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.

According to Mayor Sergei Sobyanin, anyone over the age of 18 who receives the first shot of the COVID-19 vaccine between June 14 and July 11 will automatically be drawn into a lucky draw for a car. According to Sobyanin, five cars worth one million rubles ($13,900) each will be given away weekly. The move comes in an effort to speed up the slow pace of vaccination in this city as the number of new infections in Russia continues to increase. “This is only a temporary solution. To avoid difficult blockade measures and ensure improvement of the situation, we need to speed up the vaccination,” – Mayor Sobyanin shared. A medical professional holds a vial of the Russian-made Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine on January 18. Photo: REUTERS The Russian capital recorded 7,704 new infections on June 13, the most in a single day since December 24, 2020. Russian authorities also reported 14,723 cases nationwide, the largest single-day total since February 13. Earlier in the day, Mayor Sobyanin informed the city’s residents to take a break from work next week to help limit the spread of the disease and to enjoy a productive “long holiday”. Mr. Sobyanin once publicly lamented the small number of people choosing to vaccinate. After the call for people to get vaccinated to receive free cars, the mayor of Moscow did not disclose specific figures on the number of people who came for the injection. On May 21, Mayor Sobyanin announced that about 1.3 million of the more than 12 million people in the capital had received one dose, Reuters news. Russia was the first country in the world to approve a COVID-19 vaccine for domestic use, before the start of large-scale trials.

Summer has arrived but luxury yachts anchored in deep-water ports are sparse, elite parties have yet to begin, music festivals are banned, bars remain closed. However, behind that bleak landscape is a whole plan to revive the tourism industry that has begun to spread across the island. In the labyrinthine alleys of the main town, street painters are painstakingly painting the walls. They hope that in the next few weeks or months, their work will be flooded with check-in photos on Instagram. Greece is launching a campaign called Blue Freedom on 80 islands with the desire to rebuild the smokeless industry amid the pandemic. The campaign started with a plan to vaccinate against Covid-19 for all people on the islands. Mykonos struggles to revive tourism. “Heaven” hides Greece’s post-Covid-19 economic recovery plans rely heavily on the tourism industry. This industry accounts for 18% of the economy and provides one-fifth of job opportunities for workers. Tourism also helped Greeks get out of a 10-year financial crisis that ended just before the outbreak of Covid-19. Last year, the country welcomed less than a third of 2019’s tourist arrivals, according to the UNWTO World Tourism Organization. Mykonos belongs to the Cyclades group of islands and is the most famous destination in Greece. Before the pandemic, this place was known as a “party paradise” for the super rich and famous. From former US First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis to female stars such as Grace Kelly (USA), Brigitte Bardot (France), Sophia Loren (Italy)… all have visited Mykonos. Mayor Konstantinos Koukas said: “The people of Mykonos were shocked when the number of tourists dropped sharply last year. But this year there are signs that the number of visitors may double compared to 2020.” Before the pandemic, the island of Mykonos was famous for its bustling nightlife. Compared to some other Mediterranean countries that also depend on tourism, Greece is said to be working hard to revive the smokeless industry. At the beginning of April, as the world faced a new wave of epidemics, the country reopened to most tourists. It is the second EU country, after Croatia, to allow Americans to come in without quarantine. According to the CNN , Americans are the most generous travelers in the Mediterranean country. The US ambassador to Greece, Geoffrey Pyatt, recently praised the “record nine direct flights per day by US airlines to Greece this summer”. With dozens of fully vaccinated islands and long coastlines, Greece promises to become a “shelter paradise” in the middle of the epidemic season. However, things in Mykonos seem more complicated. This party island is unlike any other idyllic destination. Mykonos’ brand and sales are shaped by its bustling nightlife, a business that’s not easy to bounce back from during the pandemic. Magic formula Although the US State Department recently added Greece to its long list of “Level 4: Do Not Travel” countries, the promise of a Covid-19-free Mykonos has attracted the interest of travelers worldwide. demand, especially from the US. Iraklis Zisimopoulos, CEO of the Semeli Hospitality Group hotel, restaurant and bar chain on the island, said his company has received a lot of inquiries and booking requests recently. “The two main questions are the vaccination plan and whether tourists will be able to party on the island like they used to. We told them that in July things will probably be back to normal as they were. There’s never been a pandemic.” Zisimopoulos describes the vaccine as a “miracle recipe for a return to nightlife”. Greece hopes a nationwide vaccination plan will help revive Mykonos. Global reopening plans remain flexible, depending on the policies of each country. The new variant of SARS-CoV-2 is a constant worry. Some countries continue to ban their citizens from traveling abroad. Travelers may be forced to quarantine after returning home. However, in Mykonos, the first large yachts of this summer have arrived. At the trendy Alemagou Beach bar, German booze is ready again. After months of lockdown, a visitor from Hamburg (Germany) said that she and her friends were finally reunited in Mykonos and it felt like a dream. “Last year, we were not vaccinated. But this year, we became the first to get vaccinated and travel. We want to show people that they can have a good time and be safe here,” she said.

Volunteers injecting experimental vaccine Covivac. Photo: General Writing Domestic vaccines can reach 20-30 million doses/year According to the Ministry of Health, so far, the country has two manufacturers researching and developing vaccines against Covid-19.
The Nanocovax vaccine of the Nanogen Pharmaceutical Biotechnology Joint Stock Company has been approved for a phase 3 clinical trial (TNLS). In the past few days, the Military Medical Academy has administered experimental injections to volunteers aged 18.
According to the research outline, phase 3 will test on about 13,000 volunteers in many provinces and cities such as Hanoi, Hung Yen, Long An, Tien Giang, etc. In the North, the Military Medical Academy will act as the focal point for deployment. at Military Medical Hospital 103 and Hung Yen province’s preventive health center deployed locally. The southern area will be professionally handled by the Pasteur Institute in Ho Chi Minh City, in collaboration with the preventive health centers of Long An and Tien Giang provinces.
At the Military Medical Academy, there are currently more than 6,000 volunteers registered to participate in the trial, of which more than 600 people have been screened and are eligible to participate. In the immediate future, in the first phase of the TNLS phase 3, the Military Medical Academy will test 1,000 people. According to the Military Medical Academy, before that, in stages 1 and 2 of the Nano Covax vaccine trial, 100% of people who injected immunity were protected against the attack of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
In the phase 3 trial, the Nano Covax vaccine was administered to volunteers from 18 years of age, and there was no maximum age limit for the trial participants. Currently, the oldest person to register for TNLS injection phase 3 is 83 years old. Nano Covax vaccine will also be administered to volunteers with chronic diseases such as hypertension, diabetes (stable disease, do not inject during acute phase) to evaluate the results of immunogenicity. fluid, post-injection reaction… The results of the phase 3 clinical trial are the basis for the Ministry of Health to grant emergency permits and widely inject people to prevent the Covid-19 epidemic, which is expected in the fourth quarter of this year. Earlier, during a working visit to the Military Medical Academy, National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue asked the Military Medical Academy to continue to closely coordinate with relevant ministries and sectors to urgently accelerate the implementation of clinical trials. Preparing phase 3 of Nanocovax vaccine, striving for early results to have a preventive vaccine for the community. However, when manufacturing, vaccines must ensure superiority in antibody generation time, with the shortest number of days; minimize side effects to a minimum, especially for people with weak health and underlying diseases; at the same time, must be able to resist and destroy future mutations. In addition, the COVIVAC vaccine of the Nha Trang Institute of Vaccines and Biologicals, is currently in the first phase of the TNLS and is about to be transferred to the second phase of research in Thai Binh.
According to the Ministry of Health, the COVIVAC vaccine is expected to produce about 6 million doses per year and can increase capacity when invested. Meanwhile, with the Nanocovax vaccine, which is expected to produce about 20-30 million doses per year, Nanogen Pharmaceutical Biotechnology Joint Stock Company can increase its capacity when invested.
A vaccine is coming soon that only requires one dose
Information from the Department of Science and Technology (Ministry of Health), a Vietnamese enterprise has discussed and negotiated with the US manufacturer on conditions for transferring technology to produce Covid-19 vaccine from mRNA essence. It is known that this vaccine only needs to be injected with a single dose of 5 mg, has high protection (based on the results of TNLS phase 1, 2), has a storage temperature of 20 – 80 degrees Celsius, currently the vaccine has been tested. end of trial phase 1, 2).
The first factory following the manufacturer’s technology standards will increase the capacity of 100-200 million doses/year, and is expected to start production from the end of 2021 or the first quarter of 2022. In addition, the No. 1 Vaccine and Biological Products Company Limited (VABIOTECH) is also negotiating with a Japanese partner to receive the transfer of vaccine production technology to Vietnam. In addition, VABIOTECH signed an agreement with the Direct Investment Fund of the Russian Federation on the closure of Sputnik-V Covid-19 vaccine tubes from semi-finished products with a scale of 5 million doses/month starting from July 2021. , towards transferring production technology with the scale of 100 million doses/year.
According to Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long, vaccines are an important weapon to bring life back to normal. Therefore, the Politburo has a policy on import, research, production and technology transfer for vaccines. Along with creating maximum conditions and quickly solving procedures for businesses and localities to import vaccines, Vietnam also promotes research and domestic production of vaccines. Vietnam is one of the first four countries in the world to isolate the SARS-CoV-2 virus, paving the way for research and production of vaccines, and many positive prospects for people to soon receive domestic vaccines. In addition, the Ministry of Health has worked with many foreign partners, negotiated to buy vaccine copyrights, transfer technology so that Vietnam can get the vaccine as soon as possible and be independent in the source of vaccines used in the country.
Recently, the Ministry of Health has negotiated with Johnson & Johnson Corporation with the hope that this unit will transfer technology to set up a vaccine factory in Vietnam. According to Minister Nguyen Thanh Long, many large corporations in Vietnam want to participate in the global vaccine supply chain. Vietnam is also one of more than 40 countries that can produce vaccines for the vaccination needs of the people, so the vaccine production experience of Vietnamese factories is guaranteed. Vietnam’s national vaccine management system (NRA) has also been certified as meeting standards by the World Health Organization (WHO). Johnson & Johnson’s side commits that after working with the Ministry of Health, it will make efforts to implement solutions to speed up the supply process through the COVAX mechanism, so that Vietnam can have Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine as soon as possible. However, Minister Nguyen Thanh Long also said that, to ensure vaccine security, one of the very important issues is to ensure a sustainable financial source for vaccines. Therefore, the Minister wishes that the community, authorities and businesses continue to support the Vaccine Fund. Vietnam has self-produced many vaccines and put them into the expanded vaccination program, contributing to the eradication and repelling of many dangerous diseases. This is the premise for the successful production of a Covid-19 vaccine. In fact, the research and production of vaccines against Covid-19 faces many difficulties and challenges, but this is the inevitable path we must go if we want to actively supply vaccines to serve the people. Over the past time, the Ministry of Health and State management agencies have created all conditions for administrative procedures for units to conduct vaccine production in the most favorable way. We can fully expect a “made in Vietnam” vaccine because at the moment, everything is going well.

Senior Advisor of the Center for Emergency Response to Public Health Events, Assoc. Tran Dac Phu The success of a vaccine depends not only on the manufacturer, researcher, and manager, but also on the social community. Therefore, we call for the cooperation of society, all people with the health sector to have a clinical trial research program, first of all, to be safe and effective to have a product soon. vaccines produced by Vietnam for the community.

Deputy Director of the Department of Science, Technology and Investment (Ministry of Health), Dr. Nguyen Ngo Quang

A factory worker in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico injects a Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine on a bus. Photo: Reuters A man injects a COVID-19 vaccine at a movie theater in San Juan City, Philippines. Photo: Reuters The American Museum of Natural History in New York was requisitioned as a place for the COVID-19 vaccine. Photo: Reuters A young man goes to an amusement park in Almaty, Kazakhstan to get a COVID-19 vaccine. Currently, Kazakhstan uses a self-made vaccine called QazVac. Photo: Reuters Spaniards wait in front of Barcelona’s Nou Camp stadium to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. Photo: Reuters This woman getting a COVID-19 vaccine in Tel Aviv (Israel) will receive a free drink at the bar. Photo: Reuters Thai people inject COVID-19 vaccine at Suvarnabhumi airport in Bangkok. Photo: Reuters A COVID-19 vaccination site was erected in a subway station in New York (USA). Photo: Reuters People queue to get vaccinated against COVID-19 at a mobile bus in London (UK). Photo: Reuters

People get vaccinated against COVID-19. Photo: AFP/VNA In Singapore, technology has really been “powering” to increase the efficiency of vaccine use. Behind every immunization center in Singapore is a vast virtual infrastructure that can capture and categorize each COVID-19 vaccine shot to make the vaccination campaign as effective as possible. Singapore has built integrated solutions to collect and handle data disparities. The system is also flexible to adapt to new cases should Singapore change its COVID-19 vaccination strategy. One of the solutions that Singapore is applying is the development of error detection software. These software can detect errors when people misrepresent personal information during vaccination scheduling before this information is entered into the database and need human correction. Since Singapore launched its COVID-19 vaccination program at an early stage in January, the Integrated Health Information System of Singapore (IHiS) has processed between 4,000 and 5,000 vaccination data per day. . At that time, there were about 200 false declarations every day and all of these errors had to be corrected manually. However, thanks to the software’s continuous improvement, now the number of cases to be corrected is reduced to just 20 per day, while IHiS’s system processes up to 50,000 records per day. In Denmark, technology is used to attract and encourage people to get vaccinated. Researchers from the University of Copenhagen in Denmark are testing a game with virtual reality technology to educate people about the benefits of vaccination. Users will wear virtual reality glasses, playing the role of an elderly person trying to walk through a crowded square. In this game, the people in the red shirt are infected with COVID-19, while the blue shirts are people who have been vaccinated. Professor Robert Bohm of the University of Copenhagen said that after players experience the virtual reality game for themselves, their intention to vaccinate will be even more motivated. In the United States, several cities and counties in the country, including Los Angeles, Philadelphia, New Orleans and Newark, are using advanced psychoanalytic technology to help build and expand vaccination programs. These cities have partnered with the company Zencity and the Ash Center of Harvard University’s Kennedy School to study people’s psychology when vaccinating. Through this program, US localities will use Zencity’s tools to collect and analyze citizen feedback from available sources, such as social media posts, online channels, and online channels. local news site. The tool then uses artificial intelligence (AI) to classify and sort the data based on topics, trends, anomalies, and people’s perceptions. Cities will receive a report from Zencity, which includes different demographics about vaccines as well as public sentiment towards the vaccination program. In addition, the report also displays misinformation that may need to be addressed and recommendations on how to communicate the vaccine. This tool is highly appreciated by cities in the US. Deana Gamble, head of communications for the city of Philadelphia, said that thanks to the app, the city government understands that it needs to provide accurate and up-to-date information to those who are still uncertain about the benefits of using the app. vaccinations and how to administer them. Not only does it help speed up vaccination progress, but technology also makes access to a COVID-19 vaccine more equitable for many groups. In Italy, the Lombardy regional government has approved the application of an algorithm developed by scientists to decide who should be given priority to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. A team of scientists from the University of Bicocca in the city of Milan has developed an algorithm that aims to end the controversy over which groups should be given priority to get the COVID-19 vaccine. The researchers divided the patients worst affected by COVID-19 into groups based on age, epidemiological history and many other factors. In addition, a team of experts from the University of Bicocca has also identified 34 conditions and diseases that may increase the risk of contracting COVID-19, including diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, anemia and other diseases. blood cancer. “We believe that by vaccinating those most at risk, we can avoid hundreds of intubation and deaths in Lombardy and beyond,” said Professor Giovanni Corrao of the University of Bicocca. all of Italy”. Currently, the Italian Ministry of Health is also considering recommendations for the use of this technology nationwide. If vaccines are considered a powerful weapon for humans against the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the above specific examples show that technology, in many different forms, can increase the strength and effectiveness of the virus. this weapon, thereby helping people soon “reach the target” of herd immunity.

