Regardless of the scenario, epidemic prevention and control measures will not stop.

However, with the complicated developments of the epidemic, the understanding of the virus causing Covid-19 is not comprehensive, new variants may appear, reducing the effectiveness of vaccines, causing the disease to spread strongly, and high mortality may also occur. Therefore, preparing appropriate response scenarios is necessary to avoid the risk of being passive when new situations arise.

So what specific scenarios is the health sector preparing to adapt to the new situation? How do these scenarios focus on protecting vulnerable and high-risk groups? Prof. Dr. Phan Trong Lan - Director of the Department of Preventive Medicine, Ministry of Health discusses this content.

Prof. Dr. Phan Trong Lan - Director of the Department of Preventive Medicine. Source: Ministry of Health

PV: Professor Phan Trong Lan, can you tell us about the epidemic prevention scenarios in the new phase?

Professor Phan Trong Lan:Covid-19 we see has 2 characteristics: One is that acquired immunity, even with a vaccine, will decline over time, the second is that evolution is unpredictable, there are always scenarios, there may be scenarios that are less effective with vaccines, from which we come up with 2 scenarios: One scenario is that the current trend will mostly shift to the Omicron variant with a low mortality and severe morbidity rate, which is based on the effectiveness of the vaccine, low mortality rate, on certain subjects. Thus, we aim at the endemic disease, we will carry out normal activities and focus on high-risk subjects.

The second scenario is that the evolution of the virus creates mutations, strains, reducing the effectiveness of the vaccine, causing people to get infected and then get reinfected, causing severe cases and deaths, and spreading rapidly. That is also a possible scenario. Regardless of the circumstances, we must not be passive, but more proactive.

PV: In this scenario, we also anticipate the factor when the epidemic becomes more complicated, with new dangerous variants spreading quickly, so in that situation, can we respond promptly, Professor?

Professor Phan Trong Lan:Over the past 2 years, the experiences in epidemic prevention that we have presented are still valuable. The message of the Government is to adapt safely and effectively. To prevent appropriately, we may not do it on a large scale but on a small scale. Each location when an epidemic occurs requires comprehensive measures. With that experience, we can minimize it. One of the things when new strains appear is how we can detect them early, isolate them, handle them so they do not spread, and to prevent the epidemic from spreading is to fight them from the root, which is the most effective...

PV: Currently, when the number of infections nationwide has decreased sharply, the number of deaths has dropped to a very low level, is this the premise for us to build a scenario to consider Covid-19 as an endemic disease, Professor?

Professor Phan Trong Lan:For the work of controlling infectious diseases with sustainability factors, one of the factors is that immunity will decrease over time, including vaccines and infections. Whether we move to a new normal or circulate, epidemic prevention measures will not rest, we will continue to strengthen depending on each level, depending on the assessment of both the world and Vietnam at the appropriate level.

PV: With a high number of cases while the vaccination rate is the highest in the world, leading to large community immunity, according to you, Professor, is this the most comprehensive basis for returning to a new normal life?

Professor Phan Trong Lan:We analyze it from many aspects, for Covid-19 today there is no community immunity, it is difficult to achieve the desired level, so we have to continuously vaccinate as prescribed. In particular, no matter what, the scenario must be based on science, for Vietnam it is the issue of vaccination, focusing on the campaign to protect high-risk people. Those two factors help us overcome the pandemic more easily.

PV:Thank you Professor Phan Trong Lan./.