is a balance model between the need to prevent the epidemic and the need to return to work. Before returning to work, the company created a mobile app and asked employees to report their temperature and health condition every two days during their time off. This ensures workers stay healthy when they return to the factory from locations across China. Workers at the TCL air conditioning plant in Jiujang city are required to bring their own towels to dry their hands after soaping, according to an online notice. Photo: Getty. According to Mr. Ma, when he first returned to work, the goal was to ensure that there was no infection in the dormitory. To do this, the company arranges for all workers returning to Beijing to be isolated for 14 days before entering the dormitory. Each dormitory room is only occupied by 2-3 people to reduce the possibility of cross-infection. The production department must daily submit detailed records of temperature checks, workplace disinfection, mask distribution, and cafeteria meal times. The minutes also include information of each person in charge of each content in the anti-epidemic work. More than 3 months after returning to operation from February 3, 2020, SMC China has been able to supply products to many supply chains that produce anti-epidemic supplies, such as mask production machines for more than 500 companies and core components for dozens of ventilator factories. Stricter than authorities regulations Chinese authorities set strict regulations for companies that return to work, such as having to open office windows three times a day, 30 minutes each time In the capital Beijing, companies are required to stop fingerprinting and prohibiting employees from sitting across from each other during lunch. According to the Washington Post , some companies set anti-epidemic measures stricter than the regulations of the authorities. One of these companies is iPhone assembly plant Foxconn Technology Group – China’s largest private employer with more than 1 million employees. At Foxconn’s iPhone manufacturing complex in Zhengzhou, Henan province, workers are grouped into groups of 20 and have to live together day and night, according to a Zhengzhou government notice. Part of the manual instructing workers how to cover their mouths when sneezing to prevent the virus from spreading at the Foxconn factory in Zhengzhou. Photo: Foxconn. “This group of workers work, move, live, and eat together to ensure each person’s path can be traced,” the statement read. Reply Washington Post , a 36-year-old worker at Foxconn said that every morning, each worker is given a mask and has their temperature checked. At lunch, they ate at the high partition canteen. “There are partitions on the table so we can’t see or talk to each other,” the worker said. Seats at the Foxconn cafeteria are affixed with a QR code for workers to scan before eating. This helps the company understand who eats where and when, the company said in a statement. At the dormitory, workers must leave their coats and bags at a designated place for disinfection. Foxconn even installed infrared cameras to check the temperature of employees as they pass by. In a statement, Foxconn said it was following “all medical and hygiene recommendations… including the use of nucleic acid testing and chest X-rays where necessary.” The company said that by the beginning of April 2020, it had produced 10 million medical masks, of which the goal was to produce 2 million pieces per day for internal use. Helping employees overcome fear According to the Think China , the strict measures at Chinese factories encountered no obstacles because the company proactively reported information and the workers’ own virus fears. “The initial problem was to help workers overcome psychological fear. The rigorous and comprehensive measure makes them feel safer… Everyone knows such strict regulations are put in place to ensure their own health,” said Hiroyuki Hamada, President and CEO of Renesas Semiconductor, said. Renesas Semiconductor is a semiconductor company with a factory in Beijing. Renesas Semiconductor’s factory has about 600 workers, of which more than 90% live in company dormitories. Before the company resumed operations on February 10, 2020, more than half of the workers were on vacation in their hometown and were picked up by the company to Beijing. Those returning by public transport must live 14 days in a segregated dormitory. Workers have lunch at Renesas Semiconductor. Photo: Think China. Tables at the Renesas Semiconductor canteen are also numbered. Workers must record the number of tables and meal times for tracking purposes. “With these measures, we were able to maintain zero cases for the past few months. Up to now, 90% of the preventive measures are still in place, ”Mr. Hamada replied Think China in May 2020. Thanks to the above epidemic prevention measures, China’s huge economic engine can be safely restarted. According to data from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, as of April 21, 2020, industrial enterprises that generate at least 20 million yuan in revenue have achieved an operating ratio of 99.1 % and the rate of workers returning to the factory is 95.1%.

