A woman has her COVID-19 vaccination certificate examined at a market in Phnom Penh capital of Cambodia on October 11. (Photo: Xinhua/VNA) Phnom Penh (VNA) - As Cambodia moves closer towards ‘reopening’, the Southeast Asian country recorded it’s lowest daily new case total since April 6. The Ministry of Health announced on October 20 that Cambodia has recorded 166 new COVID-19 cases and 12 fatalities in the past 24 hours, bringing the COVID-19 case total to 117,201 cases and the death toll to 2,693. Government spokesman Phay Siphan told Khmer Times on October 19 that without the vaccination drive, the nation might have suffered a worse tragedy caused by the pandemic. “Vaccination is the part of efforts to reduce the tragedy of COVID-19 virus. The Prime Minister has worked so hard to get dozens of vaccine doses for the sake of his people and guided each one of us to learn to live with the virus,” he added. He pointed out that everyone played their part in bringing …
Foreign enterprises need investing in upskilling Vietnamese laborers: RMIT expert
The expert from the RMIT University told The Hanoi Times about solutions for the foreign-invested businesses' labor-intensive fields. How would you comment on the losses of foreign enterprises operating in the labor-intensive fields after a long social distancing period? Dr. Seng Kiat Kok, Senior Program Manager of Human Resource Management and Entrepreneurship at RMIT University. Photo: RMIT This is a very challenging and difficult time for all businesses. Some companies have not been able to pivot or look at alternative approaches to operate their business, whereas others have been able to invest in either machinery or altered their product offerings to meet Covid-safe regulations for the workplace and also for lockdown demand. Others have not only seen resourcing issues when supporting their staff through the lockdown but have faced an extended period with little to no income. This has been particularly testing, although some have also seen the …
The Coca-Cola Foundation grants $400,000 for COVID-19 relief and response in Vietnam
The Coca-Cola Foundation grants $400,000 for COVID-19 relief and response in Vietnam The funding will be used to purchase essential supplies for healthcare workers in Ho Chi Minh City and give them extra support in the critical transition time to the “new normal” following Directive No.18/CT-UBND of the People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City. It will provide essential supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE), such as hygiene and nutrition packages containing hand gel, vitamin C supplements, nutrition drinks, hand towels, digital thermometers, face shields, phone cards, medical uniforms, and so on, for volunteers and healthcare staff in Ho Chi Minh City. The donation aims to benefit 5,000 frontline personnel including VRCS staff, volunteers, and healthcare staff, along with 30,000 community members coming to the vaccination sites, local authorities, and mass organisations in the target locations, during these most challenging times. With the new grant, the total support …
48 localities reopen pilot interprovincial bus transport
Many localities reopen pilot interprovincial bus transport from October 13-18. — VNA/VNS Photo HÀ NỘI — Many localities still have strict regulations on testing and isolating people returning home, the Ministry of Transport (MoT) reported after a week of piloting passenger transport activities. The MoT has sent a report to Deputy Prime Minister Lê Văn Thành to assess the results of the pilot implementation for inter-provincial transport and work out future directions. According to Deputy Minister of Transport Lê Anh Tuấn, passengers were still concerned about travelling by interprovincial public bus. MoT reported that from October 13-18, 48 localities, after receiving approval from their provincial People's Committees, restored inter-provincial passenger transport under a pilot programme. Fifteen provincial departments of transport have reported to the provincial people's committees on plans to restore passenger transport activities. From October 13 to 18, the number of …
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Ho Chi Minh City plans better housing for workers
The City is also looking at providing better housing for migrant workers and laborers , and considering on building 300,000 social houses for low-wage workers within a year in Binh Chanh District, in the Southwest part of the City. Low cost housing Ilustrative photo Ho Chi Minh City has 22 industrial parks and export processing zones (IPs, EPZs), two high-tech parks and the Quang Trung Software City with a total of 420,000 employees. Apart from specialists, managers and workers who have housing in the City and neighboring provinces, the rest of about 300,000 workers live in rental accommodations. This number is similar to the figures released by the Ho Chi Minh City Institute for Development Studies and the Department of Construction. These 22 IPs and EPZs are located in 21 districts of Ho Chi Minh City and Thu Duc City, with ten of the IPs located in District 7 and the suburban districts of Nha Be and Binh Chanh, four in Cu Chi District, five in Thu Duc City, and one in …
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Northern Vietnam resorts offer discounts as domestic tourism reopens
