Great reporting! Vietnam is an underdog in this coronavirus fight but proves to be a tough fighter. GDP per capita is amongst the poorest in Asia but has institutional capacity when it comes to infectious disease. Why? Sees many coming through & knows the costs of lax containment
Vietnam DIDN'T listen to the WHO recommendation of NOT RESTRICTING people from Hubei - in fact, it took it a step further & restricted travels w/ China early on & accelerated restrictions despite dependency on China for trade (largest partner) & tourism. Why? B/c it knows better!
Over the years, Vietnam has had many infectious disease, usually from contagion of neighboring countries.
Unlike the Philippines or Indonesia, Vietnam has land borders with Southern China to the North & also Laos & Cambodia. Meaning, borders are porous & people can walk through.
Unlike the Philippines or Indonesia, Vietnam has land borders with Southern China to the North & also Laos & Cambodia. Meaning, borders are porous & people can walk through.
As a result of this, Vietnam is very verse w/ infectious disease. Most recently is the African swine flu for pigs that have affected Vietnamese pig farmers (and also others across Asia). But if u must know, the 1 event that shapes Vietnam's ability to fight is the 2006 avian flu.
In 2006, Vietnam nominal GDP was 66bn & GDP per capita was 780, meaning EXTREMELY LOW. So what happened? It discovered its first human infections in December 2003 & its first widespread poultry outbreaks in January 2004. And it was one of the hardest hit, with 66 mnn birds culled
Why is that important? As a very poor country (Vietnam joined the WTO in 2007), there is nothing more important than protein, and especially chickens in Vietnamese culture. It is what u eat when u have a reason to celebrate - a feast!
Anyway, so it killed all its chickens!!!
Anyway, so it killed all its chickens!!!
After killing all affected chickens, Vietnam in 2005 became the 1st country to institute mandatory nationwide poultry vaccination. Gov banned poultry rearing and live-market sales in urban areas restricted commercial raising of ducks & quail, which can harbor the virus asymptomat
Imposed strict controls on poultry transport within Vietnam and agreed to examine illegal cross-border trade; &launched an aggressive public education campaign that deployed radio and TV advertising, neighborhood loudspeaker announcements, & outreach by powerful internal groups.
Compensated farmers for birds killed—initially at 10% of the birds' market value, & eventually at 75%.
Although hailed by the world, the gov was worried & said, "Vietnam has to prepare to deal w/ the comeback of this epidemic!"
And here we are. Corona😱
cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspecti…
Although hailed by the world, the gov was worried & said, "Vietnam has to prepare to deal w/ the comeback of this epidemic!"
And here we are. Corona😱
cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspecti…