Ms. A. abandoned this spoiled milk carton. But the next day, when she opened another milk carton, Ms. A was surprised because the damaged milk box continued to be damaged. “I opened the milk and found it curdled, turned yellow and had a sour smell. I myself am quite careful when choosing food and beverage products for my children, I know that pasteurized fresh milk has more nutritional advantages than other lines, so the preservation of this product is more demanding. in the preservation stage and the use time is shorter” – Ms. A. said. To clarify the information that Ms. A reflected in the most objective way, on May 16, PV was present at Ms. A’s family to directly record the condition of the milk box showing signs of being damaged before its expiry date. Through direct observation, with the naked eye, PV found that the milk box for Ms. A. provided with the phenomenon: clumping, unusual concentration and unpleasant odor, unlike fresh milk products. other on the market. According to the company’s advertisement, after the launch, pasteurized fresh milk in 220ml paper bags, Dalatmilk is one of the few dairy products in paper bags made entirely from clean fresh milk of the famous dairy farming region. . This is a product line that says “no” to preservatives or synthetic ingredients, fully inheriting the value of the long-standing Dalatmilk brand – a brand beloved for its outstanding quality. Vietnamese businessmen will continue to inform about this issue!

Students of the University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Ho Chi Minh City have their temperature taken before entering class. Photo: Pham Huu At noon on May 10, Ho Chi Minh City’s Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control had an unexpected meeting with departments, branches, Thu Duc city and districts on epidemic prevention and control in the province. city ​​table. Member of the Party Central Committee, Deputy Secretary of the City Party Committee, Chairman of the People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City, Head of the City Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control Nguyen Thanh Phong chaired the meeting. Reported at the meeting, Mr. Nguyen Tan Binh, Director of Ho Chi Minh City’s Department of Health, said that recently, the city has appeared a risk factor for the spread of Covid-19 from 41 isolation areas in the hotel. 350 isolation areas of the army and 24 isolation areas in districts. The second risk is that Ho Chi Minh City hospitals are the last lines with a large concentration of patients from provinces and cities. The third is the risk from illegal entry, which the city’s health sector has recorded a number of cases of Covid-19. The fourth is the case of returning home after the last holiday, especially returning from places where there are cases of infection. Mr. Nguyen Tan Binh said that the city’s health sector has reactivated all sets of safety criteria to prevent and control the Covid-19 epidemic in all fields. The city is ready to test 5,000 samples/day, which can be increased to 30,000 – 40,000 samples/day at the request of the Ministry of Health. As for the capacity to treat patients with Covid-19, the city has a plan to treat 50-100 cases at the same time and can increase it to over 200 cases. The city’s Department of Health has planned to treat more than 5,000 cases at the same time. Speaking at the meeting, Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Nguyen Thanh Phong said that in the face of the indicated risks, the city must activate the Covid-19 epidemic prevention and control system at the highest level. “The city has Tan Son Nhat international airport, 60 large and small seaports, many last-line hospitals, so it has to activate a highly concentrated epidemic prevention and control system in these places,” said Comrade Nguyen Thanh Phong. strong. Comrade Nguyen Thanh Phong requested, in addition to drastic and strict measures, it is necessary to add measures to prevent and control the epidemic in places and areas with high risk of infection. Specifically, for airways, pay attention to security control and on-board aircraft; for roads, re-establishing checkpoints to collect medical declarations, all people coming from localities with infection chains are required to make medical declarations; For waterways, the city’s border guards must consider epidemic prevention and control as the top task at this time. Industrial parks and production facilities must have a response plan when one or more Covid-19 cases appear. The head of the city government also requested, agencies and units to strengthen online meetings; exchange between state agencies with each other through electronic mailboxes; interaction between the government and the people through the online public service portal. “The city must be ready to respond in case the epidemic spreads in the community. The city will deploy more concentrated medical isolation areas, soon to raise over 10,000 isolation beds and be ready to treat 200 cases at the same time”, Head of the City Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control Nguyen Thanh Phong requested. Step 1: Visit https://www.bluezone.gov.vn or download directly at App Store or CH Play. Step 2: Once downloaded, the application will ask for permission to use Bluetooth to record contact with other Bluezone installed users. If Bluetooth is not open, drag the status bar and turn on Bluetooth; or go to Settings, select Bluetooth and turn it on. Step 3: Once the installation is done, click Scan Around. If someone near you less than 2m has used Bluezone, the application will automatically identify these users and put them in the contact list.