People wear masks to prevent COVID-19 infection at a market in Srinagar, India, June 14, 2021. Photo: THX/VNA The most severely affected country is still the US with 615,247 deaths out of a total of 34,335,515 infections. Next is India with 377,061 deaths out of 29,617,058 cases. Brazil ranks third with 488,404 deaths out of 17,454,861 patients. As a percentage of population, Peru has the highest mortality rate, with 573 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants. Next is Hungary with 310 people and Bosnia-Herzegovina with 289 people/100,000 people. By region, Latin America and the Caribbean are currently the epicenter of the world’s epidemic, with more than 1.2 million deaths in over 35.1 million infections. Next is Europe, with over 53.6 million people infected with COVID-19, including over 1.15 million deaths. North America has over 625,800 deaths in over 34.8 million infections. Asia recorded over 540,400 deaths in over 38.4 million infections. The Middle East has over 146,400 deaths, Africa has recorded over 134,900 deaths, while the number of deaths in Oceania is over 1,100. On June 15, Thailand recorded 3,000 new infections, including 2,995 domestic infections. On the same day, the country had another 19 deaths. Prime Minister Prayut Chan o-cha said the government has ordered 100 million doses of vaccine and aims to vaccinate 50 million people, or 70 percent of the population, this year and is buying more to expand immunization to 80 – 90% of the population next year. On the same day, the Lao Ministry of Health said that the country recorded 15 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of cases nationwide to 2,025. Of the 15 new cases, 6 were community infections in the capital Vientiane and 9 imported cases were immediately isolated. According to the Lao Ministry of Health, the failure of a part of the people to strictly comply with epidemic prevention regulations is the cause of new cases in the community. To date, more than 1 million Lao people have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. A vaccination site against COVID-19 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Photo: AFP/VNA In the past 24 hours, Cambodia recorded an additional 495 cases of COVID-19 and 13 deaths from this disease. Although the epidemic situation in Cambodia is still complicated, the Phnom Penh capital government still decided to allow the resumption of all business and trading activities at the state-managed markets in the city. The Cambodian Ministry of Health said that in the next few days, the number of people vaccinated against COVID-19 will reach 3 million and the country is aiming for 10 million people to achieve herd immunity. According to the ministry’s report, so far 2,939,543 people in Cambodia have been vaccinated, or 29.4% of the total 10 million adults expected to be vaccinated against COVID-19. The number of new COVID-19 cases in Malaysia has been on a downward trend in recent days, after hitting record highs in May. Malaysian Health Ministry data released on June 15 confirmed an additional 5,419 cases. COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of cases in the country to 667,876, including 3,968 deaths. The Malaysian government announced on June 15 that it had granted emergency use authorization for one-shot COVID-19 vaccines developed by CanSino Biologics (China) and Johnson & Johnson (USA). Malaysia is speeding up its vaccination program in tandem with strict lockdown measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19. As of June 14, this Southeast Asian country has administered at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine to 3.28 million people, or 10% of the population. Vaccination against COVID-19 in Seoul, South Korea. Photo: AFP/VNA South Korea on June 15 recorded 374 new infections, bringing the total number of cases nationwide to 148,647. The country is planning to launch a trial of a new social distancing mechanism within three weeks, starting from the beginning of next month, while trying to prevent a spike in daily new infections. Accordingly, South Korea will lift the current ban on gatherings of 5 or more people and increase it to 8 people. Restaurants and cafes can stay open until midnight in the capital Seoul and surrounding areas, 2 hours later than the current curfew from 10pm. Currently, the capital Seoul and the surrounding area, along with the city of Daegu as well as the resort island of Jeju, are applying social distancing level 2 out of a 5-level scale, while the remaining areas are at level 2. 1.5. Mass gatherings of 5 or more people are prohibited. To date, about 13 million South Koreans, or 25% of the population, have received the first dose of the vaccine. Meanwhile, the Japanese Government has approved a new policy on increasing support for foreigners residing in Japan who have difficulties and obstacles in vaccination against COVID-19. Accordingly, the country will step up support and guide foreigners who are not familiar with the vaccination registration process at their places of residence, as well as have difficulties in contacting the vaccination department. In addition, the government will also promote the implementation of a multilingual portal on COVID-19 prevention measures. The Hong Kong government (China) has announced that it will relax the strict restrictive measures imposed since July last year for ships and boats docked at this Asian shipping hub. According to the Hong Kong maritime authority, from June 15, the crew of ships and boats that dock in this city for fuel or food will be exempt from restrictive measures depending on the situation. A COVID-19 test site in Hong Kong, China. Photo: AFP/VNA Israel has officially lifted the mandatory mask wearing in public places since June 15, after more than a year of implementation. Accordingly, buildings, offices, schools, hotels… will not require employees or visitors to wear masks when in this enclosed space. However, wearing a mask is still applied in a few special cases, for example, people who have not been vaccinated against COVID-19 who visit patient care facilities are at high risk of death if infected. infected, people on the way to quarantine or passengers on the plane. Earlier, on April 18, the Israeli Government also lifted the mandatory mask wearing rule outdoors and from June 1 lifted all social distancing measures after more than a year of application. Thanks to an effective vaccination campaign, the number of COVID-19 patients and the infection rate in Israel have dropped to a very low level. Also on June 15, the Indian Ministry of Health announced that it had recorded an additional 60,471 cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, marking the eighth consecutive day that the number of new cases across India was below the threshold of 100,000 cases. Currently, the total number of COVID-19 cases in this South Asian country has reached 29,570,881 cases. Also in the past 24 hours, with an additional 2,726 deaths, the total number of deaths from COVID-19 in India has increased to 377,031 cases. In the capital New Delhi, after recording a sharp decrease in the number of new cases and deaths from COVID-19 in the last 2 weeks, restaurants and shops were allowed to reopen from June 14 with the evening hours. maximum 50% capacity. However, schools, educational facilities, swimming pools, gyms and public places remain closed. In Europe, the final stage of Britain’s COVID-19 lockdown lifting will be postponed to July 19 instead of June 21 as originally planned. The decision was taken as the UK recorded an increasing number of new cases of COVID-19 due to the emergence of the contagious Delta variant first detected in India. Scientists advising the British Government warn that the number of people needing hospital treatment due to COVID-19 will increase sharply again if the final phase of the blockade easing schedule takes place on June 21. according to the plan. According to the restrictions imposed to prevent COVID-19 in the UK, outdoor events are limited to a maximum of 30 people, indoor events up to 6 people. However, 15 pilot events are on track to ease the lockdown as planned, including upcoming EURO 2020 matches and art and music performances. Those attending these events must present a certificate of vaccination or test negative for the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Some regions in Russia have tightened restrictive measures to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 epidemic, while focusing on strengthening the response capacity of hospitals in the event of an increase in hospital admissions after the outbreak. as the number of new infections skyrocketed. On June 15, Russia added 14,185 new infections, of which 6,805 were in Moscow, bringing the total number of cases across the country to 5,236,593. In the past 24 hours, Russia also recorded an additional 379 deaths from COVID-19, bringing the total number of deaths to 127,780.

All of these vaccines are allocated to priority subjects according to Resolution 21 and localities with industrial parks. Vaccines for COVID-19. Photo: Times of India. In addition, from now until the end of the third quarter, Vietnam will also receive an additional 2 million doses of AstraZeneca’s vaccine ordered by the Ministry of Health through VNVC. In the third quarter, information from the pharmaceutical company Pfizer said that 3 million doses of vaccine can be shipped to Vietnam, the rest will be concentrated in the fourth quarter. However, the specific time and quantity may change due to dependents. of the world situation. According to Professor Dang Duc Anh, the COVID-19 vaccine has a very short shelf life, only about 6 months. Meanwhile, the time from the production facility to Vietnam takes about 2 months, so it only takes 3-4 months to deploy the injection. In particular, Pfizer’s vaccines must be stored at deep minus temperatures (-70 degrees Celsius). If the temperature is 2-8 degrees Celsius, this vaccine is only used for one month. Therefore, in the coming time, the Ministry of Health will coordinate with units of the Ministry of National Defense across the country to ensure the preservation and transportation of vaccines to the injection point in the shortest time. Up to this point, Vietnam has urgently approved four COVID-19 vaccines: AstraZeneca, Sputnik V, Sinopharm and Pfizer. Vietnam aims to have 150 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine this year for at least 70-80% of the population, to form herd immunity. However, only 4 batches of AstraZeneca’s vaccine have arrived in Vietnam with a total of nearly 2.9 million doses. Earlier, Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long stated that Vietnam is facing the 4th wave of COVID-19 epidemic with the Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2 capable of spreading quickly and widely. The Vietnamese government is drastically directing epidemic prevention and control measures to soon stabilize the situation. One of Vietnam’s priorities in COVID-19 prevention is to have a COVID-19 vaccine early and to implement broader vaccination coverage for the population. Therefore, in parallel with efforts to find, negotiate and discuss with partners and vaccine manufacturers to bring vaccines to Vietnam, the Ministry of Health and related ministries and branches also focus on developing domestic vaccines to gradually ensure vaccine autonomy. At the same time, Vietnam also participates in COVAX’s global vaccine supply mechanism.

Thai people get vaccinated against Covid-19 at Bang Sue Station in Bangkok. (Photo by Bangkok Post Office) On June 15, Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha apologized to the people for delays in the nationwide Covid-19 vaccination program and said there were many reasons for the delay. this late. The Bangkok Post quoted Prayut as saying that the Thai government only received small batches of vaccines, not large batches at the same time. At the same time, vaccine shortages and delay in vaccination schedules only occur at vaccination sites with high vaccination capacity and have used up allotted vaccines. According to Prayut, the distribution of Covid-19 vaccines cannot be done quickly, and the production and quality control of vaccines are very time consuming. Many other countries in the world also have this problem. In addition, Thailand’s vaccination program was also adjusted to speed up the vaccination of high-risk groups in epidemic areas, thereby controlling the epidemic and protecting the activities of health workers. machine. This also affects some people who have previously registered for the Covid-19 vaccine. In addition, the vaccination process also involves many agencies and organizations, and misunderstandings can occur in the immunization coordination process. Prayut said those who had already registered for the vaccine but had their appointment rescheduled would not have to re-register and their registration would remain valid. He said: “As the Prime Minister and Director of the Thai Center for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA), I am the commander-in-chief of the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic in Thailand. I apologize for the problems that have occurred and I will take full responsibility.” Prayut said the government has distributed 7 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine to provinces across the country and so far 6.5 million doses have been administered to people. He affirmed that he also closely follows information about vaccinations and does his best to solve problems that arise. “We will find ways to solve the problems to ensure the maximum benefit for the people and reduce their anxiety,” he said. The Thai government has now ordered 100 million doses of the Covid-19 vaccine to immunize about 50 million people, or 70% of the country’s population, this year. Prayut confirmed that Thailand will order more vaccines to be able to increase the number of people vaccinated to 80 to 90% of the population next year.

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.