Visitors who book a one-night stay at the Premium Executive bungalow of the five-star Topas Ecolodge in Lao Cai Province will be given a VND1 million voucher for dining services in the resort. A one-night stay costs from VND4.7 million ($206.04) per person. Those booking the room for a two-night stay would be offered free shuttle service from Hanoi to Sa Pa Town and receive a 10 percent discount for the third-night. Just 15 kilometers from downtown Sa Pa, Topas Ecolodge has been named a top eco-friendly resort by National Geographic. Before the pandemic, prices here began at VND7 million ($303.75) a night. The Pao's Sapa Leisure Hotel is offering a one-night stay at its Deluxe Garden View and Deluxe Valley View rooms for just VND845,000 and VND990,000 per person, respectively. Guests making a booking 14 days before check-in will get a 40 percent discount at the Mong Village Resort & Spa in Sa Pa. Room prices at this resort that overlooks the Muong Hoa Valley and Y Linh Ho …
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Parents unsure about vaccinating their children as rumors about side effects spread
The Ministry of Health (MOH) on October 14 sent a dispatch to local healthcare departments informing them about the plan to vaccinate children aged 12-17. The document said Vietnam will expand the vaccination program step by step, from higher to lower ages (children aged 16-17 will get vaccinations first, followed by children at lower ages). It’s unclear which vaccines will be used for the program, but parents believe that the Pfizer vaccine will be approved because this is the only vaccine being used in the world for teenagers. Meanwhile, many people fear that the vaccines using mRNA technology may intervene with human genes, especially small children. Nguyen Van Long in Tan Binh District in HCM City is one of them. Long said all his family members have been safe during the fourth pandemic wave. “We strictly follow the 5K principle and we regularly clean our nose and throat, and drink vitamins to improve resistance. I ask my children to spend 30 minutes a day on …
Fifty-five localities complete assessment of COVID-19 risk level
Viet Tri city in Phu Tho province started a large-scale vaccination programme on October 10, with the target of administering 11.150 million vaccines. The province declared itself as a Level 2 (medium) risk. (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - Fifty five cities and provinces across the country have completed their assessment COVID-19 risk levels as of October 20, following the new guidelines on safe adaption to the pandemic, as outlined by Government Resolution 128/NQ-CP and health ministry's instructions. The guidelines set out three indicators to assess the level of pandemic risk – the number of new community infections, the coverage of vaccinations, and the ability to receive and treat patients at all levels. Some announced that they are at Level 1, including Quang Ninh, Lai Chau, Cao Bang, Lao Cai, Bac Kan, Dien Bien, Tuyen Quang, Thai Nguyen, Bac Ninh, Bac Giang, Thai Binh, Nam Dinh, Quang Ninh, Quang Ngai, Phu Yen, Dong Nai, Ben Tre, Binh Thuan and Soc Trang, among …
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HCM City discusses COVID-19 vaccination plan for children
HCM City authorities have not decided on vaccinating children. — VNA/VNS Photo Đinh Hằng HCM CITY — The HCM City Department of Health is seeking directions from the city People’s Committee on vaccinating children against COVID-19. Multiple topics on pandemic prevention and control in HCM City, particularly vaccinations for children between 12 and 17 years old, were discussed at a meeting on the evening of October 18. According to deputy head of HCM City’s Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control Phạm Đức Hải, after receiving specific details on what type of vaccine to use, and how and when to vaccinate, the city Department of Health will complete the report and send it to the People’s Committee for official planning. “The vaccination plan will follow the instructions from the Ministry of Health,” Hải said. Speaking at the meeting, Hải praised the support from authorities and neighbouring provinces in helping HCM City fight the pandemic. In response to …
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Industrial zone sub-areas attracting attention of buyers
Industrial zones are being expanded for new occupants despite the difficulties of the past 18 months. Photo: Le Toan Nguyen Van Dinh, vice chairman of the Vietnam Real Estate Brokers Association, said that although the third quarter was overshadowed by the pandemic, most industrial zones (IZ) were able to maintain normal production activities, except for a handful of provinces. “However, the pandemic significantly affected the rental business around IZs,” said Dinh. Tran Huu Giap, CEO of Gia Dia Real Estate JSC, explained that inland projects in Bim Son district of the central province of Thanh Hoa are receiving great interest, despite the slow reopening. “The supply of newly-built projects around IZs is currently limited, and the few small- and medium-sized projects are not fulfilling demand. Therefore, any new project immediately attracts attention,” Giap said. A recent report by JLL stated that the industrial land market in the south of Vietnam had no new supply and …
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