The participating units, doctors and nurses responded to the program. To ensure the prevention and control of the Covid-19 epidemic nationwide and create conditions for the program to easily reach a large number of people, the launching ceremony was conducted in an online form on the Vietnam Health Facebook page – Ministry of Health. The 5th of May every year is designated by the World Health Organization (WHO) as World Hand Hygiene Day to raise awareness among healthcare workers about the importance of hand hygiene. for public health in general and to support infection prevention at hospitals in particular. In the context of the complicated developments of the Covid-19 epidemic, promoting propaganda and raising awareness of keeping hands clean is not only confined to medical staff but also needs to be extended to the community. If health workers wash their hands to protect the health of the people they care for, people also need to be aware of hand washing to contribute to protecting the health of themselves and the community. This is the meaning that the program wants to send to everyone through the message: “We washed our hands for you, wash your hands for the community” to contribute to the implementation of the “5K” request of the Ministry of Health. . At the launching ceremony, Deputy Minister of Health Do Xuan Tuyen sent a message to the medical staff: “On behalf of the leadership of the Ministry of Health, we call on colleagues from all over the country, the “angels” white shirt” is working day and night for public health, those on the front lines of epidemic prevention and control, having a short break between work hours will share beautiful images recommending the community to regularly wash their hands and strictly follow the 5K message”. During the Action Month to respond to World Hand Hygiene Day, the Ministry of Health launched an online contest on social networking applications for collectives and individuals across the country, participating in the call to spread the beautiful image of the health sector about the action of washing hands to clean bacteria “We washed our hands for you, you should wash your hands for the community”, from May 5 to the end of May 30, 2021, with a total prize value is 80 million. In the collective form, each participating hospital and unit takes a group photo of creative hand movements. The photo must show the slogan “We washed our hands for you, wash your hands for the community” (write on the board, on paper… creative freedom). The unit posts photos on its Facebook page to make it public with the message #AikenVietnam #Chuyengiakhangkhuan #Sachkhuantudoitay, calling for interaction (likes, shares, comments). After that, the unit commented on the contest entry right under the article announcing the rules on the Aiken Vietnam Facebook page. In personal form, individuals change their avatar or post a picture with the frame of the program, on the content of the avatar must show the slogan “We washed our hands for you, you should wash your hands for the community”. “. The individual posted on his Facebook page to make it public with the message #AikenVietnam #Chuyengiakhangkhuan #Sachkhuantudoitay, calling for interaction (like, share, comment). Then, personally comment on the contest entry right under the article announcing the rules on the Aiken Vietnam Facebook page. Immediately after the launch, despite being busy fighting the epidemic, many units, doctors and nurses across the country enthusiastically sent positive images to the program to spread meaningful messages to the community. Step 1: Visit https://www.bluezone.gov.vn or download directly at App Store or CH Play. Step 2: Once downloaded, the application will ask for permission to use Bluetooth to record contact with other Bluezone installed users. If Bluetooth is not open, drag the status bar and turn on Bluetooth; or go to Settings, select Bluetooth and turn it on. Step 3: Once the installation is done, click Scan Around. If someone near you less than 2m has used Bluezone, the application will automatically identify these users and put them in the contact list.

An estimate of the number of daily excess deaths from Covid-19 around the world. Photo: The Economist In the year to 8 May, South Africa recorded 158,499 excess deaths (deaths that were higher than estimated under previous trends due to demographic changes). Health officials are confident that 85-95% of these deaths are caused by the new strain of corona virus, which is almost three times the official statistics. The disparity stems from the fact that, for a death to be recognized as caused by SARS-CoV-2, the deceased needs to undergo testing and be confirmed. Although South Africa does more testing than its neighbors, rates are still low. And the cause of death is not fully documented for those who die at home. Common phenomenon Mortality rates that exceed official statistics, at least at some point during the pandemic, occur in most if not all of the world. According to the most recent data, the number of excess deaths in the US was 7.1% higher than official statistics between early March 2020 and mid-April 2021. Studies have discovered such a mismatch in several countries. For example, the UK saw an excess death rate that was higher than published in the first wave of infections, but lower in the second, reflecting how measures to contain the spread of the virus helped. save many lives. A similar situation occurs in France. The inadequacy is simply because most countries, especially poor ones, do not provide such data in a timely manner. The best official data only reflect more than half of the real numbers, while the worst data show only about a quarter of reality. Photo: The Economist The Economist has attempted to model the extent of excess deaths during the pandemic in countries that do not report. With 95% probability, the model estimates the number of deaths globally to date between 7.1 and 12.7 million, with an average of 10.2 million. Not surprisingly, most of the missed deaths are in low- and middle-income countries. The actual