The Event Pole

Delta variant sets off alarm bells in Vietnam

1 August 2021

Author: Barnaby Flower, Oxford University



Until recently, Vietnam’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic had been a remarkable success story. In January 2020, once the scale of the COVID-19 outbreak in Wuhan became clear, large outbreaks were expected to follow in neighbouring Asian states. When Vietnam became one of the first countries to report human-to-human transmission, it was assumed that a widespread outbreak was inevitable.


But through comprehensive testing, tracing, and quarantining in centralised facilities, and strict border control and proactive public health policies, Vietnam defied all expectations and eliminated community transmission.



While many countries were enduring protracted lockdowns and reporting thousands of deaths per day, Vietnam was open for business, internally at least. It was the only economy in Southeast Asia to experience positive economic growth in 2020. By April 2021 Vietnam had reported just 35 COVID-19-related deaths.



Vietnam’s success can be attributed to good public health, focusing on prevention rather than costly medical cures. But with low rates of infection, there was little urgency to procure expensive new vaccines from abroad.



The government baulked at the cost and the length of the queue and went on record to say it would be better to produce vaccines domestically. Seeing an opportunity to establish a valuable foothold in the biotech sector, Vietnam invested in four indigenous vaccines. Tran Van Phuc, a medical commentator for one government newspaper, wrote in December 2020 that ‘it might come out much more slowly than its international peers, but if we can do it, waiting for a homemade vaccine is not a bad option’.



In December 2020, while other countries in the region fought to secure vaccine imports, Vietnam commenced a phase I trial on its most promising product to date, the subunit vaccine Nanocovax.



Progress was slow, but few were worried. The country had already successfully supressed two outbreaks and in February and March 2021, it would suppress a third, all the while developing superior testing and healthcare infrastructure.

www.eastasiaforum.org/2021/08/01/delta-variant-sets-off-alarm-bells-in-vietnam/