Inside a shopping mall in the capital Kuala Lumpur, June 1. (Photo: Reuters) The Malaysian Government’s strategy to bring the country out of the Covid-19 crisis consists of four stages and specific criteria. Accept economic damage to flatten the epidemic curve Malaysia began implementing a nationwide blockade order from June 1, after the number of daily cases exceeded 9,000 cases and put tremendous pressure on the health system. Restrictive measures will be extended until June 28. In a televised speech on June 15, Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said that the nationwide blockade order had helped Malaysia “flatten the curve” of the epidemic and avoid falling into a tragedy. During the lockdown, the Malaysian economy suffered about one billion ringgit a day (about $243 million). Most businesses have to close, except for some essential service and economic sectors. However, Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said that “light will be at the end of the tunnel” when it comes to speeding up vaccinations. Yassin announced the recovery plan as the number of Covid-19 cases in Malaysia continues to decline and an additional 16 million doses of the Covid-19 vaccine have been secured to the country by the end of July. National Recovery Plan in four phases Prime Minister Yassin announced a four-stage National Recovery Plan with three specific indicators to use as a basis for deciding whether to lift restrictions and if so, when. Each phase will be implemented based on the average number of cases per day, the capacity of the public health system and the population vaccination rate. Malaysia is in phase one of this plan. The number of new Covid-19 cases in the country remains high, the public health system is in a very critical situation, the vaccination rate is low, and the nationwide movement control order is in effect. In stages, restrictions on economic activities and the social sector will be further eased. The nationwide movement control order took effect from June 11. (Photo: AP) Malaysia will move to phase two of the plan if the daily number of new cases falls below 4,000 cases per day, the vaccination rate reaches 10%, and the intensive care units operate at “moderate” capacity. If in phase one, only essential services are allowed to operate, all fields and social activities are banned, then in phase two, there will be some more economic sectors such as manufacturing industry The output is allowed to operate up to 80% capacity. However, social activities and interstate travel are still not allowed. The government wants to bring the country into phase two as early as next July. Malaysia will enter phase three when the daily number of cases falls below 2,000 cases per day, the health care system operates in a more comfortable state and at least 40% of the population receives two doses of the Covid-19 vaccine- 19. All economic sectors will be allowed to operate, except for those considered high risk such as at nightclubs, pubs, event centers, spas and beauty salons. “All economic sectors will be operating at 80% capacity, similar to the second phase. And social activities such as education and some sports activities may resume in stages,” Yassin said. He expressed hope that Malaysia will move to phase three as early as the end of August. The fourth phase will take place when the daily number of cases is less than 500 cases/day, the health system and intensive care beds operate at a safe level, at least 60% of the population is fully vaccinated. “Based on the predictions of the National Covid-19 Vaccination Plan, this transition is expected to be implemented as early as October 2021,” Prime Minister Yassin said. At that time, all economic sectors will be back to work, more social restrictions will be lifted and interstate travel and domestic travel will be resumed. To date, Malaysia has recorded more than 667,876 cases of Covid-19, of which more than 4,000 have died and nearly 594 thousand have completely recovered. Malaysia recorded more than 5,000 new cases on almost all days from May 19 to now. Currently, Malaysia ranks third in Southeast Asia, after Indonesia and the Philippines, in the number of Covid-19 cases.

Ho Chi Minh City can now actively source, buy and import Covid-19 vaccines (Artwork). On June 15, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam agreed with the proposal of the People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City on the purchase and import of Covid-19 vaccine. At the same time, the Deputy Prime Minister asked the organization, implementation and communication to avoid the situation of buying and pushing up vaccine prices. Regarding the implementation of vaccination against Covid-19, the Government has issued Resolution No. 21/NQ-CP dated February 26, which contains content on encouraging eligible units to organize voluntary vaccination for children. requested organizations and individuals. The Ministry of Health is responsible for licensing, testing and quality control of vaccines according to regulations; direct and guide the vaccination according to the required schedule, ensuring safety and effectiveness. Previously, the People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City submitted a report to the Prime Minister, stating: Currently, Ho Chi Minh City has over 7.2 million people aged 18 and over; there are over 1.6 million workers and workers working at enterprises and corporations in industrial parks. However, so far, Ho Chi Minh City has only received 140,000 doses of the Covid-19 vaccine and deployed the first dose of vaccination to more than 64,000 people and more than 10,000 people injected with two doses. To achieve the goal of herd immunity with over 70% of the population of Ho Chi Minh City being vaccinated against Covid-19 as soon as possible, the purchase of a vaccine against Covid-19 is an urgent matter. The People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City proposed to the Prime Minister to allow businesses in the city to actively negotiate to source vaccines from reputable manufacturers and distributors in the world, to be imported or exported. hire businesses with the function of importing vaccines to import Covid-19 vaccines to Vietnam. After the vaccine is licensed by the Ministry of Health, imported to Vietnam and quarantined to ensure quality, the Prime Minister is requested to allow businesses to sign contracts to hire units with the function of vaccination to deploy. vaccination for all officers and employees of the enterprise on the principle of ensuring safety, quality and price of vaccination services according to the contract agreed between the enterprise and the vaccination unit. At a meeting with the Ho Chi Minh City Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control on June 14, Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Nguyen Van Nen also said that the National Steering Committee for Disease Prevention and Control had opened a favorable mechanism. the most favorable for localities to access vaccine resources. Ho Chi Minh City has also established a working group to buy and inject Covid-19 vaccines, which is coordinated by Vice Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Duong Anh Duc.

Medical staff directly involved in the prevention of COVID-19 at Thanh Nhan Hospital are vaccinated against COVID-19. (Photo: Minh Quyet/VNA) Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam agreed with the proposal of the People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City on the purchase, import vaccines prevent COVID-19 and require the organization of implementation and communication to avoid the situation of buying and selling vaccines, pushing up the price of vaccines. Regarding the implementation of vaccination against COVID-19, the Government has issued Resolution No. 21/NQ-CP dated February 26, 2021, which contains content on encouraging eligible units to organize voluntary vaccination. to organizations and individuals that require. The Ministry of Health is responsible for licensing, testing and quality control of vaccines according to regulations; direct and guide the vaccination according to the required schedule, ensuring safety and effectiveness. Before that, the People’s Committee Ho Chi Minh City submitted a report to the Prime Minister stating that, at present, Ho Chi Minh City has over 7.2 million people aged 18 years and over; there are over 1.6 million workers and workers working at enterprises and corporations in industrial parks. However, up to now, Ho Chi Minh City has only received 140,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine and deployed the first dose of vaccination to more than 64,000 people, more than 10,000 people injected with two doses. To achieve the goal of herd immunity with over 70% of the population in Ho Chi Minh City being vaccinated against COVID-19 as soon as possible, purchasing a vaccine against COVID-19 is an urgent matter. The People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City proposed to the Prime Minister to allow businesses in the city to actively negotiate to source vaccines from reputable manufacturers and distributors in the world, imported import or hire businesses with functions to import vaccines against COVID-19 come back Vietnam. After the vaccine is licensed by the Ministry of Health, imported to Vietnam and quarantined to ensure quality, the Prime Minister is requested to allow businesses to sign contracts to hire units with the function of vaccination to deploy. vaccination for all officers and employees of the enterprise on the principle of ensuring safety, quality and service prices. vaccination under the contract agreed between the enterprise and the vaccination unit. The account receives donations for the COVID-19 Vaccine Fund.

Vaccination against COVID-19 is given to a health worker in Khartoum, Sudan. (Photo: THX/VNA) According to the Vietnam News Agency correspondent in Africa, on June 14, President World Bank (WB) David Malpass had a meeting with the African Union (AU) COVID-19 Vaccine Procurement Task Force (AVATT) to discuss ways of cooperation to promote the vaccination against COVID-19 in Africa, of which WB will support the AU to deploy 400 million doses of vaccination Johnson & Johnson vaccine . Previously, on March 28, AVATT signed an agreement to buy 400 million doses of Johnson & Johnson’s one-shot vaccine with a financial guarantee of $2 billion from the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank). The World Bank and the AVATT Group agreed to speed up all administrative procedures to ensure African countries have access to vaccines as soon as possible. The agreement between the World Bank and the AVATT Group will support AU Member States to implement immunization, including domestic distribution (logistics and storage in accordance with cold chain requirements), ensuring systems, energy necessary capacity and capacity for vaccination, promoting propaganda campaigns so that people are ready to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Dr. John N. Nkengasong – Director of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and member of AVATT – said the number of Johnson & Johnson vaccines reached under the agreement is an important key to directing aim to immunize at least 60% of Africans. Achieving this goal is a prerequisite for saving the lives and livelihoods of the people of Africa, safely reopening the continent’s economy, and continuing the continent’s economic development agenda. With more than 41 countries at various stages of finalizing their vaccine orders, and with increasing vaccination momentum, it is essential that countries can organize full vaccinations for their populations quickly and with affordable prices. Mr. Strive Masiyiwa – AU special envoy and AVATT coordinator – said that the decision to cooperate with AVATT by the World Bank was made after the US announced the sharing of COVID-19 vaccine, which means that countries can rest in peace. more concerned about access to and financing of needed vaccines. Under the AVATT structure, AU member countries are allocated vaccines based on population size through a collective procurement mechanism. These doses complement vaccines offered through the COVAX Mechanism – which aims to provide vaccines to 30% of the population of the participating countries – allowing AU Member States to achieve their continental vaccination targets. AVATT was established on November 6, 2020, with the task of finding the necessary funding and ensuring equitable access to the COVID-19 vaccine for AU member countries.

Bamboo Airways sponsored the entire cost of COVID-19 injection for employees. In order to maximize the effectiveness and speed of vaccine protection, vaccination activities are planned by Bamboo Airways in several phases, in which priority is given to frontline forces who are in direct contact with passengers, cargo, and passengers. including: Flight operations (pilots, flight attendants), ground services and operations; Technical – maintenance block… Bamboo Airways has completed the first phase of COVID-19 vaccination from April 2021. The vaccination process is carried out in compliance with the regulations of the Ministry of Health, implemented at the Immunization Center of the National Children’s Hospital. Employees are screened and closely monitored for their health after the injection. All expenses for vaccination for the airline’s staff and related affiliates will be covered by Bamboo Airways’ welfare fund. The new effective shield from the vaccine will act as the next protective belt for the company’s smooth operation during and after the epidemic. A representative of Bamoo Airways said: “For Bamboo Airways, vaccination against COVID-19 for all employees not only helps to protect the health and safety of staff; but also ensure the safety of flight passengers, show the spirit and responsibility to the country, thereby contributing to the good control of the COVID-19 epidemic across the country.” Along with the vaccination, Bamboo Airways has been drastically implementing measures to prevent and control the COVID-19 epidemic in accordance with the direction of the Government, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Transport, the Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam, and the Ministry of Health. including: Checking passengers’ body temperature at the airport; provide hand sanitizers and masks at check-in counters, departure gates and on the plane for passengers; disinfecting the aircraft after the flight; regular maintenance of HEPA aseptic air filters on aircraft; Safe distancing on the plane… Bamboo Airways’ flight attendants and staff are provided with full protective equipment such as masks and medical gloves when serving passengers, and are also equipped with knowledge about service methods and measures. epidemic prevention measures to ensure safety and hygiene according to the standards of the authorities.

On June 15, the Department of Health of Ninh Binh province deployed the second phase of COVID-19 vaccination including 14,330 doses for priority subjects according to Resolution No. 21 of the Government; of which there are more than 8,000 doses for the 1st injection, the remaining more than 7,000 doses are for the 2nd injection cases when they are eligible for injection 8-12 weeks apart. The second phase of COVID-19 vaccination at the Children’s Hospital of Ninh Binh province. Photo: Hai Yen/VNA. Dong Thap province deployed Astra Zeneca vaccine for the 3rd phase of COVID-19 disease, with 30,000 doses allocated from the Ministry of Health, of which 27,000 doses are expected to be injected in the first dose and 3,000 doses in the second injection. prescribed in accordance with Resolution 21/NQ-CP of the Government, including: Subjects who are absent or delayed in injection in the 2nd round; frontline force for epidemic prevention and control; essential service providers; Teachers and administrative units often come into contact with many people. Master Tran Van Hai – Director of the Center for Disease Control of Dong Thap province said that this activity was carried out urgently and earlier than the original plan from July 5. Dong Nai province will use 17,450 doses to inject the second dose for more than 20,000 people. The remaining 11,450 doses will be administered to about 13,500 people in priority groups. The duration of the second phase of COVID-19 vaccination in the province is expected to last from June 12 to June 30. Vaccination sites at 170 health stations in communes, wards and towns… COVID-19 vaccine fund received VND 5,126 billion According to the Management Board of the COVID-19 Vaccine Fund, as of 5pm on June 15, the fund has received 5,126 billion VND (including foreign currency conversion) with a total of 306,791 organizations and individuals contributed. Minister of Finance Ho Duc Phuc said that the COVID-19 vaccine fund operates not for profit, uses capital for the right purposes and in accordance with the provisions of the law, ensuring publicity and transparency. Economical, efficient. The Fund is subject to the inspection, inspection and audit of financial activities by state management agencies in charge of finance and State Audit; supervision of the Vietnam Fatherland Front and the community. According to the Ministry of Finance, to vaccinate 75 million people, about 25,200 billion VND is needed; in which the budget has already prepared more than 14,000 billion VND and needs about 11,000 billion VND more. Japan will provide 1 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine to Vietnam On June 15, Japan’s Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi announced that the country would directly and freely provide 1 million doses of a domestically produced COVID-19 vaccine under license from AstraZeneca Plc. (UK) for Vietnam. Speaking at a regular press conference in Tokyo, Minister Motegi said that Japan has received requests for vaccine support from many countries and regions. According to Motegi, Japan made the decision to grant a COVID-19 vaccine to Vietnam based on a comprehensive review of the epidemic situation in Vietnam, the shortage of vaccines and the relationship between Vietnam and Japan. Minister Motegi said the above batch of COVID-19 vaccine will be shipped from Japan to Vietnam on June 16. Earlier, on June 2, Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide announced that Japan would provide 30 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine to other countries. In addition to providing vaccines, Japan also plans to help developing countries build cold storage chains, allowing the transport and storage of vaccines at low temperatures. On the afternoon of June 15, Vietnam had 213 new cases of COVID-19 On June 15, Vietnam recorded 402 new cases. As of 6pm on June 15, Vietnam had a total of 9,566 domestic cases and 1,646 imported cases. Number of new cases from April 27 to now: 7,996 cases, of which 1,765 patients have been announced to be cured. Screening test for people with COVID-19. Photo: VNA. There are 23 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) have not recorded new cases for 14 days. The number of tests from April 29, 2021 to now, has done 2,171,076 samples for 4,818,269 turns of people. Currently, the number of negative cases for SARS-CoV-2 is 497. To date, Vietnam has recorded 61 deaths related to COVID-19. The number of cured cases is 4,543 cases.