death toll in most rich OECD countries is 1.17 times the official data, but 14 times higher in sub-Saharan Africa. Notable points The structure of the first and second waves in Europe and the US is less visible in the data of the statistical model for the whole world. Overall, the pandemic is increasingly concentrated in developing economies and continues to increase. In some places, seroprevalence surveys have shown that many people have Covid-19 antibodies, a sign of previous illness. Other factors that may also play a role are the measures governments have taken to limit the spread of the virus. Demographics also have an effect, with more young people often synonymous with lower mortality rates. By collecting 121 indicators for more than 200 countries and regions and machine learning models, The Economist experts estimate that, by May 10, there is a 95% probability that the pandemic has led to 2.4 – 7.1 million excess deaths in Asia (official death toll at 0.6 million), 1.5 – 1.8 million in Latin America and the Caribbean (officially 0.6 million), approx. 0 -2.1 million in Africa (officially 0.1 million), 1.5 – 1.6 million in Europe (officially 1 million) and 0.6 – 0.7 million in the US and Canada ( official 0.6 million). In Oceania, where only 1,218 deaths are officially reported, the model predicts that the actual number of deaths is between 12,000 and 13,000. The estimated range for Africa and Asia is very broad due to lack of data. If the probability is 50%, the estimated range narrows significantly, to only 3.3 – 5.2 million excess deaths in Asia, 0.8 -1.6 million in Africa and 8 ,2 – 10.5 million cases worldwide. In 2020, the number of daily deaths increased during 33/52 weeks. After a brief lull in early 2021, they bounced to new highs, largely due to the tragedy in India. According to estimates, the South Asian country is seeing between 6,000 and 31,000 deaths a day, far exceeding the official figure of about 4,000, in line with independent epidemiological estimates. Remarkably, the death rate from the epidemic is actually worse in richer countries. For Asia and Africa, the estimated death toll per million population is about half that of Europe. India is just the equivalent of Britain, at least for the time being. If two communities have the same level of health care, the community with more elderly people will have a higher number of deaths. If demographics are the only differentiating factor, estimates suggest that epidemic deaths in Japan (mean age 48) are 13 times higher than in Uganda (mean age 17). However, in absolute terms, the mortality rate among the young and poor population is much higher than that of the rich population of the same age group. And for the elderly in poor countries, the situation is clearly dire. The number of excess deaths (red) and the number of officially announced deaths by week in the US. Photo: The Economist Meaning of model The fact that mortality rates are relatively low in the developing world seems to be due to age several different meanings, as the virus is spreading more easily among younger people, a finding that has been reinforced by investigations. serum value. This implies many cases of non-fatal illness. It also means that the virus has a lot of opportunities to mutate. There is a documented exception where in some Southeast Asian countries, mortality rates appear to be very low. It is possible that residents here are benefiting from “cross-immunity”, the level of protection against SARS-CoV-2 caused by infection in other virus outbreaks in the area in the past. But, unfortunately, there are now signs that the numbers are on the rise. The Economist’s estimation model is the first of its kind, though not the only way to deduce the total number of deaths from Covid-19. However, Ariel Karlinsky, a statistician at Israel’s Kohelet Economic Forum think tank, notes that either way, the estimates are no substitute for official data. Tuan Anh

Users only take 10 seconds to breathe into the machine and less than 2 minutes later have COVID-19 results. Photo: Straits Times According to the Singapore Straits Times, the device will ensure the safety of movement and inspection at large-scale events. Previously, local health technology company Silver Factory worked with the National Center for Infectious Diseases (NCID), Changi Airport and security company Certis to develop the device. Silver Factory’s ventilator, called TracieX, is proven to give results nearly as accurate as a PCR test, which takes only about 2 minutes. Compared with PCR test, the sensitivity rate of TracieX ventilator is above 95% and its specificity is above 99%. Device sensitivity is the ability to confirm which test samples are positive, while specificity is used to confirm a negative. The price for a test with this device is only 20 USD (about 460,000 VND). The device has been tested at NCID, Changi and Certis airport terminals with over 400 participants. During a test at Changi Airport last month, passengers were randomly selected and asked to voluntarily provide breathing samples. “Testing with a ventilator will be less invasive, effective and quick to give results. From there, creating favorable conditions for passengers to fly,” said Mr. Abert Lim – Vice President in charge of passenger experience of Changi Airport Group – said. Silver Factory Technology’s TracieX ventilator uses a sensor chip to identify molecular traces in the breath of patients with COVID-19. Medical staff take a breath sample and put it into the processing device to read the results. Photo: Straits Times Disposable breathing tubes with control features keep infectious material sealed, thus preventing direct contact of these materials with others, such as healthcare workers. The user will breathe into the device for 10 seconds. The device is then inserted into a portable reader for analysis and results. The process is completed in less than 2 minutes. Silver Factory is currently working with Enterprise Singapore under the Singapore Ministry of Trade and Industry with the ambition to bring this technology overseas.

