Hanoi (VNA) – Countries around the world are going from zero COVID-19 to living safe with it and Vietnam is no exception, said Patrick Haverman, deputy resident representative of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Vietnam.
In a recent interview with the Vietnamese News Agency, he said Vietnam’s top priority is the health of the people. And with rising vaccination rates, the country is slowly opening up its economy.
Mentioning the response to the pandemic, he stressed the need for a more flexible approach, including shorter closings, shorter quarantine periods and accelerated vaccinations.
He commented on the Vietnamese government for its vaccination diplomacy, saying it is amazing how quickly people in the country are getting vaccinated against the coronavirus disease.
“We saw the priorities and how the elderly and the most vulnerable should be given priority to get vaccinated. And with that response, there could be a slight opening up of the economy very carefully, â€he noted.
According to Patrick havermann UNDP recently launched two reports on the socio-economic impact of COVID-19[female[feminine on vulnerable households in Vietnam and the implementation of the second Government support package for people affected by COVID-19.
Vietnam can support growth, jobs and incomes with a larger cash assistance program for vulnerable households without fear of inflation or negative impact on the balance of payments.
To achieve the dual objective of supporting vulnerable households and stimulating economic growth, the cash assistance program must be launched as quickly as possible. The fastest way to provide this support is to provide an immediate benefit to children under 6; pregnant women; people aged 60 and over, including those aged 80 and over who benefit from regular cash assistance programs without a pension; and people with disabilities.
Administrative requirements should be kept to a minimum, and an electronic register of persons should be compiled, listing households and persons who have received assistance.
Regarding the reopening of Vietnam in the coming times, the UNDP representative said that the Vietnamese government is doing well and vaccination is really important.
To reopen, vaccination should be the first priority, he said, adding that Vietnam should impose somewhat more flexible lockdowns, that is, not lock down the whole city.
These are important conditions for Vietnam to slowly open up and promote its economy with the help of social protection programs, he said.
“So we think the country is on the right track. We saw it open slowly. And with this, the Vietnamese economy can start to grow again. We therefore hope for a good recovery in the economy, â€he concluded./.
