Towards viewing Covid-19 as an endemic disease

Consider Covid-19 an endemic disease

On March 3, at the regular Government meeting in February 2022, Government members assessed the work of epidemic prevention and control.Covid-19Accordingly: Up to now, the epidemic situation in Vietnam is still basically under control. Although the number of cases has increased, the rate of severe cases and low deaths within the response capacity of the health system clearly shows the effectiveness of the proposed epidemic prevention and control measures. All localities have moved to the state of "Safe, flexible adaptation, effective control of the epidemic"Covid-19" according to Resolution 128/NQ-CP.

The number of people infected with Covid-19 is increasing, leading to an increase in the number of severe and critical patients. Photo: Thanh Cuong

With this result, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh requested: Ministries, branches and localities need to continue to effectively control the epidemic and strictly implement the summarized epidemic prevention and control formulas and principles. The Ministry of Health consults international experience to have appropriate and effective measures to normalize the epidemic, considering Covid-19 as an endemic disease (also known as "endemic disease").

Regarding this issue, on the morning of March 5, reporting to the National Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control, the Ministry of Health said: Vietnam should not consider the Covid-19 epidemic as an endemic disease for the following reasons: Although the rate of severe illness and death has decreased significantly compared to the previous period, the number of deaths recorded daily is still high at around 100 cases; higher than the annual peak death rate due to rabies, dengue fever, and measles - which are endemic diseases with the highest death rate among infectious diseases in Vietnam.

Accordingly, the Ministry of Health will continue to closely coordinate with WHO as well as other international and national organizations to monitor the Covid-19 epidemic situation as well as update the changes of the SARS-CoV-2 virus to be able to advise the Prime Minister to decide to consider Covid-19 as an endemic disease at the appropriate time.

However, the Ministry of Health also proposed to the Prime Minister and the National Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control to temporarily stop announcing the number of SARS-CoV-2 infections every day. This is to avoid causing confusion because the number of infections is only one of eight indicators to assess the epidemic level and does not yet reflect the true nature of the epidemic situation. Instead of announcing new cases, localities are responsible for maintaining testing, collecting data, along with other factors such as: Number of severe cases, epidemic response capacity, vaccine coverage... to assess and announce the epidemic level.

At the same time, the Ministry of Health proposed allowing F0 and F1 to work during the quarantine period. Specifically: Units and localities can consider arranging for online work, without direct contact with people around... in accordance with assigned tasks, professional qualifications, and strictly implementing the "5K" message. F1 cases who have not been fully vaccinated or have not been vaccinated against Covid-19 are allowed to participate in urgent work of their units and localities through online or direct work. In case of direct work, the workplace must arrange and set up a dedicated work area for F1 cases, ensuring working distance, not gathering crowds and ventilation to reduce the risk of infection.

Actions to "live with" Covid-19

According to medical experts: Covid-19 is classified by WHO as a group A infectious disease (particularly dangerous group). Thus, 1 case of Covid-19 infection is also considered an epidemic. In order to prevent and fight the epidemic, in addition to mobilizing all resources and the entire political system to fight the pandemic; requisitioning resources for anti-epidemic activities, medical examination and treatment must be completely paid for by the State, and people can be treated for Covid-19 free of charge...

Speed ​​up vaccination progress to "live with" Covid-19. Photo: My Ha

Master, Doctor Pham Dinh Du - Deputy Director of Nghe An Center for Disease Control analyzed: "When considering Covid-19 as an endemic disease, it means that Covid-19 will no longer be considered a pandemic but considered as a specialized infectious disease, a common specialized disease. At this time, the task of grassroots health care will be somewhat lighter when there is no longer testing, investigation and tracing but focusing on monitoring, statistics, reporting (weekly) and guidance, consultation and treatment. Medical facilities will focus on accurate diagnosis, effective treatment, reducing complications and reducing deaths. Payment for Covid-19 examination and treatment can be paid by health insurance or self-paid examination services".

Associate Professor, Dr. Duong Dinh Chinh - Director of Nghe An Department of Health commented: “In the context of the whole society adapting to Resolution 128 of the Government; vaccine coverage continues to increase, the trend of community immunity will gradually take place. From here, Covid-19 is considered an endemic, circulating disease. The challenge of the medical sector at this time is no longer taking samples for testing but will be treatment... Nghe An Department of Health has developed a scenario, fully responding to the treatment of Covid-19 patients even in the situation of further increase in cases”.

At this time, the Covid-19 epidemic in Nghe An is rapidly increasing in the number of cases (in the past few days, the number of new infections recorded is over 11,000 cases), leading to an increase in the rate of severe and critical cases. All admission and treatment facilities are overloaded. And in the future, when Covid-19 is considered an endemic disease, the burden of treatment will increase. Dr. Que Anh Tram - Director of the Center for Tropical Diseases said: "At the time when Covid-19 is considered a respiratory disease, an infectious disease, general hospitals will have to establish a Covid-19 Department, or at least a unit for diagnosing and treating Covid-19 patients, and there are even departments with separate rooms for treating Covid-19 patients. At this time, the work of diagnosis and treatment is assigned to clinical doctors... In the province, a separate Tropical Hospital should also be established".

How to behave when Covid-19 becomes endemic? - Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Hoa - Nghe An General Hospital said: "When enough people have achieved some immunity through vaccination or infection (preferably vaccination), Coronavirus will turn into what epidemiologists call "endemic". It will not be eliminated, but it will no longer be dangerous to our lives".

However, before Covid-19 becomes endemic, in the current context, everyone needs to be more vigilant, including those who are F0 or F1, those who have not contracted Covid-19 need to proactively prevent and fight the epidemic, limit travel, contact a lot, do not gather, do not go to crowded places when not necessary... Do not give up, relax, think "everyone will become F0" is very dangerous, leading to countless consequences, including overloading the health system, causing the number of serious cases and deaths to skyrocket.

To make Covid-19 no longer dangerous to people's lives, in the meeting of the National Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control held on March 5, the Prime Minister emphasized the need to be more rapid in vaccination in the spirit of "going to every alley, knocking on every door, checking every person"; in the first quarter, the third injection must be completed for people aged 18 and over (except for those with contraindications and who have not yet reached the vaccination time); the second injection must be completed for people aged 12-17 in March; preparations must be made for children aged 5-11; research must be done for the fourth injection and children under 5 years old...