On the afternoon of May 9, Bai Chay tourist area in Ha Long city (Quang Ninh) was empty of tourists after this locality appeared a case of Covid-19 related to the outbreak of K Hospital Tan Trieu campus. Currently, the case in Ha Long is also the only Covid-19 case in Quang Ninh province, numbered 3260 by the Ministry of Health. The empty streets were completely different from the bustling atmosphere last weekend. To prevent the epidemic, Ha Long City applied a series of strong measures, including the blockade of markets such as Ha Long 1; Ha Long 2; Toad market Old ferry terminal; Vuon Dao market, Bai Chay ward… Ha Long Bay also stopped tourist activities. Visitors to Quang Ninh must make a medical declaration from 0:00 on May 8. Mr. Nguyen Van Thang (who works as a motorbike taxi driver) last week used to stay here to take guests from resorts to the beach. “For two days, I just brought my car here to sit for the rest of the day and then come back. There were no customers, but I didn’t dare to rest because I was the main laborer in the family,” said Mr. Thang. The parking lot is near sparsely populated, located between the pedestrian street and the amusement park. A representative of Sun World Halong Complex said that the entire amusement park was closed to visitors from May 6. This cafe is located in a beautiful location between the two main streets of the pedestrian street. Before the outbreak, this place was usually busy on weekends, but now it has to be closed. Another cafe on the corner of the pedestrian street is in a similar condition. The staff here said that only a few guests sometimes come in for a drink. “Each business kiosk here has a rental price of 15-20 million/month. Now that there are no customers, we are forced to close down to return the premises,” said Mr. Tran Huu Viet, owner of a restaurant on the pedestrian street. With no guests, many employees put things out to repair to wait for tourists to return. This cafe located in the middle of the beach, which opened last summer, is now closed. Tables and chairs covered with canvas lay bare in the middle of the sand. Previously, Ha Long announced that people were not allowed to swim in the sea. Some pontoon and beach seat rentals have been shut down. Ha Long international passenger ship port area is in a similar situation. Ships lined up long after the Quang Ninh provincial authorities asked to stop welcoming tourists to Ha Long Bay.

However, contact lenses can cause serious damage to vision when not used correctly. Sharon Copeland – ophthalmologist – shares 3 common mistakes when wearing it. Fashionable contact lenses are very popular in recent times. Photo: Femina. Avoid contact with water Contact lenses are usually cleaned with a special solution. Forgetting to take off your glasses and being in direct contact with water will make your eyes susceptible to infection. Sharon emphasized: “All kinds of water are not good for contact lenses. If you accidentally step into the bathroom with contact lenses, close your eyes and do not come into contact with water. When stepping outside, need to dry your hands and remove them. them”. Water can contain Acanthamoeba bacteria when it gets on contact lens surfaces, which can easily infect the eyes. This leads to keratitis, red eyes, blurred vision, sensitivity to light and, more seriously, vision damage. Avoid direct contact with water when wearing contact lenses. Photo: The Sun. Do not rub your eyes Pollen, dirt or makeup causes us to rub our eyes. But for contact lens wearers, this is more prone to tearing or the lens being pushed up above the eyelid. In addition, when rubbing the eyes, bacteria easily penetrate from the hands into the cornea. Sharon added: “If your eyes feel uncomfortable, use some eye drops to relieve pain. Cooling cloths placed on the eyes can also ease the pain. Remove contact lenses. when you feel irritation”. Avoid rubbing your eyes while wearing contact lenses. Photo: The Sun. Wear contact lenses to sleep Wearing contact lenses to bed puts you at a higher risk of eye infections. Ophthalmologist Jennifer Fogt said: “Wearing contact lenses while sleeping reduces the amount of oxygen to the eyes. That can lead to eye infections such as keratitis or worsen dry symptoms. This happens when you don’t have enough water to lubricate your eyes, scratching the cells inside.” Contact lenses need to be cleaned every night. If you accidentally deflect the glass, do not attempt to remove it. Instead, gently rub your eyes and use eye drops to reduce the condition. You need special solutions to reduce irritation. Photo: The Sun.

