Deputy PM Vu Duc Dam addresses the meeting of the Ministry of Science and Technology on October 18, 2021. (Photo: Phuong Thoa/VOV)

The meeting was held by the Ministry of Science and Technology to discuss what the sector has done to support the COVID-19 fight and to propose tech solutions for issues arising in the “new normal.”

Deputy PM Dam praised the contributions made by Vietnamese scientists to the pandemic fight, noting drugs and vaccines remain key to prevention and control.

He emphasized that only when more than 70% the population are immune to the coronavirus can infection risk be reduced. As vaccinated people and recovered patients can still contract and spread the virus, prevention measures must be strictly followed, Mr. Dam said.

Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Bui The Duy said Vietnam was among the first countries in the world to successfully isolate and culture the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. He added that the Ministry has coordinated with other agencies to launch a digital knowledge system and information team for rapid response to the COVID-19 situation.

“We propose the creation of a scale to assess the health status of a COVID-19 patient. This is the most important initial step before any treatment technology is applied. AI should also be used to allocate hospital beds and ambulances to provide treatment as quickly as possible,” said Nguyen Lan Hieu, Director of the Hanoi Medical University Hospital.

Participants also put forward various solutions, including AI-based solutions for the treatment of COVID-19 patients at home.