Phuket province is rushing to vaccinate against Covid-19 to prepare to open tourism on July 1. (Photo: Phuket News) The Thai government has officially given the green light to the plan to reopen the tourist island of Phuket to foreign tourists who have been vaccinated against Covid-19 from July 1. However, visitors to Phuket will have to stay on the island for at least 14 days before they can leave for other provinces. Under the chairmanship of Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, the meeting of the Center for Handling the Thai Economic Situation (Cesa) on June 4 reviewed and officially approved the reopening plan. Phuket tourism is submitted by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and the Ministry of Sports and Tourism of Thailand. Accordingly, from July 1, Phuket will become the first province in Thailand to welcome back foreign tourists and exempt those who have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19. According to Thailand’s Minister of Sports and Tourism Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, this tourism opening program called “Phuket Tourism Sandbox” will be seen as a model for the opening up of Thailand’s entire tourism industry. However, in the approved plan, foreign tourists coming to Phuket will have to stay on the island for 14 days, a week longer than previously planned, before they can continue their journey to other destinations. in Thailand. Mr. Phiphat said officials attending the meeting also agreed to reopen to tourism for Bangkok, Cha-am district of Phetchaburi province, Hua Hin district of Prachuap Khiri Khan province, Pattaya city of Chon Buri province. , Chiang Mai and Buri Ram provinces from October 1. However, at this meeting, CESA has not approved the plan to reopen Krabi and Koh Samui to international visitors from July because the agency wants to evaluate the results of the reopening of Phuket within the next two months. According to Mr. Phiphat, the main reason why these 10 provinces were selected to participate in the pilot tourism opening program in the fourth quarter of this year is because these provinces bring a huge source of income from tourism. In 2019, the total tourism income of these provinces reached 1.5 trillion baht (equivalent to 48 billion USD). There are already a number of Israeli tourists scheduled to arrive in Phuket on July 7, while visitors from the US will fly to the tourist island two days later. Mr. Phiphat also expressed confidence that at least 70% of Phuket residents and 100% of local tourism staff will be fully vaccinated before the time the island opens. As of June 2, about 60% of the 466,587 residents of Phuket have been vaccinated with at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, of which 98,795 have been fully vaccinated.

Dr. David Muller with the high-density biopatch. Photo: Hung Vu. The technology allows researchers to use a bio-patch containing a dry layer of vaccine and then apply pressure from the injection device to deliver the vaccine into cells below the surface of the skin. Besides not using needles, this technology being tested on mice also has the outstanding advantage that it does not need to be stored in the cold chain. According to Dr David Muller, Australia’s leading virologist who was involved in the development of the new injection method, the Covid-19 vaccine delivered via a high-density biopatch induces a better immune response and faster. This technology has also shown to be more effective against dangerous variants of the current SARS-CoV-2 virus. What is unique about this single-dose vaccine technology, says Dr. Muller, is that it can help accelerate global vaccine coverage efforts, especially in low-income countries and regions of the world. remote areas. Tests to date have shown that when coated on a dry patch, the vaccine remains stable for at least 30 days in an environment of 25 degrees Celsius and 1 week if it is at 40 degrees Celsius. Using this technology, vaccines will not need to be preserved in complicated and expensive cold chains like today. The developers believe that the applicability of the new technology is very promising. In addition, scientists are also looking for funding to be able to conduct clinical trials on humans in the near future.

In Vietnam, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh requested to resolutely and effectively implement the vaccine strategy, which accelerates access to purchase and import of Covid-19 vaccine sources for Vietnam, including through COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access Program (COVAX). UNICEF and WHO representatives in Vietnam welcomed the first batch of Covid-19 vaccine including 811,200 doses in COVAX’s commitment to support Vietnam. (Source: UNICEF) From defense to attack According to the Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang, following the Prime Minister’s direction with the spirit of “fighting the epidemic like fighting the enemy”, right from the time the Covid-19 epidemic broke out and countries conducted research and production, Successfully testing a vaccine against the disease, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Vietnamese representative agencies abroad have made efforts to find, approach and negotiate with partners to provide vaccines against Covid-19 to soon import vaccines using vaccines. used in the country. In the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, the COVAX mechanism is one of the best solutions to ensure the rapid and equitable deployment of safe and effective vaccines to all countries around the world. COVAX is coordinated by three organizations including the World Health Organization (WHO), the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunizations (GAVI) and the Coalition for Epidemic Response Innovations (CEPI), with distribution partners being United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). With the policy of joining COVAX early, in December 2020, Vietnam submitted a dossier to this mechanism to propose vaccine support. On that basis, COVAX has allocated vaccines and committed to provide Vietnam with a vaccine quantity guaranteed to immunize 20% of the population, equivalent to nearly 39 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine. Up to now, Vietnam has received more than 2.5 million doses of the Covid-19 vaccine under the COVAX mechanism. This is part of a total of 4.1 million doses of vaccine, worth up to $17 million, committed to Vietnam by COVAX in the first six months of 2021. The remaining batches will arrive in Vietnam by the end of this year and early 2022. All vaccines are provided free of charge by COVAX through UNICEF. Thus, up to now, this is the largest amount of vaccines Vietnam has received. According to Mr. Do Hung Viet, Director of the Department of International Organizations (Ministry of Foreign Affairs), participating in Vietnam’s COVAX program is about finding “the right person at the right time”. COVAX has promptly provided the first two batches of vaccines so that Vietnam can deploy its vaccination strategy, especially for the frontline forces against the epidemic, contributing to helping us begin to change the state of epidemic prevention from defense to prevention. translation attack. In ASEAN, before Vietnam, two countries have committed to contribute to COVAX: Singapore ($5 million) and the Philippines ($100,000). Spread the spirit of solidarity Up to now, COVAX has received funding from more than 40 countries and partners, mainly from the US, European Union (EU), Japan, Australia, UK… AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine, distributed under the COVAX mechanism, has been vaccinated in Vietnam since early March. For COVAX’s goal of providing 2 billion doses of vaccine to developing countries, middle and low-income countries, the amount of money that COVAX needs to continue to mobilize is still very large. In addition, the global Covid-19 vaccine supply chain is being disrupted and disrupted by the resurgence of the pandemic in many places, especially in India – a large vaccine production “factory”. best of the world. In that context, the COVAX mechanism must be flexible and adjusted to meet more urgent needs in places where the epidemic situation is severe. The supply is low, many places have severe outbreaks of the disease, greatly affecting the vaccine supply schedule of COVAX. As a major beneficiary of the COVAX program, Vietnam is determined to join hands with the international community to respond to the pandemic. This is also the policy that Vietnam is strongly promoting in recent years. Since the outbreak of the epidemic, Vietnam has stepped up to strengthen international cooperation and solidarity to cope with the epidemic, because Vietnam understands that no country will be safe when the world is still not safe. With that policy and spirit, Vietnam has decided to contribute $500,000 to the COVAX initiative. Thus, Vietnam is classified as one of the few developing countries contributing to COVAX. Mr. Do Hung Viet emphasized that the contribution to COVAX demonstrates Vietnam’s sense of responsibility in global efforts, strengthens multilateral cooperation, thereby enhancing Vietnam’s image and position in the eyes of foreign partners. international organizations as well as international friends. As soon as Vietnam announced its contribution to COVAX, many international organizations, including GAVI, UNICEF, WHO… gave thanks and appreciated this decision. “Through this contribution, Vietnam hopes to have a synergistic effect, spreading the spirit of international solidarity so that governments of other countries and other partners can take necessary actions to increase support for the country. COVAX”, shared Mr. Do Hung Viet. The frontline against epidemics abroad The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is tasked by the Government with the Ministry of Health as the main agency in finding and accessing vaccine sources. With a network of more than 90 Vietnamese representative offices abroad, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has coordinated to drastically implement this task. Thereby, Vietnam has access to a number of vaccine sources of countries and international organizations to contribute to Vietnam’s vaccination strategy. Currently, on a global scale, vaccines are not only a medical issue but also contain many political factors. The decision of countries to support each other with vaccines depends a lot on bilateral relations in many fields. Therefore, the Vietnamese representative missions abroad and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have conducted hundreds of contacts and mobilized access to vaccine sources in countries and international organizations. This tireless effort has yielded practical results such as the recent commitments to provide Covid-19 vaccines from COVAX and the US, Russia, Japan, China… to Vietnam. UNICEF has also expressed its willingness to support our country in accessing and purchasing a vaccine against Covid-19. As the world’s largest vaccine “buyer” with longstanding relationships with leading pharmaceutical companies, UNICEF has the ability to assist Vietnam in connecting and negotiating contract terms, prices and timeframes. vaccine supply time. Mr. Do Hung Viet said that this is an effective channel to access and buy vaccines that Vietnam needs to take advantage of. In addition to accessing vaccine sources of countries, international organizations, and Vietnamese representative missions abroad, they also make efforts to connect with state and provincial governments in some countries, taking advantage of the relationship. Twinning relationship with localities to mobilize vaccine support. Obviously, dealing with the epidemic requires the cooperation of the whole community. While doctors and medical staff are on the frontline against the epidemic at home, diplomats are also soldiers on the front lines abroad to “fight” to collect vaccine sources to increase vaccination coverage. vaccination for Vietnamese people, contributing to early fight against the pandemic. COVAX’s initial goal is to purchase and mobilize 2 billion doses of vaccine by the end of 2021, enough to protect high-risk, vulnerable people and frontline healthcare workers worldwide, half of which were shipped to 92 low- and middle-income countries to vaccinate about 20% of the population of these countries. However, because the amount of COVAX vaccine received was much short of the set target, by May 24, 2021, COVAX had only distributed 72 million doses of the vaccine to 125 countries and economies.

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.

This is the third COVID-19 vaccine that has been urgently approved by Vietnam, after the AstraZeneca and Sputnik V vaccines. COVID-19 vaccine (Vero Cell), Inactivated is prepared as an injectable suspension, each dose of 0.5 ml contains 6.5U of inactivated SARS-CoV-2 antigen. The name of the production facility, the country of production is Beijing Institute of Biological Products Co.,Ltd. – China. This vaccine was licensed by China on December 24, 2020, and was urgently approved by WHO in May. The approval of the COVID-19 vaccine (Vero Cell) Inactivated serves an urgent need in the prevention and control of the COVID-19 epidemic with conditions attached. Specifically: The vaccine was approved based on safety, quality and effectiveness data provided by the Central Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology to the Ministry of Health as of May 29, and the commitment of the Central Hygiene and Epidemiology Committee. about the accuracy of the documents provided to the Ministry of Health. The Central Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology is responsible for coordinating with manufacturers, ensuring the conditions for vaccine production imported into Vietnam and ensuring safety, effectiveness and quality. The Institute cooperates with the Department of Science, Technology and Training (Ministry of Health), and qualified units to organize the evaluation of the safety and effectiveness of vaccines. The Central Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology cooperates with the National Institute for Accreditation of vaccines and medical biologicals to develop an inspection plan, to provide test samples, materials, testing chemicals and other related issues for customers. testing batches of these vaccines before they are put into use. The Central Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology is also the unit responsible for guiding the storage, distribution and use of this vaccine for vaccination facilities, and at the same time coordinating with relevant units in implementing risk management. for this vaccine during its circulation in Vietnam. The use of this vaccine must follow the instructions of the Ministry of Health.

Illustration. (Source: Viettel) Military Industry-Telecommunications Group (Viettel) announced that it has contributed 450 billion VND to the COVID-19 vaccine fund. Before that, Viettel’s staffs had donations 19 billion VND to build a teleconference center for the health sector. Mr. Le Dang Dung – Acting Chairman and General Director of Viettel said: “As a key enterprise of the country, Viettel is committed to both contributing technology solutions and taking the lead in contributing financially and determinedly. together with the Government to fight the epidemic.’ Since the outbreak began in early 2020, with its strength as a technology enterprise, Viettel has supported the Government with many important solutions, effectively supporting the prevention and control of the COVID-19 epidemic. Specifically, Viettel has built a Telehealth telehealth system to 1,300 medical facilities nationwide, deployed 700 bridge points at hospitals with cases. Building Portal and app “Vietnam Health”, Medical Declaration, Disease Map, Electronic Health Book, COVID-19 Vaccine Passport nationwide. The number of medical declarations from February 2020 to present reached 25,197,428. Portal “Vietnam Health” has a website with 43 million visits, this application also reaches about 1.6 million downloads. Especially, in just two weeks, Viettel has installed and integrated nearly 4,000 surveillance cameras in isolated areas in the northern provinces. Viettel’s virtual switchboard (Cyber ​​Bot) has made more than 200,000 calls to subscribers who have not installed Bluezone to mobilize and provide instructions on how to use it to protect themselves and the community from the COVID-19 pandemic.

People eat at a restaurant in Athens, Greece on May 30, 2020. (Photo: THX/VNA) Greece officially began reopening to tourists on May 15, aiming to kick off summer tourism in the hope of revitalizing the “smokeless” industry after being severely damaged by the COVID-19 pandemic. 19 in the last year. After months of lockdown, Greece this week will also reopen its museums, including the Acropolis museum, which displays famous sculptures from Greek antiquity. After officially reopening, foreign tourists will be allowed to visit Greece if they have received the COVID-19 vaccine or tested negative for COVID-19. Travel between regions, including islands, will also be allowed for those who test negative or have been vaccinated. COVID-19 . Greece deploys vaccination against COVID-19 and hopes to vaccinate vaccines for most of the people here by the end of June. With the roll-out of COVID-19 vaccinations and rapid testing, as well as warmer weather for outdoor activities, tourists can travel and relax safely in the country, the Greek government said. this country. In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic causing international tourism to slow down in 2020, the Greek tourism industry experienced its worst year ever, receiving only 7 million visitors compared to a record number. record 33 million visitors in 2019. Tourism revenue fell to 4 billion euros ($4.9 billion) in 2020, from 18 billion euros in 2019. Greece aims to recover this year’s tourism industry and reach 40% of 2019. .