Bleeding: Bleeding and menstrual-like cramps can be signs of a problem with your baby. Bleeding is the most common and basic sign of miscarriage. During a miscarriage, the amount of bleeding is usually very large, unlike the light bleeding that is common in healthy pregnant women. Severe pain: Abdominal pain is common during pregnancy. However, if the pain becomes intense and spreads down to the pelvis and lower back, it could be a warning sign of a miscarriage, especially if accompanied by bleeding and uterine contractions. Placenta: During the first trimester of pregnancy, the fetus is formed mainly from tissues. It is not until at least the first 6 weeks of pregnancy that the embryo begins to develop into the main parts of the fetus. Abortion of the placenta – or tissues – is a sign that accompanies a miscarriage. When the placenta is delivered, pregnant women will notice blood clots coming out of the vagina, along with pain or discomfort in the lower abdomen. Chills: Chills and fever or aching pain all over the body can be signs of an infection and you should see your doctor for an immediate diagnosis. Infection during pregnancy can cause serious harm to the unborn baby. Chills are also a symptom of septic abortions. Severe muscle spasms: Abdominal pain and cramps are common during pregnancy and can also be experienced by healthy pregnant women. However, if a pregnant woman has abdominal pain with menstrual-like contractions, and the pain does not show any signs of improvement, it could be a symptom of miscarriage. Relieves Pregnancy Symptoms: If common pregnancy symptoms such as breast tenderness, nausea, and morning sickness gradually disappear, it could be a sign of miscarriage. Unusual Vaginal Discharge: In addition to placental abruption and vaginal bleeding, a pregnant woman may also find her vaginal discharge has an unusual color and odor during a miscarriage or fetal infection. In the case of miscarriage, vaginal discharge is often bloody and this is accompanied by vaginal bleeding. Negative pregnancy test results: Some women may want to take another pregnancy test to make sure that the first pregnancy test gives an accurate result. Depending on the timing of the second pregnancy test, a negative pregnancy test result could be a sign of an early miscarriage or simply indicate that the first test was false. Reduced fetal movements: The loss of a fetus that occurs within the first 20 weeks of pregnancy is considered a miscarriage, and after this period is considered a stillbirth. At any point during pregnancy, if you feel your baby is moving less than usual, you should seek medical advice immediately. Weight loss: Weight loss is an unusual sign of pregnancy. Normal pregnant women with normal weight gain 12-16kg during pregnancy. If a pregnant woman suddenly loses weight and feels anorexia, she should seek medical advice to detect problems with the fetus early.

According to the Southernliving , lipstick Expiry date is about 2 years. While lip gloss is only valid for one year. If during use, you feel the product has changed in color and lipstick, throw them away immediately to protect your health, to avoid allergic lips. Image: Allure. Mascara It is a makeup product containing many bacteria and has a rather short shelf life of about 3 months. To save money, you should choose a mascara with a reasonable price but still ensure to bring attractive curled eyelashes. Image: Grazia. Perfume has a fairly long shelf life within 2 years from the time of opening the lid. You can tell if a perfume has expired by smelling the product. If it has a slightly sour or metallic smell, you need to stop using it. In addition, the color or luster of the liquid will turn darker as the perfume expires. Image: Macy’s. Creamy cosmetics such as concealer , pink Chest and liquid highlighter susceptible to yeast and mold accumulation if not stored properly. The product will expire after about a year of use. According to the Real Simple 90% of beauty products when expired will contain many bacteria that cause skin infections, acne and allergies. Image: The Zoe Report. Powder cosmetics are some of the most durable products. Powders, foundations, and eyeshadows are great investments because they last for about 2 years. Depending on the brand, the expiration date will vary, but not more than 2 years. Image: Soco. The Skin care products has a different shelf life depending on the ingredients . Moisturizers and cleansers are safe to use for about a year. Serums and serums should be replaced after 6 months as ingredients tend to oxidize from exposure to air. If you see unusual signs from the product, you should ask the seller or find out information from the brand to make sure not to use them after the expiration date. Image: Huffpost. Eyeliner, eyebrow pencil They are worth your investment because their shelf life is 2 years. Expired products can be unhygienic and dangerous to the skin you use. Therefore, you need to know the exact time of use of each item to avoid unnecessary risks. Image: Sanook. Do cosmetics really work? Many types of cosmetics often make women confused when choosing for themselves.

