Variations in land surface temperatures in small-scale urban areas in Vietnam during Covid-19 restrictions: Case studies from Da Nang, Hue and Vinh City.

Land surface temperature (LST) is an important variable in urban microclimate research. At the end of 2019, the emergence of Covid-19 pandemic has changed the world in a manner that forced many countries to impose restrictions in human activities. As a measure to prevent the expansion of Covid-19 infections, most of the major cities have entered a prolonged lockdown period and reduction in human activities between the early 2020 and the late 2021. These restrictions were strict in most of the cities in Southeast Asia, particularly in Vietnam. The present study investigated the variations in LST and NDVI observed in three rapidly growing urban areas, namely Da Nang, Hue and Vinh, in Vietnam using Landsat-8 imagery acquired between 2017 and 2022. There has been a slight reduction in LST in the study sites, particularly in Da Nang City, during the lockdown period but not as high as observed in recently conducted studies from big metropolitan cities, including in Vietnam. It is also observed that LST estimated from built-up areas and other impervious surfaces remained relatively stable during the study period which is similar to the results from recent studies.

A reverse pattern in work motivation among Vietnamese health care workers during the prolonged COVID-19 outbreak of 2021: Determinants and implications.

Background: The workload burden of the COVID-19 pandemic on health systems requires not only financial support but also long-term and contextualized policies. We assessed the work motivation and its determinants among health workers at Vietnamese hospitals and facilities during the prolonged COVID-19 outbreaks in 2021. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 2814 health care professionals across all three regions of Vietnam from October to November 2021. An online questionnaire, including the Work Motivation Scale, distributed by the snowball method to a subgroup of 939 respondents, investigated changes in working characteristics due to COVID-19, work motivation, and occupational intention. Results: Only 37.2% of respondents committed to their current job and about 40% reported a decrease in their job satisfaction. The Work Motivation Scale scored the lowest in "financial motivation" and the highest in "perception of work value". Participants who were in the north region, of younger age, unmarried, and who had a low level of adaptability to external work pressure, shorter experience, and less job satisfaction tended to be less motivated and committed to their current job. Conclusions: Intrinsic motivation has increased in importance during the pandemic. Therefore, policymakers should develop interventions that raise intrinsic, psychological motivation instead of only focusing on salary raises. Issues about intrinsic motivations of health care workers such as low adaptability to stress and professionalism in routine work should be prioritized during the pandemic preparedness and control.

Epidemiological and genetic characterization of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam, from 2015 to 2017.

Porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) virus (PEDV) is a highly contagious virus. PED was first identified in 2008 and has greatly affected the Vietnamese pig production economy. The aim of this study was to investigate the epidemiological and genetic characteristics of PEDV in piglet herds in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam. Diarrheal stool and intestinal samples from 2262 piglets from 191 herds in five provinces were collected to test for the presence of PEDV. Ten PEDV strains were randomly selected for sequencing, and four genes encoding PEDV structural proteins were analyzed. The rates of herds and samples positive for PEDV were 27.23% and 27.72%, respectively. In positive herds, the morbidity and mortality of PEDV-positive piglets were 97.97% and 79.06%, respectively, with most of the infected piglets under 7 days of age. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the 10 PEDV strains from this study clustered with genotype G2 strains from Vietnam and neighboring countries. Many amino acid substitutions were identified in important antigenic regions in the spike protein of the 10 strains when compared to four PEDV vaccine strains. This study provides novel insights into the epidemiology and genetic diversity of circulating PEDV strains, which could facilitate the development of an appropriate and proactive strategy for controlling PED.

Anxiety and associated factors among Vietnamese students during COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study.

Mental health care for students in general, particularly anxiety, is a significant problem that needs more attention, especially during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This study aimed to describe the prevalence of anxiety and examine the associated factors among students during the COVID-19 pandemic in Vietnam. A cross-sectional study was conducted from August to September 2021 among 5730 students. An online survey was used to collect sociodemographic information, and the generalized anxiety disorder questionnaire (GAD-7) was used to assess anxiety symptoms among Vietnamese students. Results showed that the prevalence of anxiety among study participants was 16.2% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 15.3%-17.2%). Factors related to anxiety among students were gender, type of housemate, COVID-19 exposure/infection status, vaccination status, health status, academic performance, and social relationships during the COVID-19 pandemic. A significant number of students experienced anxiety during COVID-19, and this rate was related to several factors. Psychological interventions are required to support students during and after the COVID-19 pandemic and other health crises. Further studies are required to confirm our findings.

Nutritional Status, Refeeding Syndrome and Some Associated Factors of Patients at COVID-19 Hospital in Vietnam.