Greece has deployed a vaccine against Covid-19 and hopes to vaccinate most of its people by the end of June. (Source: Travel Blog) After months of lockdown, Greece this week will also reopen its museums, including the Acropolis museum, which displays famous sculptures from Greek antiquity. After officially reopening, foreign tourists will be allowed to visit Greece if they have had the Covid-19 vaccine or tested negative for Covid-19. Travel between regions, including islands, will also be allowed for those who test negative or have had a Covid-19 vaccine. Greece has deployed a vaccine against Covid-19 and hopes to vaccinate most of its people by the end of June. The Greek government said that with the implementation of Covid-19 vaccination and rapid testing as well as warmer weather for outdoor activities, tourists can travel and relax safely in the land. this country. In the context of the Covid-19 pandemic causing international tourism to slow down in 2020, the Greek tourism industry experienced its worst year ever, receiving only 7 million visitors compared to a record number. record 33 million visitors in 2019. Tourism revenue fell to 4 billion euros ($4.9 billion) in 2020, from 18 billion euros in 2019. Greece aims to recover this year’s tourism industry and reach 40% of 2019. (according to Reuters)

(Source: Getty Images) National Advisory Committee on Immunity of Canada (NACI) on June 1 announced updated guidelines allowing the combination of preventive vaccines COVID-19 licensed in the country in most cases. Under the new guidelines, people who have received their first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine can receive a second dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccine, unless they are pregnant. So far, Canada has allowed the use of 4 types vaccine against COVID-19 of pharmaceutical companies Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson. The new guidelines also say that the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines can be used in combination for both the first and second shots. However, the NACI does not recommend a second dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine following the first dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine for safety reasons and limited data on the use of this combination. Speaking at a press conference on June 1, Canada’s public health official Theresa Tam said, “NACI is working to quickly adopt new guidelines for vaccine use in the country to ensure optimal protection of people in the context of the changing epidemic situation.” Tam also added that although according to the new NACI recommendation that vaccines can be safely used in combination, people should use the same vaccine for two injections if possible, especially Pfizer’s vaccine. or Moderna. According to Ms. Tam, the use of vaccine combinations is not a new concept and has long been applied by public health to many vaccines. The updated NACI guidelines are based on current studies from Spain and the UK that show the combination of AstraZeneca and Pfizer vaccines to be safe and effective against COVID-19. As of the afternoon of June 1, 2021, 21,942,111 Canadians, equivalent to 57.75% of the country’s population, received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and 2,144,126 people, equivalent to 5.64%, second injection. The disease situation in the North American country is also continuing to decline with the number of new cases per day in the last 7 days being below 2,700 cases, the average death per day decreased to 39 cases. As of the afternoon of June 1, Canada recorded 1,248 new cases, bringing the total number of COVID-19 cases in the country to 1,382,822, of which 25,565 people have died. On the same day, according to the Vietnam News Agency correspondent in Buenos Aires, an adviser to Argentine President Alberto Fernandez, Cecilia Nicolini, said that she is considering the possibility of cooperating with Cuba to produce a vaccine against COVID-19 researched and manufactured by Cuba in order to prevent COVID-19 infection. distributed to the Latin American market. In an interview with Sputnik news agency, Ms. Nicolini announced that during the recent visit to Cuba by the Minister of Health Carla Vizzotti, the Argentine side was introduced to the progress in the process of research and development of vaccines. COVID-19 of Cuba, and affirmed Argentina’s desire to cooperate in the production of this drug so that it can meet the actual demand as soon as possible, not only in Cuba and Argentina but also in other countries in the world. area. Currently, Cuba has 5 candidates for COVID-19 vaccine, namely Soberana 01, Soberana 02, Soberana Plus, Mambisa and Abdala with very positive prospects, in which candidates Soberana 02 and Abdala have successfully finished the phase. clinical trials 1 and 2 with high rates of safety and efficacy. According to Nicolini, in the coming days, the Cuban side will present data analysis of the third phase of testing of these two vaccines and the two sides will conduct negotiations on the possibility of mass production. Currently La Soberana 02 and Abdala are the only two COVID-19 vaccines researched by a Latin American country that have entered the final phase of clinical trials.

The WHO Independent Panel of Experts recommends the use of Sinovac vaccine for people over 18 years of age. The evaluation data show that this vaccine is effective in protection in the elderly. Sinovac is the second Chinese vaccine approved by WHO for emergency use. (Photo: Reuters) WHO’s decision was made based on a review of the latest clinical data on the safety and efficacy of Sinovac’s vaccine as well as the company’s manufacturing practices. On May 5, the WHO technical advisory group met, reviewed and evaluated the Sinovac vaccine. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that Sinovac vaccine is safe and effective, emphasizing that it does not require a high level of vaccine preservation, suitable for low-income countries. “Now it’s important to get these life-saving tools quickly into the hands of those who need them.” , the head of WHO said. Sinovac is the second Chinese vaccine approved by WHO for emergency use. On May 7, the Sinopharm vaccine became the first vaccine not from a Western pharmaceutical company to be approved by the WHO. Meanwhile, China’s third vaccine, manufactured by CanSino Biologics, has also submitted clinical trial data. However, WHO has not yet scheduled an assessment. As of the end of May, Sinovac pharmaceutical company has supplied more than 600 million doses inside and outside China, of which more than 430 million doses have been used.

Man-made virus? Oncologist at St George’s Hospital in London, Professor Angus Dalgleish, and Norwegian virologist and president of Immunor Pharmaceuticals Birger Sørensen, revealed they had found evidence. originally about this last year, but was ignored by academia. Accordingly, during their research, the two experts concluded that “the possibility that the SARS-CoV-2 virus is the result of the development process in the natural environment is very low”. Both said this virus could be genetically modified at the Wuhan Institute of Virology (China) and a part of scientists tried to hide information about the origin of this virus. According to the two experts, they have found “special traces” that show that the virus is not of natural origin. This clue is a row of four amino acids, which generate a positive charge and bind to negative human cells. “According to the laws of nature, you cannot have four positive amino acids in a row. The only way to have this is to create it yourself,” Dalgleish said. He added that he and Sørensen had found evidence of human impact on the formation of the virus and made it look like a mutation in nature. Two British and Norwegian experts said the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes the COVID-19 pandemic, was created in a laboratory. Photo: THE NATION In addition, the two scientists also looked at studies on China, some in collaboration with US universities, to find out how tools for creating viruses were developed. Sputnik news. They conclude that most of the studies above use a “functional development” research approach, which involves manipulating natural viruses in the laboratory to make them more infectious, allowing scientists to study their potential effects on humans. “We believe the virus was designed and created in a functional development approach. They changed the virus, then tried to find its mutated form years ago,” Dalgleish said. “A natural viral pandemic would mutate gradually and become more infectious, but less pathogenic. Many people predicted the COVID-19 pandemic would be like this, but that doesn’t seem to happen,” – the two scientists said. Two experts: Discovery during vaccine research According to the two experts, “it seems that the documents about SARS-CoV-2 in Wuhan are confidential and related information has been destroyed”, so both “face huge gaps”. in the data will probably never be filled”. Mr Dalgleish and Mr Sørensen first raised their concerns last summer, after discovering suspicious features of the deadly virus while working on a vaccine against COVID-19. Security guards stand outside the Institute of Virology in Wuhan City, China. Photo: REUTERS The information about the research paper of the two scientists comes in the context of the US repeatedly calling for another investigation into the origin of the pandemic before China has always denied the possibility that the virus leaked from another in their laboratories, according to the South China Morning Post . On May 25, the Senate Intelligence Committee and the US House of Representatives Intelligence Committee announced that they were conducting their own investigation into the origin of the virus that caused the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as how the US government responded to the crisis. this panic. US officials are concerned that “the lack of cooperation and transparency in the information provided by the Chinese government will continue to adversely affect any efforts to determine the source of the virus that causes the COVID-19 pandemic. “. A day earlier, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian once again rejected the idea that the virus causing the COVID-19 epidemic originated in a laboratory in Wuhan, asserting that “there is no which leak” occurred. “The World Health Organization (WHO) team of experts went to investigate all the places they wanted to go, interviewed anyone they asked, and were satisfied with the results,” Zhao said.

People move on the Brooklyn Bridge in New York, USA, April 25, 2021. Photo: AFP/VNA According to the Vietnam News Agency correspondent in New York, along with the removal of the regulation of wearing masks and social distancing, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that all shops, restaurants, entertainment centers, theaters and museums from now on. No need to limit the number of visitors to a low level anymore, and the New York subway system, the largest in the US, is also officially operating 24/24 as before the pandemic. Vaccinated people only have to wear masks at nursing homes, hospitals or on public transport. By the end of May 18, about 52% of New Yorkers had received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and 43% of people had received the full dose. New York is also expected to soon host many famous traditional events that make up its own unique features such as professional volleyball tournaments, marathons and performances at the famous Radio City Music Hall. in this year. The decision to mark this historic moment was made by New York state officials after the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued instructions on May 13 that people who have been vaccinated do not need to wear them. masks or social distancing and state data also show that the number of new infections and deaths from COVID-19 in New York has dropped to the lowest level since the pandemic broke out in New York more than a year ago. Answering the VNA, Michelle Khoury, a resident of New York, expressed her joy at not having to wear a mask anymore. “Now people get to experience the real New York, and it suddenly dawned on me that we are almost over the real pandemic,” she said. Matt Mckeon said that although New York has been reopened to normal, “all should still be careful to wear masks in indoor spaces with many people until the pandemic is really over.” Many big-name shopping centers such as Target, CVS, Walmart or Starbucks coffee shop chain have officially applied this newly changed regulation. However, state officials also asserted that New York businesses have the right to have their own policies and continue to require their employees to wear masks if necessary. The New York City Department of Health still recommends that people wear masks in indoor spaces when it is unclear whether those around them have been vaccinated or not, but specifically at stores, gyms, and pharmacies. hairdressing or other health care and beauty services. If the situation continues to turn in a positive direction, Governor Cuomo said he will allow the application of social distancing in small indoor spaces such as Broadway musicals before June 19.

Diners enjoy coffee outdoors, when shops are allowed to reopen after a 7-month separation to fight the COVID-19 epidemic, in Brussels, Belgium on May 9, 2021. Photo: AFP/VNA According to European sources, during the meeting in Brussels, diplomats proposed that those who can present a certificate of having had a full dose of an EU-approved COVID-19 vaccine, can enter the bloc. . In addition, the limit for assessing a country on the list of entry restrictions has also been raised, whereby this list will include countries with a rate of new infections within two weeks of 75 cases per 100,000. population, instead of the current 25 cases. The recommendations are expected to be approved by EU ministers on May 20. Currently, the 27 EU member states still ban entry without a good reason, except for some countries considered safe with low rates of COVID-19 cases. However, business in Europe is also being resumed after the epidemic prevention restrictions are lifted. * On the same day, French people could not hide their joy when they were able to do old habits again such as sipping a cup of coffee outside a restaurant, preparing to go to the cinema or visit a museum. After more than 6 months of imposing measures to control the COVID-19 epidemic, France has relaxed restrictions, whereby cafes and restaurants with courtyards or rooftop gardens can serve guests to eat and drink. outdoors, while museums, cinemas and theaters will also reopen. This is part of phase 2 of the plan to lift the blockade. After that, restaurants will be allowed to serve indoors from June 9, and the French economy will fully reopen on June 30. Contrary to the deserted atmosphere, “doors closed, bolted” for many months, all over Paris, cafes and restaurants are busy preparing and arranging outdoor dining and drinking areas, while the first “gods” were enjoying their morning coffee. Mr. Pascal, manager of Saint Jean’s in the Montmartre district, is pleased to say that he has welcomed 3 customers to drink coffee. Meanwhile, one of the customers called it a big change from having to buy takeaway coffee. In the western city of Rennes, Patricia Marchand, manager of the cafe des Feuilles, confirmed that the whole city center is busier and full of excitement, although the meteorological agency predicts rain may occur in many places. . Also from May 19, the night curfew in France will also be shortened by 2 hours, starting at 21:00. Thus, people were able to have dinner together and chat longer, although eating and drinking still had to be limited to no more than 6 people/table. Not only enjoying a cup of coffee or drinking wine, many French people also look forward to going to the movies or watching exhibitions. In a statement posted on the webiste, the Louvre museum posted a status line expressing its joy when it was reopened to visitors. In order to boost the economy, France has also decided to reopen non-essential businesses but must implement social distancing regulations. Currently, the number of patients with COVID-19 in intensive care units in France has decreased to 4,250 cases, much lower than about 6,000 cases a month earlier. The weekly rate of new cases also fell to 142 cases per 100,000 people, much lower than 400 at the beginning of April.

People eat at an outdoor restaurant in Paris, France, May 19, 2021. Photo: THX/VNA Bad weather doesn’t discourage them from heading to their favorite destinations. Demand for tickets to an exhibition of Renaissance sculpture at the Louvre has spiked. According to the plan, after the second phase of easing the COVID-19 epidemic prevention, France will fully open the economy on June 30. Similarly, the Austrian Government also eased epidemic prevention measures on May 19, accordingly reopening restaurants and bars after a 6-month shutdown to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 epidemic. 19. However, this relaxation decision only applies to those who have tested negative for the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19, or have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine or have recovered. recovering from this illness. * Around 50,000 travel professionals from around the world gathered in the Spanish capital Madrid on May 19 for a five-day fair. This is the first travel fair to be held in a live format during the COVID-19 pandemic in Europe. The organizers of the FITUR International Tourism Fair expect to welcome 100,000 visitors at this year’s fair, of which 50% are ordinary people who will be allowed to attend this event during the weekend. Last year, the event attracted nearly 260,000 visitors. However, due to the impact of the epidemic, this year’s fair will reduce the maximum number of visitors, while side festivals will not be held and seminars within the framework of this fair will be held. operate in an online form. The FITUR international travel fair is held in the context that Europe and many other countries have been eased from epidemic prevention measures and people around the globe are preparing to resume travel activities. Tourism is one of the sectors most severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. According to estimates by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the number of people traveling in 2020 has decreased by 74% compared to 2019.

International tourists returned to Venice after Italy lifted restrictions for EU countries, the UK and Israel. Source: Reuters “Vaccine passport” or “vaccination certificate” is a document that travelers use to prove that they are fully vaccinated, have recovered from Covid-19 or have a negative test result. These vaccine certificates are expected to be digitized for display on smartphones, however a paper version should still be available. In addition, visitors must also receive vaccines that have been recognized by the EU. If you come from a “safe” country according to the EU’s assessment and complete 2 doses of the Covid-19 vaccine at least 14 days before departure, you will be exempted from isolation or testing when you arrive in Europe. Currently, only seven non-EU countries are on this list, including Australia, Israel, New Zealand, Rwanda, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand and China. However, this list will be added and published in a few days.