Make it a habit to wash your hands. Hand washing protects health and saves lives. However, this can aggravate some skin lesions such as atopic dermatitis, contact dermatitis, psoriasis … if anyone has it, specifically making the skin drier, cracked, irritated, even even an infection. So what’s the advice: – Dry hands after each hand wash: After washing, dry your hands carefully with a clean towel or tissue, especially between your fingers, as bacteria are more easily transmitted between wet hands. – Use moisturizer to reduce the unwanted effects of heavy hand washing: Frequent hand washing can damage the skin barrier, leaving skin dry and cracked. So moisturizing the skin of the hands is the most important thing. Not only people with diseases but also those with healthy skin should take care of their skin. How to use moisturizer correctly: Take a pea-sized amount of cream, rub it all over your hands, paying attention to the fingertips as this is an easy place to dry and crack. Apply yin lotion after you’ve washed and dried your hands, or whenever your skin feels dry. Besides, you should consult a dermatologist about the right product. Avoid washing hands with hot water: Hot water will make the skin quickly dry and wrinkled, cracked, so only warm water should be used to wash your hands. – Wear rubber gloves When having to contact cleaning chemicals or working in a humid environment, the time to wear gloves should be as short as possible to avoid sweating hands, which aggravates skin damage. BSCKII. Bui Quang Hao ( Head of Infection Control Department, National Hospital of Dermatology )

Nigeria will become the next big Covid-19 “outbreak” after India. (Source: Anadolu Agency/Getty) And experts are cautiously observing a developing country, with a large area, disparities in health services and unequal access to vaccines, like India, that is Nigeria. With 200 million people, it is the most populous country in West Africa and the 7th most populous country in the world. Ngozi Erondui, a senior research fellow at the Chatham House Center for Global Health Security in the UK, said that “Nigeria is really vulnerable” and “has a lot in common with India”. When rich countries are not willing to share The world will not be able to do anything to prevent Covid-19 from ravaging Nigeria like the situation is happening in the past days in India. A more equitable distribution of vaccines could build a “firewall” against the rise in infections in Nigeria, as well as in other less developed countries. However, that will require the more economically developed countries of the world to share rescue resources with poorer countries. The tragic case of India proves that the vaccine-rich country in the world will not be in a hurry to help poor countries on distant continents. In fact, Africa is not necessarily synonymous with “poverty”. The continent is huge and diverse, comprising 54 countries with 1.2 billion people running economies from large to small, rich to poor, strong to weak. Likewise, African countries’ pandemic experiences vary widely. South Africa, one of the wealthiest countries on the continent, was hit hard last summer and then returned in January. Officials in the region recorded more than 54,000 deaths. The mortality rate is 93 deaths per 100,000 population, a number far below the US 175 deaths per 100,000 population, but much higher than the global average of 38 deaths. per 100,000 inhabitants. So far, many less industrialized African countries have avoided catastrophic spikes in infections, recording fewer deaths than rich countries. A total of 580,000 Americans have died from Covid-19 while only 1,600 Nigerians have died from the pandemic. SARS-CoV-2 virus – “opportunistic” virus However, that doesn’t mean Covid-19 won’t reach Nigeria and other African countries, it just means it hasn’t arrived yet. Lawrence Gostin, a global health expert at Georgetown University, told T he Daily Beast : “I am seeing the possibility that the Covid-19 fires will ravage around the world in the weeks and months to come. And I’m most worried about Africa.” According to Mr. Gostin, “the crisis in India is a leading indicator of what is to come in other low- and middle-income countries”. Despite its crowded cities, limited public health measures and a patchwork health care system, India has so far been considered relatively fortunate. The South Asian country has 1.37 billion people but only 160,000 deaths so far in March, with a rate of 11 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants. Then, in April, a new and more contagious variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, known as B.1.617, emerged and spread across India, causing a record increase in cases and deaths. green. In just a few weeks, India had nearly 50,000 more deaths. The death rate rose to 15 per 100,000 population. When this article was published, the Covid-19 wave in India was underway, but the trend was already decreasing. The rate of new cases and deaths is decreasing. And while it is predicted that tens of thousands of more Indians will die before this spike is over, at least the pandemic has not gotten any worse in the country. But the SARS-CoV-2 virus is an opportunistic virus. It always finds places that are densely populated but have no protection. Spreading through the air from person to person, Covid-19 establishes a “laboratory” in each body that the virus infects. Each SARS-CoV-2 virus mutates after two weeks of infection for as long as it is active, and seeks to evolve so that it can create a new variant that is increasingly contagious. New variants help the virus spread even faster in a self-reinforcing cycle that ends only with drastic social