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SYDNEY: Vietnam is among the few countries that have been successful in fighting the first wave of COVID-19.
Since then, the country has experienced a small second wave of infections, but this too has been well controlled: As of October 23, there have been a total of 1,148 cases and seven weeks with no new domestic cases.
Vietnam was quick to implement the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations, and its infection control strategies have been for the most part comparable to those of other countries: isolation of infected people, contact tracing and quarantine, social distancing. and suspension of entry for all foreigners.
But one area in which Vietnam has always excelled is in the early and widespread practice of wearing masks.
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MASKING IN VIETNAM
The WHO did not support mass masking in the early stages of the pandemic, but updated its guidelines on June 5 to encourage the practice in specific settings as part of a comprehensive control approach.
Wearing masks in public has long been a common practice in Vietnam with the aim of protecting yourself from UV light and pollution. The practice is mandatory in public transport from February 21 and in public spaces such as supermarkets, airports and stations from March 16.
Non-compliance is punishable by a fine of VND 300,000 (US $ 13). Although social distancing requirements have gradually been relaxed since April 23, mass masking and hand hygiene remain mandatory, encouraged by education campaigns and fines.
Vietnam’s approach is supported by growing evidence of the effectiveness of mask use in the community.
People wear protective masks to protect against coronavirus as they drive across the Long Bien Bridge in Hanoi, Vietnam, March 16, 2020. REUTERS / Kham
There is also no evidence that the practice is ineffective or harmful and there is a growing claim that masks are more effective than hand hygiene alone, with both together providing the most protection.
IMPORTANT ROLE OF MASS MASKING
Mass masking targets what appears to be the most difficult source of infection to control: patients who do not know they have the disease. COVID-19 can be transmitted during the incubation period of approximately 14 days before symptoms develop, as well as by patients with no clear symptoms.
Vietnam policy also requires that all incoming and outgoing passengers and cabin crew wear masks during flights, as COVID-19 is easily transmitted in confined spaces like airplanes.
With many countries now planning to resume international travel, mass masking during travel could help with source control and offer some protection to those at risk.
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Being a physical barrier, masks can also remind the community not to touch your face. This effect is particularly important once social distancing rules are lifted and people begin to feel that there is no longer a risk of acquiring COVID-19 in the community.
The two main types of masks are cloth and surgical, of which the former is less effective but more economical and sustainable. To ensure an adequate supply of surgical masks for healthcare workers, the use of all types of face masks, including cloth ones, in the community should be encouraged.
To ensure adequate supply and quality of face masks, Vietnam has encouraged domestic production, required licenses for their export, and issued new standards for their design.
Like Vietnam, other countries where mass masking is encouraged, such as China and Japan, have been successful in controlling COVID-19.
Medical workers are seen in Tokyo. (Photo: Reuters)
Although this success is multifactorial, mass masking may have played a role.
CHANGING THE PERCEPTIONS OF THE MASKS
Cultural and personal experience can influence how receptive the community is to new ideas and practices, and the widespread acceptance of mandatory mass masking in Vietnam is based on the community’s previous experience with them.
Vietnamese are used to wearing face masks to protect themselves from the environment and the pandemic is one more reason to do so: 91% of Vietnamese now wear face masks.
In western countries, a common perception was that masks are only for those who are sick and their caregivers. This may be changing, with countries like Germany, France, and Italy and others gradually issuing advice for wearing masks in public.
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Since there is a lack of both cultural and personal experience with face masks in Western countries, it is critical that they encourage their use through community education.
To maximize the effectiveness of mass masking, community education should also focus on correct use and emphasize the concurrent use of face masks with other preventive measures.
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Minh Cuong Duong, a physician and epidemiologist, is Associate Professor at the School of Public Health and Community Medicine at the University of New South Wales in Sydney. This comment was first posted on the East Asia Forum.
