Vietnam’s latest COVID-19 figure is 266 infections. Only one new infection has been detected in the last 24 hours. No country has been able to compile statistics on virus infections correctly, but it is wrong to assume that numbers from a developing country like Vietnam would give a false picture relative to other countries. In crises, the advantages of a one-party system are emphasized. The Vietnamese government has acted differently from the Finnish, Swedish or US. In Vietnam there is strict universal discipline and obedience to the law. The government hasn’t had to consider the criteria of individual freedom, privacy and data protection during the crisis. Immediately at the end of January, the Vietnamese state administration ordered the closure of the Chinese border and shut down schools and universities. The government also introduced mandatory two-week quarantines for migrants (also Vietnamese) and is providing centralized and supervised facilities for the quarantine period.
Vietnam immediately began initializing a system of tracing those exposed to infections. Once an infection would occur, the entire area would be blocked and isolated. The administration has been disseminating information to its citizens regularly on a daily basis since the very early weeks. Each new infection is numbered V20, V45, etc. and the data is given public so everyone can prepare themselves against the virus. (Example of briefing: case V65 – where the infection was located, how, what treatment is/was given, duration, age, etc.)
The restrictions caused by the epidemic are still widely in use in Vietnam, but factories have been kept running and the border with China was opened for transportation. It is realistic to assume that by the beginning of May, substantial deregulation will be implemented, but it’s presumable that Vietnam’s strict administration is making quick and harsh decisions way around if the situation calls for it. There is no shortage of protective equipment in Vietnam and protection masks are widely used – Vietnam is also a notable manufacturer in protective gear.