distancing, vaccinations and antibodies among survivors, or more likely a combination of the virus. all three methods to cut off the transmission route of Covid-19. It is no coincidence that SARS-CoV-2 thrived in India this month. Popular religious festivals have attracted thousands of people who attended without wearing masks. Meanwhile, India’s vaccination effort is very bad. According to statistics, the South Asian country has fully vaccinated only 3% of the population, compared with more than 30% in the US. The global average for full immunization is also a little over 3%. From the epidemiologist’s point of view, Nigeria, with its many overcrowded cities, high poverty rates and shabby health system, is quite similar to India, but worse in some respects. India has at least some domestic vaccine manufacturers, while Nigeria has none. The African country must import all doses of the vaccine from outside. That explains why Nigeria only partially immunizes 1% of the population and almost no one is fully vaccinated. The Lagos government is expected to receive 84 million doses of the vaccine from AstraZeneca and Johnson&Johnson in the coming weeks. But that number is only enough to inject a fifth of the country’s population. Meanwhile, the proportion that experts say could lead to “herd immunity” is vaccination of three-quarters of the population, which blocks most routes of transmission and can last up to year 2022. Shortage side, surplus side To help Nigeria and the underserved countries, the rich countries of the world should stop hoarding vaccines excessively. Of course, more shots are not a panacea, and even a country with many vaccines can have trouble administering. However, the vaccine shortage, and the hesitation among people who doubt the vaccine’s effectiveness, could further slow the vaccination process. Shaun Truelove, an epidemiologist at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, said that “the only way to know if Nigeria is managing vaccines well is to keep shipping the vaccine to the country”. Global supply is not the biggest problem. The United States, a country with many vaccine manufacturers, has a stockpile of more than 60 million doses of vaccine while continuing to have more vaccines supplied by factories, while vaccination rates are falling. especially for Republicans. It was only a few weeks after the sudden spike in Covid-19 in India that the administration of President Joe Biden promised to ship an additional number of vaccines to New Delhi. The AstraZeneca vaccine isn’t even authorized in the US. For Americans, those doses of vaccines are not only redundant but also useless. The problem of severe delays in the release of excess vaccines was anticipated a year ago. In the spring of 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) together with a number of international public-private partners, came together to establish the Global Access to Vaccines Covid-19 initiative, or COVAX. The COVAX initiative allows rich countries to pay for vaccines to poor countries. COVAX’s goal was to deliver 100 million doses by March, but it actually delivered less than 40 million doses. “This has failed Nigeria and many countries,” Mr. Erondu said [trong việc tiêm chủng]”. America is part of the problem. The Trump administration has refused to sign on to COVAX, a move that reflects its narrow “America First” philosophy. The Trump administration at the time either didn’t understand, or didn’t care, that vaccinating poor countries also helped protect rich countries. After all, the virus doesn’t care about borders. Mr. Biden reversed the decision in February. The administration has committed $4 billion in cash, making the US the largest donor of COVAX, albeit somewhat belatedly. In a parallel move, Mr. Biden also signaled support for a controversial proposal to give the WTO a copyright exemption for a Covid-19 vaccine. In theory, the decision would allow any manufacturer in any country to produce doses of the vaccine. However, experts are still divided on whether the patent waiver will lead to more doses of the vaccine being shipped to countries in need. Meanwhile, many richer countries have been slow to implement their COVAX commitments. Meanwhile, strains of the SARS-CoV-2 virus continue to target unprotected populations from one area to another. Nigeria is about to become the “storm center” of Covid-19. However, this West African country may not suffer the same fate as India. Because vaccines are available. Existing mechanisms will get the vaccine to the countries that need it most. It is worth mentioning that many countries have a surplus of vaccines but do not appreciate the importance of sharing vaccines with other countries. (According to Daily Beast)

How the fake Google Chrome app infiltrates the phone Specifically, the crook will initially send you an SMS and ask to pay a small fee to receive the parcel. When the user clicks on the attached link, the screen will display a message asking to update the Google Chrome browser (actually fake software) and pay 1-2 USD fee to receive the goods via credit card. use. If you do, the crooks will instantly get your credit card information and take your money. In addition, the malware also uses the device to send about 2,000 phishing SMS messages per week to random phone numbers. According to the researchers, the malware’s propagation speed is relatively fast, able to target hundreds of thousands of users in a short time. How to limit? The researchers recommend that users absolutely do not give out credit card information to strangers. Also only update apps directly through Google Play or the App Store, do not click on suspicious links, even if they are sent by friends or relatives.