Broadway artists perform in Times Square on March 12. Photo: AP According to the AP news agency, starting May 19, people in New York City who have been fully vaccinated may not need to wear masks when going out, to restaurants, grocery stores, gyms. sex. Businesses will also be allowed to operate at full capacity if they ensure all customers are vaccinated against COVID-19. The subway system will also resume full operation this week. The midnight curfew for bars, clubs and restaurants will also be lifted at the end of May. The theater is already open for sale, though shows will begin in September at the earliest. “75% of things are going back to normal,” says Mark Kumar (24), a personal trainer. However, Ameen Deen (63 years old) was less optimistic about New York’s ability to soon return to normal as before because there has been so much loss in the recent COVID-19 pandemic. The curfew for bars and restaurants will be lifted by the end of this month. Photo: AP As long as all passengers are fully immunized, businesses can operate at full capacity. Photo: AP Last spring, the largest city in the United States became the nation’s most serious COVID-19 hotspot, when it saw more than 21,000 people die from COVID-19 in just two months. Hospitals are overwhelmed with patients and bodies. Refrigerated trucks are used as temporary body storage. The familiar busy streets of New York fell into silence, only the sound of ambulance sirens and the cheers of people from the windows of apartments for medical workers. After a year, New York hopes the vaccination campaign is giving the city a resurgence. About 48% of people in the city have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. The number of deaths from COVID-19 in recent weeks has only recorded about 20 cases / day. New cases and hospitalizations also decreased significantly. The subway system returned to operating capacity as before the epidemic. Photo: AP Barber shops have also been allowed to operate. Photo: AP Casinos in Las Vegas are back to 100% capacity and do not require social distancing. Disneyland in California opened late last month after being closed for more than 400 days. Summer music festivals like Lollapalooza are back. The federal government said adults who have received two full doses of the vaccine do not need to wear a mask when participating in this 100,000-fan gathering event. New York Mayor Bill de Blasio declared it “New York City’s summer”. Shakeem Brown, an artist and delivery man in Manhattan, said it was “refreshing” to see things reopening. At e’s Bar on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, owner Erin Bellard said: “We feel the energy of society gradually increasing. People are very happy to be out.”

According to the latest study on the Covid-19 vaccine of Pfizer/BioNTech, conducted by Director of the French Pasteur Institute Olivier Schwartz and colleagues, the company’s vaccine shows signs of being less effective before the B.1.617 strain from India, n , but can still protect the vaccinated person from this strain. Pfizer/BioNTech’s Covid-19 vaccine is one of the fastest to make yet. Behind that breakthrough in speed is 30 years of research and development by a Turkish-born doctor couple. Before the pandemic broke out, Dr. Ugur Sahin spent years researching mRNA, a type of gene-guided technology that could be implanted in the body to help it fight viruses and other threats. In January 2020, a few days before the coronavirus was first diagnosed in Europe, he used this knowledge to design a version of the vaccine on his home computer. Doctor couple Ugur Sahin (left) and Özlem Türeci (right). Photo: BBC. The idea of ​​pregnancy 30 years ago The story of the first Covid-19 vaccine licensed in the West began 30 years ago in a rural area of ​​Germany. Two young doctors, children of Turkish immigrants, fall in love, vowing to jointly invent a new treatment for cancer. Dr Sahin was born in the city of Iskenderun, Turkey. When he was 4 years old, his family moved to Cologne, Germany. There, his parents worked in a Ford factory. Dr. Türeci’s father, a surgeon, also came to Germany around the same time to work at a Catholic hospital in the town. Sahin and Türeci say that when they were young, it was their frustration with the plight of cancer patients that motivated them to study mRNA. “We realized that with standard therapy, very quickly we wouldn’t be able to do anything more to help the patient,” they said. The two then began researching new treatments based on programming the body’s immune system to defeat cancer as an infectious disease. In 2001, the two founded Ganymed Pharmaceuticals GmbH, their first company to develop antibody treatments. “Our motivation is to bridge the gap between science and life. As we research, we see solutions that were not possible before for our patients,” said Dr. Türeci. One day in 2002, Sahin and Türeci left the lab during their lunch break and went to the marriage registration office, where they became officially husband and wife. Photo: The Wall Street Journal. In 2008, the couple founded BioNTech to expand their research from antibody treatments to mRNA. Since Ganymed Company was sold for $1.4 billion in 2016, BioNTech has been their sole focus. All executives at BioNTech are scientists, including the chief financial officer and salesperson. Half of BioNTech’s staff are women, including scientists of 60 different nationalities. Speed ​​of light One Saturday, January 7, 2020, after reading a research paper, Dr. Sahin was sure that the disease little known in China would soon engulf the world. Immediately, he began designing 10 potential vaccines against the disease, one of which later became the vaccine that now dominates vaccination campaigns in the European Union (EU) and the US. That same day, he announced that BioNTech would redirect research to combat a virus that had yet to be named and diagnosed in Europe. Mr. Jeggle, who has worked with Dr. Sahin since 2001, recalls: “To say I was surprised is an understatement. Because really, the company didn’t have much capital at that time and we were focusing on cancer research.” Project Lightspeed, as Dr. Sahin calls it, will develop a vaccine in months, not years as is usual. Handshake between two big men BioNTech previously worked with Pfizer, a multinational pharmaceutical corporation, to develop an influenza vaccine based on mRNA technology. So when Dr. Sahin needed a partner to organize the testing, production and global distribution of vaccines, he knew who to turn to. In March 2020, the two companies signed a cooperation agreement. A month later, the first human trials of the vaccine began. Vaccines from Pfizer and BioNTech were subsequently licensed for use in the UK, US and other European countries, respectively, with high efficacy confirmed in many countries. According to the latest financial report, Pfizer predicts vaccine sales will reach $26 billion in 2021. However, Dr. Sahin said that any profits made will be reinvested. He affirmed that the goal of BioNTech has not changed: Bringing cancer treatment regimens based on mRNA and other innovative methods to the market. Sold commercially under the name Comirnaty, Pfizer’s vaccine is 90-95% effective in many countries. Storage and transportation conditions were once major obstacles for Pfizer’s vaccines. This affects the distribution of vaccines and the accessibility of the people, because not all countries or localities have super cold storage available. Even advanced countries like the United States and Europe find this difficult at first. Under pressure from drug regulators in many countries (and the need to expand the market ahead of competitors), Pfizer increased the temperature and storage time of Comirnaty. Accordingly, an unthawed vial of Comirnaty can be stored at 2ºC to 8ºC for 5 days to a month. Epidemic prospect Recently, Dr. Sahin predicted that the epidemic situation will continue to spread until mid-2022 due to the outbreak in India and the continued scarcity of vaccines. The father of the vaccine Comirnaty advised that governments should consider using a combination of different vaccine manufacturers. He asserted that the pandemic will not end until herd immunity is achieved worldwide. Dr Sahin and Türeci also say they are expanding their manufacturing alliance to include more than 30 companies to produce more vaccines and deliver them to countries like India. In Vietnam, on May 18, the Ministry of Health signed a contract with Pfizer Company to buy 31 million doses of the vaccine, which is expected to be provided in the third and fourth quarters of 2021. Four former US presidents join the Covid-19 vaccine campaign Former US Presidents Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama together appeared in a media campaign to urge Americans to get vaccinated.

Countries are looking for ways to encourage people to get vaccinated against Covid-19. Photo: Getty Starting May 27, the first two million Californians to get vaccinated will each receive $50 in cash or a gift card. California Governor Gavin Newsom said this is part of an effort to promote vaccination as the state prepares to fully reopen the economy on June 15. “I announce the application of incentive cards. Two million cards will be applied on a first-come, first-served basis. If you’re 12 or older, you can get a credit card or $50 cash,” Newsom said. 10 Californians vaccinated before June 15 also have a chance to win a $1.5 million lottery prize. States and private organizations across the country also offer a variety of incentives to convince people to get vaccinated, from free baseball tickets and beer, to college scholarships and cash. Meanwhile in Iraq, the private sector is also launching initiatives to support the government’s vaccination program. A cafe in the capital Baghdad announced free service to customers who have been vaccinated. You just need to show the vaccination certificate, you will be served free delicious coffee in the shop. Shop owner Yasser Alaa said the initiative was meant to emphasize the importance of vaccination. “I think we should expand the initiatives. Life is returning to normal thanks to vaccines. We have no weapons other than vaccines in this battle. We want to urge people to understand the importance of vaccines,” Alaa said. In Chile, if you get the vaccine, you will receive a “travel pass”, which allows you to move freely within the country. “This helps to make it easier for people who have had enough vaccinations to meet and have more contact with their loved ones,” said Chile’s health minister. However, there are limits to who can receive the card. They are not allowed to travel during the curfew, respecting public health regulations. Other measures including wearing masks and social distancing must still be observed. Freedom of movement does not include travel abroad, and the “Travel Pass” will use a QR code, allowing the government to change people’s status instantly if they become infected. The European Union’s “digital certification of Covid-19”, which requires users to have a Covid-19 vaccine, is expected to take effect from July 1, is also a motivation for people to European countries speed up vaccine coverage. There is still a fear of vaccination not only in Africa but also in developed countries such as Europe or the US. Practically any vaccine has an adverse reaction. This is true for every drug, pharmaceutical, and even food. However, according to the assessment of the World Health Organization, the risks posed by vaccines are much lower than the benefits. The incidence of adverse reactions is very low. Therefore, we should not be too concerned to ignore a powerful weapon in the fight against this dangerous virus.

Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine vial. Photo: Reuters. The European Commission, on May 28, approved the use of the Covid-19 vaccine from Pfizer and its partner BioNTech for children 12 years of age and older, paving the way for the implementation of vaccinations for children of all ages. widely within the bloc, after similar decisions were made by the US and Canada. The decision came after the European Medicines Agency (EMA) advocated the use of the vaccine in children aged 12 to 15 years earlier. This vaccine has been used in the European Union for people 16 years of age and older. For the 12-15 age group, the two doses of the vaccine are also given at least three weeks apart, as with adults, the EMA said. According to the EMA, each EU country will decide whether and when to provide the vaccine to adolescents. While awaiting the decision of the EMA, on May 27, Germany outlined a plan to provide vaccines for children from 12 years old from June 7. Italy also said that it is preparing to expand its Covid-19 vaccination campaign to people over 12 years old. Immunizing children and adolescents is seen as an important step towards achieving “herd immunity” and taming the pandemic. On May 28, Japan also joined other countries that decided to give the Pfizer vaccine to children as young as 12 years old. Since March, Pfizer and Biontech have released trial data showing that their Covid-19 vaccine is 100% effective in protecting against infectious disease in a trial of 2,260 adolescents aged 12 to 15 years. .

Sinopharm’s COVID-19 vaccine is given to people in Dubai, UAE on February 28, 2021. Photo: AFP/VNA According to the above official, Big Data technology will help UAE health authorities control the COVID-19 pandemic more effectively. In the future, the country will have more “digital” hospitals so that people can access telemedicine solutions more often. AlAjme expert affirmed that the UAE has enough modern infrastructure to provide the best healthcare services. This is in line with the UAE government’s Information Technology Strategy 2021 and the National Innovation Strategy, which focuses on efforts to make the UAE a fully “digital” country. In addition, the “UAE Vision” plan also focuses on applying cloud computing to create positive changes in the healthcare sector. The UAE currently has two laws in place regarding healthcare providers. The first is the Law on Health Information Technology, which regulates the use of technology in healthcare. The second is the law on medical examination and treatment processes and procedures for parties building telemedicine systems. In fact, high-tech infrastructure and the development of the health sector are the “backbone” of the UAE in the current fight against COVID-19. Decisions about distributing preventive vaccines, opening field hospitals or building isolation areas are all based on digitized real data. Last year, the UAE Ministry of Health also implemented the Tatmeen digital platform to secure the supply chain in the healthcare industry. This platform helps to track medical products in the supply chain, helps promote transparency, prevents unauthorized or expired products.

People wait to be vaccinated against COVID-19 in Tokyo, Japan on May 24, 2021. Photo: AFP/VNA According to the Vietnam News Agency correspondent in Tokyo, speaking at a press conference after announcing the extension of the state of emergency for nine provinces on May 28, Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide emphasized his determination to deploy COVID-19 vaccine vaccination for people under 65 years of age, including those with underlying medical conditions, starting at the end of next month. Regarding vaccine supply, Prime Minister Suga affirmed that the government will ensure the necessary amount of vaccine for the vaccination campaign with 100 million doses expected to arrive in Japan by the end of June and another 100 million doses to be added. September. The specific vaccination time of each locality will be decided on the basis of the positive results of vaccination for people over 65 years old, and the location can also be expanded to implement in the workplace. jobs or universities. Prime Minister Suga said the Japanese government will do its best to soon return to normal life for the people with efforts to speed up the pace of COVID-19 vaccination. Currently, the vaccination rate is around 400,000-500,000 times/day, but from June it will be increased to 1 million times/day. Japan started the COVID-19 vaccine vaccination campaign in February, basically giving enough shots for medical staff who are the frontline force against the epidemic. With the operation of two large-scale vaccination centers in Tokyo and Osaka from May 24, as well as positive results from the negotiation to buy vaccines, the Japanese government is expected to be able to vaccinate the entire population. the entire population from the end of June, 1 month earlier than originally planned. In addition, children will also be included in vaccination after the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW) has licensed Pfizer’s vaccine to expand the vaccination age from 12-15 years old. . Meanwhile, the pharmaceutical company Modena has also submitted clinical data to the MHLW and may be approved for injections in subjects 12 years of age and older next month.

Many countries require visitors to have enough Covid-19 vaccinations. Photo: Getty The Covid-19 vaccine will be the deciding factor for travel. Vaccinated people will have more options to travel or visit family and friends abroad. Some countries only accept fully vaccinated international travelers, so you’ll have to recalculate your destination and trip if you haven’t been vaccinated. Some destinations in Hawaii, Mexico or the Caribbean are seeing a rapid increase in tourists who have been vaccinated against Covid-19 and are ready to go. Roadtrip Trends Self-driving car trips have become increasingly popular after the Covid-19 pandemic. Self-driving travel continues to be one of the most popular types of travel this summer. When traveling by air requires many regulations; Along with the inconvenient entry and exit procedures, many people choose to travel domestically and explore new destinations in the country by self-driving cars. Self-driving is also suitable for families with children, because many young people have not been fully vaccinated against Covid-19 vaccine. Everyone is safe in their own cars, ensuring social distancing while still having enjoyable travel experiences. Prioritize outdoor activities Visitors explore En cave in Quang Binh. Outdoor activities, exploring nature will certainly become more and more popular in the coming time. Adventure tourism is booming in many countries, including Vietnam. Travelers now crave new adventures and experiences, such as outdoor camping, mountain climbing, boating or caving. Luxury stay Tourists choose high-class resorts to stay in isolation and privacy. Photo: Getty It is still too early to go to crowded places, dream destinations or travel around the world. Many people will choose to “hide” in high-class, isolated and private resorts. Luxury resorts provide all amenities so visitors avoid having to move and interact with many people. Many resorts also offer great outdoor activities and experiences. Thorough plans Travel plans will need to be more detailed and thorough after Covid-19. Photo: Pexels Surely last-minute travel decisions will no longer be common. As the pandemic continues, travelers will have to prepare more and longer for their outing plans, such as anticipating the disease situation, safety protocols and quarantine regulations at the destination. . Travelers will need more advice and support from travel agents and ticket offices, such as health and safety regulations, testing centers, refund policies for airline tickets and hotel rooms. Covid-19 insurance Covid-19 insurance for travel is increasingly interested. Photo: Getty When international travel resumes this summer, travelers will certainly be wiser and take care of their own protection. Many people have added provisions in the policy and insurance of the trip, not only to prevent risks to their health but also their pocket. Buying insurance covering the cost of Covid-19 and trip cancellation will be a popular trend in the near future. Some destinations and travel agencies will even require travelers to have Covid-19 insurance. Private car rental trend Car rental services will flourish in the near future. Photo: Getty A shortage of rental cars will occur in many tourist destinations, as demand increases when tourists want to be proactive and avoid crowded public transport. Meanwhile, suppliers have had to sell part of their fleets to survive the pandemic. Therefore, travel plans need to consider car rental, as well as the distance between accommodation and attractions, entertainment, and dining. Status of “room fire” Famous places will have a “room fire” situation during the peak tourist season. Photo: Getty Covid-19 does not mean that hotels always have excess rooms, especially during the peak tourist season. During pandemic outbreaks, many people don’t cancel reservations, but push them back at an appropriate time, such as this summer. Famous places are likely to have a “burn out” situation, because many tourists have to wait too long to travel. Plan ahead and plan many options to book the right accommodation for this summer.

The famous Nissi beach of Cyprus, taken on May 21, 2021. Travelers are required to take a Covid-19 test prior to departure. (Source: AP) Countries, especially those heavily dependent on tourism, are racing to revive amid the still raging Covid-19 pandemic. While some countries confidently promote border opening, some countries, including the rate of Covid-19 vaccination among the population is quite high, still struggling to “open” or “closed” the border. gender. The World Travel & Tourism Council estimated the tourism industry lost nearly $4.5 trillion and 62 million jobs last year. Airlines alone lost $126 billion in 2020 and are likely to lose another $48 billion this year. “Headache” because each place has a style The rollout of a Covid-19 vaccine is well underway in many parts of the world, giving confidence to governments and excitement to those who love to travel. However, those who are planning travel trips sometimes feel like they are lost in the matrix of regulations because each place is different and even rapidly changing. For example, Cyprus imposes restrictions on countries considered to be at higher risk, requiring incoming passengers to take a negative PCR test 72 hours before departure and one more test. when entering this country. Travelers must also self-isolate until test results are released. Constantinos Victoras, general manager of NissiBlu hotel located near the famous white sand beach of Ayia Napa, said that although the infection rate in Cyprus has decreased significantly in the past two weeks, it is not until the end of June that everything is new. becomes more obvious. At that time, tour operators and airlines were just starting to plan and organize flights. “Things are still very vague,” says Victoras. Swedish tourists Agatha and Simon Godurkiewicz said they chose to vacation in Cyprus because they were tired of the pandemic. Agatha Godurkiewicz said: “We are fed up with life during the pandemic. When the epidemic first appeared, we panicked, but now we are learning to live together.” Confident Europe The economies of the Mediterranean countries, including Greece, Spain and Turkey, are heavily dependent on tourism. Tourists from these countries began to breathe a sigh of relief when last week the European Union (EU) agreed to allow travelers who have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19 or come from other countries. countries are considered safe to enter. The Covid-19 digital certification will help Europeans who meet the above criteria travel more conveniently at the start of the tourist season without having to be isolated or tested when traveling to another country. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said last week that Spain would begin allowing visitors from Britain, Japan, the United States and some other countries to enter if they have been vaccinated. Foreign tourists have begun to appear in Greece after authorities allowed people from the European Union and 21 other countries with vaccination and test certificates to enter. On the Greek island of Naxos, business owners have begun pulling furniture out of storage, cleaning floors and reopening once crowded seaside pubs. Naxos Mayor Dimitris Lianos said: “People here are very optimistic and there are a lot of bookings in the last two weeks. From now until the end of the year, the outlook will be bright. I’m sure of that.” Croatia has also reopened. The country is one of the few places in Europe that Americans can easily visit. Delta Air Lines and United Airlines have announced the opening of direct flights from New York to Dubrovnik this summer. Cautious Asia The Covid-19 epidemic is breaking out again throughout parts of Asia, making some countries and territories more reticent when it comes to strategies to open up the tourism industry. After a new outbreak, Hong Kong and Singapore abandoned injections for travelers entering without quarantine. Hong Kong even extended the mandatory quarantine period for many unvaccinated travelers. Meanwhile, China has set up additional checkpoints at tollgates, airports and train stations in Liaoning province, where new cases arose this month. Travelers must present proof of a negative test result for the Sars-cov-2 virus. Thailand, which closed its borders and strictly controlled the outbreak last year, allowed some foreign visitors to enter under strict control in the fall. But the worst outbreak in late March caused the country to completely change its policy. Bangkok has closed entertainment venues and parks, encouraged people to work from home and banned outdoor dining. Streets in the capital and many resorts of Thailand are almost empty of people. Travel-related job losses are on the rise. Middle East and Africa eagerly When the outbreak emerged last year, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) closed its borders and airports. The capital, Abu Dhabi, applies strict measures, including mandatory isolation, even for fully vaccinated residents returning from some epidemic-hit countries. But the UAE’s largest city, Dubai, has been open to tourists since July last year. In addition to meeting the requirement for a negative Covid-19 test, visitors are subject to a number of other restrictions that are not too strict. Dubai – home to the world’s busiest airport, a hub for international travelers – is attracting visitors from Europe with its wide-open beaches, bars, hotel pools, restaurants, cinemas. movies, amusement parks and spas. Social distancing and wearing of masks are mandatory. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia, the largest country in the Gulf, does not allow tourists to enter the country. Citizens of Saudi Arabia, who have been banned from traveling since March 2020, are allowed to travel abroad starting this month if they are vaccinated or have recently recovered from the Sars-Cov virus infection. 2. Despite struggling to cope with a new wave of infections, Egypt is trying to attract more foreign tourists. Beaches, cafes and restaurants located within guests are allowed to stay open. Travelers are required to present a negative Covid-19 test prior to entry. Latin America and the Caribbean: An open place, a shy place Visitors to the Caribbean countries fell by two-thirds last year, a low not seen since the 1980s. Bermuda was one of the hardest hit, with an 84% drop. Some islands, including Bonaire, Martinique and Montserrat still ban tourists from most countries. On some other islands, tourists are allowed to return provided they are monitored by electronic tracking devices. Several islands, including St. Vincent and the Grenadines have launched campaigns to attract tourists. Cruise lines are being sent from the US to Caribbean ports this summer. The US Virgin Islands has been the region’s success story this year, with arrivals falling just 27% between January and March. Meanwhile, Mexico does not ban flights, does not require visitors to be tested or quarantined upon arrival. This makes the number of tourists, although still decreasing, at a stable level, especially to sea tourist destinations. However, Mexico’s open policy angered some people in popular tourist areas. The rate of people infected with Covid-19 and hospitalized is increasing. Assistant Health Minister Hugo López-Gatell warned: “If public activities are not reduced, the situation will worsen.” USA and Canada: Be cautious The US continues to ban most visitors from Europe, China, India, Brazil and elsewhere. Incoming international visitors, including US citizens, must be tested for Covid-19 before boarding. The US State Department discourages business trips abroad, labeling many countries around the world as high risk. The border between the US and Canada remains closed for non-essential travel until June 21. Domestic air travel in the US is close to returning to 2019 levels. Many tourism businesses have shown impatience, saying that the Biden administration is too reticent to allow more international tourists to enter in the context that most of the country’s population has been vaccinated against Covid-19. -19. (according to AP)

At the same time, the grant helps to urgently invest in the production system of materials and equipment to ensure the supply of a sufficient number of necessary vaccines, supplemented with the amount of imported vaccines, towards the completion of the Covid-19 vaccination program. -19 for the people of Vietnam right this year. Test injection of Nanocovax vaccine phase 1 at the Military Medical Academy. Photo: Viet Linh. In phase 3, the Nanocovax vaccine will be tested in multi-centers at domestic facilities with about 13,000 volunteers. In the North, there are Military Medical Academy and Hung Yen, in the South, there are Pasteur Institutes in Ho Chi Minh City and Long An. Phase 3 is divided into several sub-phases, first injecting 800 registered volunteers, then continuing to recruit more. The optimal dose chosen for phase 3 is 25 mcg. Through the study, all 3 dose groups of 25 mcg, 50 mcg and 75 mcg produced equivalent immunity, due to the equal effectiveness, the Ethics Committee chose the lowest dose for production, saving raw materials. If all goes well, by the end of September, phase 3 testing will be complete. At that time, Vietnam can produce the first Covid-19 vaccine. Exchange with Zing Mr. Ho Nhan, founder and general director of Nanogen Company, did not comment or disclose more about this information. He said the company has stocked up enough materials to produce a vaccine right after the third phase of testing is completed. The company said that if it goes well, it can produce 100 million doses this year. Nanocovax vaccine is Vietnam’s first Covid-19 vaccine that is allowed to be tested in clinical trials, manufactured by Nanogen Company based on recombinant protein technology. The phase 1 clinical trial took place from December 17, 2020, to the end of April completed the phase 2 trial on 560 volunteers, expanding the audience from 18 to over 60 years old, of which one the number of people with underlying diseases such as hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes, grade 1 cardiovascular disease… are not too severe. Besides Nanocovax, the second domestic vaccine being tested is Covivac of IVAC Company, which has now completed phase 1 injection.

Signing handover of the digital map of epidemiology and prevention of COVID-19 between the representative of Hoa Binh province and Phuc Hung Investment Group Joint Stock Company. (Photo: Thanh Hai/VNA) On May 25, the Department of Information and Communications of Hoa Binh province held a ceremony to hand over and put the software into use. Epidemiological number map , supporting the prevention and control of COVID-19″ sponsored by Phuc Hung Investment Group Joint Stock Company. At the ceremony, the Director of the Provincial Department of Information and Communications Peace Bui Duc Nam emphasized that after receiving the software, the Department of Information and Communications will operate, the Provincial Department of Health will coordinate in providing and updating epidemiological information in the province for people and medical applications. related person. According to General Director of Phuc Hung Investment Group Joint Stock Company Le Quoc Quan: Software “Digital epidemiological map, supporting prevention and control work” COVID-19 epidemic ” developed by a group of technology experts, upgraded and supplemented from the Covidmaps digital map to help state management agencies, departments, departments and branches direct the epidemic prevention and control as well as create favorable conditions for people people in searching and updating information related to the COVID-19 epidemic. In addition, the software has an easy-to-use interface, optimizing many features, both helping to support communication about COVID-19 and synchronizing with COVID-19 vaccination activities such as on-site declaration. , at the epidemic prevention point; tracing travel schedules; accurately locate the blocked area, medical isolation; announcement of vaccination against COVID-19 and injection sites; Quickly and promptly summarize data and reports.

Signing handover agreement between representatives of Hoa Binh province and Phuc Hung Investment Group Joint Stock Company. Photo: Thanh Hai/VNA At the ceremony, Director of the Department of Information and Communications of Hoa Binh province Bui Duc Nam emphasized: After receiving the software, the Department of Information and Communications will operate it, and the provincial Department of Health will coordinate to provide and update the software. epidemiological information in the province for people and related units. According to General Director of Phuc Hung Investment Group Joint Stock Company Le Quoc Quan: The software “Digital map of epidemiology, supporting the prevention and control of COVID-19” has been upgraded by a group of technology experts, supplemented from the Covidmaps digital map to help state management agencies, departments, departments and sectors direct the epidemic prevention and control work as well as create favorable conditions for people to look up and update relevant information to the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, the software has an easy-to-use interface that optimizes many features, both helping to support communication about COVID-19 and synchronizing with COVID-19 vaccination activities such as: place, at the point of epidemic prevention; tracing travel schedules; accurately locate the blocked area, medical isolation; announcement of vaccination against COVID-19 and injection sites; Synthesize and report data quickly and in a timely manner…

Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly. Photo: al-Ghad Particularly for this year’s Eid al-Fitr holiday, the event that marks the end of the Muslim month of Ramadan, Egyptians will have a 5-day break from May 12 to 16, however, prayer activities during the This occasion is only held at churches without children accompanying them. In addition, beaches and parks are also closed during the holiday. The Egyptian Prime Minister added that the country is trying to provide the largest number of Covid-19 vaccines to the people. He revealed that Egypt will receive more large batches of vaccines this May and vaccine reception centers are also being expanded.

Earlier, on May 5, the administration of President Joe Biden supported the removal of vaccine patent protection to speed up production around the world. If approved by the World Trade Organization (WTO), the move would allow other countries to create their own vaccines. However, according to reviews from Reuters , patent cancellation will not solve the current pressing problem: There is a worldwide shortage of vaccine components and equipment. Meanwhile, the United States, which holds a significant amount of vaccine production materials such as filters, tubes or specialized bags, is not ready to share with many other countries. Stickers are given to people who have received the Covid-19 vaccine. Photo: Reuters. America’s “Priority” Act This action stems from America’s reliance on a 1950s Korean War-era law, known as the Defense Production Act (DPA), which allows federal agencies to prioritize orders defense-related purchases. For decades, the law has been used to provide military supplies and respond to everything from natural disasters to biennial census disruptions. The government of former President Donald Trump later invoked this law to put the US government at the top of the list to buy vaccines and other products made by the US to fight the epidemic. When talking about the DPA, Gavi – a vaccine alliance that includes international organizations, governments, pharmaceutical companies and many others – commented: “The biggest challenge in COVAX’s goal to achieve Equal access to vaccines is a limited global supply.” “Export controls on raw materials are a significant cause of this phenomenon and ultimately only prolong the pandemic,” the organization stressed. However, a senior Biden administration official said there is no export ban and all US-based suppliers have shipped products overseas after prioritizing manufacturers in the US. country. The official said the DPA does not cause a global shortage of vaccine materials, and the problems stem from overwhelming demand. Complaints from India Even with access to vaccine patents, countries hit hard by Covid-19 like India cannot produce vaccines without raw materials. The number of Covid-19 cases in India has been increasing continuously recently. Photo: Reuters. With the DPA, factories helped the US build a giant vaccine production system. About 45% of the US population has received at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine. Meanwhile, according to data collected at the University of Oxford, UK, dozens of other countries, from South Africa to Guatemala, to Thailand, have only immunized about 1% or less of their population. The US DPA has been criticized by many vaccine manufacturers around the world, including the Serum Institute of India, the largest producer globally. On Twitter in late April, CEO Adar Poonawalla “on behalf of the vaccine industry outside the US” asked the US to lift its hold on raw materials “if we really want to unite to defeat this virus.” “. Starting in May, the company plans to produce billions of doses of the vaccine annually developed by the US-based company Novavax. However, the quantity would probably be more than halved without raw materials from the US. South Africa’s Biovac vaccine production institute also relies on an American company to produce bioreactor bags, the material needed for cell culture. CEO Morena Makhoana said Biovac was warned by its US supplier that product delivery times could be double the usual time to 14 months because of the DPA. “Unexpected demand” Some suppliers say the vaccine industry can do a better job than governments at managing limited resources to maximize global reach. “If the ultimate goal is to produce a vaccine, then we believe (the government) needs to let the industry connect with its stakeholders to be able to deliver the end product,” said Thermo Fisher Vice President, Thermo Fisher, Mr. Michel Lagarde, said. A Biden administration official said experts from various federal agencies discussed the US prioritization system. Officials can sometimes change delivery dates for the country to avoid disrupting vaccine projects in other countries. However, this is not enough when vaccine suppliers around the world are planning to meet demand. Accordingly, Cytiva, Pall and Thermo Fisher are expanding their production space in the US and abroad. Johnson & Johnson’s Covid-19 vaccine. Photo: AP. Thermo Fisher urged customers to clarify which needs are urgent and which can wait. Even so, Mr. Lagarde said the company still tries to fulfill orders even if they are not considered a priority. Cytiva also announced it is expanding production, but the process will be limited by raw material shortages. “The world is experiencing unprecedented demand for biopharmaceutical products, technologies and solutions,” said Cytiva.

The root cause is believed to be 30 years of not trying to clear people’s doubts about vaccine side effects, according to the above article. Nikkei Asia 10/5. The landmark court ruling of 1992 During the 1980s, Japan possessed world-leading vaccine technology for the treatment of chickenpox, encephalitis, and pertussis. These technologies are licensed to the US and other countries. But vaccine development in Japan came to a near complete halt following a 1992 court ruling ordering the government to compensate people for side effects after vaccination. The Japanese people see this as a landmark ruling that opens the way for victims to seek compensation on a broader scale. A Japanese official injects a vaccine against Covid-19. Photo: Reuters. The Japanese government did not appeal the ruling. Vaccination was also no longer mandatory after the government revised the law in 1994. Since then, vaccination rates in Japan have declined as parents become more concerned about side effects. The AIDS crisis also has a negative impact. In 1996, a Japanese health ministry official was convicted of negligent manslaughter following a scandal involving HIV-contaminated blood products. Despite the government’s efforts to hold responsible, the incident still made officials in Japan feel that they would suffer the consequences if anything happened, while the politicians were unharmed. Gaps in policy Japan is currently facing a “vaccine gap”. In the US and Europe, the product licensing process takes only a few years, but in Japan it is more than 10 years. The Japanese Ministry of Health has issued a special license for the Pfizer vaccine to be administered to the elderly, but this licensing process only applies to foreign vaccines. Meanwhile, the US administration has accelerated vaccine development since the 2001 anthrax attack. When there is a public health crisis in the country, the US Department of Health and Human Services will coordinate with other agencies. research institutes and pharmaceutical companies to respond appropriately. The agency also supports development budgets, clinical trials, as well as emergency approvals. The global vaccine market is growing by nearly 7% per year. New vaccines are released every time a new deadly infectious disease emerges, such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Ebola. The mRNA technology used in making vaccines has been studied for the past 20 years and is being applied to fight Covid-19. But private companies in Japan can hardly solve this problem alone because of the lack of motivation to promote the development, purchase, or stockpile of vaccines. Japan currently does not have a domestically produced vaccine. Photo: AFP. “There is a gap in the vaccine because there is still a gap in policy,” said Tetsuo Nakayama, a professor at Kitasato University in Tokyo. One can mention the case of UMN Pharma, a Japanese biotech company that uses new technology to develop flu vaccines. UMN Pharma used to spend more than $100 million to build a manufacturing plant, but the company’s application for a license was rejected in 2017. The grounds for the rejection were that the product “lacked clinical importance” compared to vaccines. available. UMN Pharma currently has negative total assets and is owned by Shionogi – another Japanese pharmaceutical company. The vaccine made by UMN Pharma has been approved in the US. This has led one in the Japanese vaccine industry to question whether anyone still wants to make new vaccines in the country. Complicated legal regulations Technology and research talent are also flowing outside of Japan. “Japan has a lot of regulations but it has a weak support system,” said one virus expert. The country has only two research facilities that can handle the most dangerous viruses. But one of the two establishments has only recently reopened because it was previously opposed by the local people. Public Administration Reform Minister Taro Kono was appointed on January 18 as the person in charge of Japan’s vaccination campaign. Photo: Japan Times. Vaccine research in Japan is subject to complicated regulations by many ministries. Experiments involving gene editing are limited to the Cartagena Protocol. This is an international legal document on biosafety management with genetically modified organisms that Japan has approved. Meanwhile, Europe exempts pharmaceutical companies from applying the Cartagena Protocol. The United States has not yet ratified this document. Japanese manufacturers even ignore the domestic market. Takeda Pharmaceutical, for example, has no plans to license its dengue vaccine in Japan. The same thing happened with the vaccine made from tobacco leaves of Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma company. In the immediate future, Tokyo has quickly appointed a minister in charge of the Covid-19 vaccine. But products made by AnGes, Shionogi, and other Japanese companies are not expected to be approved before 2022.

People are vaccinated against COVID-19 by Johnson & Johnson Company in Chicago, Illinois, USA on April 6, 2021. Photo: AFP/VNA New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio recently announced the city will offer COVID-19 vaccination services to foreign visitors at mobile vaccination centers, starting this summer. But before that time, tourists, mostly Mexicans, have flocked to the US for the opportunity to get vaccinated. Up to now, tens of thousands of tourists from Mexico and some other countries have “landed” in many states such as Texas and Florida to be vaccinated. Some states in the US, including Texas, do not require visitors to present proof of residency. USA Today previously reported that thousands of wealthy tourists, including politicians, TV stars, leaders of companies and corporations in Latin America, have traveled to the US to receive vaccines. Some rent a private jet to go to the US. Mexico has so far only vaccinated enough doses for about 6% of the population and the vaccination program is only applicable to people over 60 years old. Many tour operators in Mexico have promoted travel packages including vaccinations to the US. “Enjoy Dallas and get a COVID-19 vaccine,” a travel agency ran an ad. Mexican airlines also recently increased flights to south Texas to serve the growing demand of travelers. A Thai travel company is also offering a package “COVID-19 vaccine tour” to the US. More than 200 people are already booked, at a cost of $2,400 per person for a 10-day trip to California that includes a single dose of Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine. The above amount does not include the cost of airfare.

People wait in line to get tested for COVID-19 in New York, US, February 5, 2021. Photo: THX/VNA Specifically, over the weekend, the number of new COVID-19 cases in the 7-day average in the US was about 40,800 cases, down 30% from the previous 2 weeks and down 43% from the most recent peak in the middle of the epidemic. last April (71,000 cases/day). This number is also the lowest number of new cases recorded in the US since September 19, 2020. Meanwhile, the average number of deaths from COVID-19 per day in the past 7 days in the US is 667 cases, much lower than the epidemic peaks last winter. Currently, about 46% of the US population has received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and more than 30% have received the full dose. US President Joe Biden announced last week that the country’s new goal is to vaccinate at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine by July 4 by Independence Day for 70% of the adult population and 160 million adults. receive a full dose of vaccine. In Washington, D.C., the number of new daily COVID-19 cases is now at its lowest level in nearly a year. The city government plans within the next two weeks to lift restrictions on most businesses and public places. Accordingly, museums, zoos, restaurants, shops, religious facilities … are allowed to reopen completely from May 21, while bars, nightclubs, entertainment venues … entertainment, stadiums can reopen from June 11. Wearing a mask is still mandatory in enclosed spaces, except when eating and drinking. More than 225,000 people out of a population of 700,000 in Washington are now fully vaccinated. Meanwhile, in New York state, more than 60% of its nearly 20 million population has received at least one shot of the COVID-19 vaccine. To increase immunity, Governor Andrew Cuomo on May 10 announced a pilot program, allowing people who have been vaccinated against COVID-19 to ride the subway for free. Specifically, from May 12-16, New Yorkers can get a single dose of Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine at one of six selected medical facilities. Once vaccinated, they will receive a free metro pass for a week or a suburban rail return ticket. Governor Cuomo said the program, if successful, would be replicated. On the same day, May 10, the US State Department announced that it had lowered its travel advisories to the UK and Israel to level 3 and level 2, respectively, from the highest level of warning level 4. Last month, the Department of State US delivery has put 119 countries, including the UK, Israel, Canada, France, Mexico and Germany, on the alert level 4 list, which recommends not to go to these countries because these are places with a high risk of infection. COVID-19 infection is very high. Currently, about 150 of the 209 destinations on the US State Department’s list are under Level 4 alert.

Health workers give people a COVID-19 vaccine in Seattle, Washington, US, March 13, 2021. Photo: AFP/VNA As vaccination programs accelerate, Washington’s famous Smithsonian museums and zoos – as well as shops, restaurants and more – will be fully deregulated. Limited on 5/21. However, Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser’s office said that bars, nightclubs, major entertainment venues as well as sports stadiums will have to wait until June 11 to reopen. completely. People who gather in closed spaces when not eating or drinking must still wear masks. Washington has recorded a single-digit daily rate of new COVID-19 infections per 100,000 people since a January 2021 peak of more than 40 per 100,000 people. lowest level in 10 months. Similarly in the states of Virginia and Maryland, the number of COVID-19 cases per day also tends to decrease. The District of Columbia of Washington has fully vaccinated 226,566 people out of a population of about 700,000. The US capital began easing pandemic-related restrictions on May 1, allowing stores to increase capacity from 25% to 50% and restaurants with a capacity of 10 people per table. According to a survey conducted in March 2021 by the Kaiser Family Foundation, 25% of Americans aged 18 to 29 have a “wait and see” attitude towards vaccinations. President Joe Biden wants 70% of adults nationwide to get at least one shot of the COVID-19 vaccine by Independence Day on July 4, and Washington has joined a number of other cities in introducing new measures. Incentive measures to overcome people’s hesitation about vaccination.

Bran Castle. Photo: AP The AP news agency (USA) reported that a COVID-19 vaccination center has been set up at Bran Castle in the Transylvania region. This castle is the site where Irish writer Bram Stoker inspired Dracula’s “vampire’s home” in the 19th century horror novel “Dracula”. Accordingly, every weekend of May will take place the “vaccine marathon” program at Bran Castle. People who come for injections do not need to book an appointment. Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine recipients will receive free admission to the castle’s torture chamber, home to 52 medieval torture instruments. At the end of the first week of May, nearly 400 people went to Bran Castle for a COVID-19 vaccine. However, there is a rule that only Romanian people can get the COVID-19 vaccine for free. The program at Bran Castle is part of a series of initiatives by the Romanian government to promote the COVID-19 vaccine campaign in this country of 19 million people. The Romanian government hopes to be able to vaccinate 5 million people by June 1. From May 8, all vaccination centers in Romania apply the rule that no reservations are made after 2pm. According to the statistics of worldometers.info, as of 9 am on May 11, the total number of COVID-19 infections in Romania is over 1 million cases, of which 29,034 have died.

Japan plans to produce the vaccine domestically. Illustration: CNN Shionogi is currently in discussions with the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare about a framework that would allow the efficacy and safety of vaccines to be assessed even with small-scale trials. This manufacturer hopes to contribute to the early prevention of the Covid-19 pandemic by focusing on investment and management of resources. In addition, the company has also completed a production line capable of supplying 10 million people a year with vaccines and plans to increase capacity further. Regarding Moderna’s vaccine approval process, on May 10, the pharmaceutical company Takeda said that clinical trials have confirmed that Moderna’s vaccine has helped increase antibodies in vaccinated people. The Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare will evaluate and make a decision on whether to give the vaccine a “green light” as early as May 20.