Multisystem inflammatory syndrome is associated with COVID-19 and can result in reduced food intake, increased muscle catabolism, and electrolyte imbalance. Therefore COVID-19 patients are at high risk of being malnourished and of refeeding syndrome. The present study aimed to determine the prevalence and correlates of malnutrition and refeeding syndrome (RS) among COVID-19 patients in Hanoi, Vietnam. This prospective cohort study analyzed data from 1207 patients who were treated at the COVID-19 hospital of Hanoi Medical University (HMUH COVID-19) between September 2021 and March 2022. Nutritional status was evaluated by the Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition (GLIM) and laboratory markers. GLIM-defined malnutrition was found in 614 (50.9%) patients. Among those with malnutrition, 380 (31.5%) and 234 (19.4%) had moderate and severe malnutrition, respectively. The prevalence of risk of RS was 346 (28.7%). Those with severe and critical COVID symptoms are more likely to be at risk of RS compared to those with mild or moderate COVID, and having severe and critical COVID-19 infection increased the incidence of RS by 2.47 times, compared to mild and moderate disease. There was an association between levels of COVID-19, older ages, comorbidities, the inability of eating independently, hypoalbuminemia and hyponatremia with malnutrition. The proportion of COVID-19 patients who suffered from malnutrition was high. These results underscore the importance of early nutritional screening and assessment in COVID-19 patients, especially those with severe and critical infection.

After action review of the COVID-19 surveillance system in Quang Ninh Province, Vietnam, in 2020.

Surveillance is the backbone of any response to an infectious disease outbreak, and comprehensive evaluation of surveillance systems is crucial. However, structured evaluations of surveillance systems during the COVID-19 pandemic are scarce. We conducted a after action review (AAR) of the performance of the COVID-19 surveillance system in Quang Ninh Province, Vietnam, during 2020 using the COVID-19-specific AAR methodology developed by the World Health Organization in combination with guidance from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). We conducted a stakeholder survey, document reviews, and key informant interviews with staff from Quang Ninh CDC's COVID-19 surveillance system. The COVID-19 surveillance system was based on the pre-existing surveillance system in the province. The system's strengths were early preparation for emergency response, strong governance and central coordination, and multidisciplinary collaboration. Stakeholders agreed that the system proved useful and adaptive to the fast-evolving COVID-19 situation but was weakened by overly complex systems, redundant administrative processes, unclear communication channels, and lack of resources. Overall, the surveillance systems in Quang Ninh province proved effective in containing COVID-19 and adaptive in a fast-changing epidemiological context. Several recommendations were made based on identified areas of concern that are of relevance for COVID-19 surveillance systems in Vietnam and similar settings.

Barriers to COVID-19 contact tracing: View from frontline healthcare students in Vietnam.

In the context of the complicated continuous waves of the COVID-19 pandemic in Vietnam, contact tracing, along with social distancing and lock-down, proved its crucial role in the suppression of epidemic spreading and management. With the high demand for responsiveness, healthcare students were constantly involved in the process, and challenges have emerged along the way. This study aims to identify the barriers faced by healthcare students while performing the contact tracing task at the frontline of the pandemic. A qualitative study was conducted in July 2021 in a health center in Binh Duong province, Vietnam. A total of 20 healthcare students were invited through random recruitment of participants and interviewed until the principle of saturation was reached. Three main barriers were identified including ineffective work management of local managers, lack of capability of human resources and facilities, and uncooperative attitude of local residents. Given the existing barriers, cooperative, innovative strategies, shared data systems, and timely public awareness campaigns, especially among primary health centers of the healthcare system, are imperative to reduce the workload and optimize the efficacy of healthcare students' support.

One Health Surveillance Highlights Circulation of Viruses with Zoonotic Potential in Bats, Pigs, and Humans in Viet Nam.

A One Health cross-sectoral surveillance approach was implemented to screen biological samples from bats, pigs, and humans at high-risk interfaces for zoonotic viral spillover for five viral families with zoonotic potential in Viet Nam. Over 1600 animal and human samples from bat guano harvesting sites, natural bat roosts, and pig farming operations were tested for coronaviruses (CoVs), paramyxoviruses, influenza viruses, filoviruses and flaviviruses using consensus PCR assays. Human samples were also tested using immunoassays to detect antibodies against eight virus groups. Significant viral diversity, including CoVs closely related to ancestors of pig pathogens, was detected in bats roosting at the human-animal interfaces, illustrating the high risk for CoV spillover from bats to pigs in Viet Nam, where pig density is very high. Season and reproductive period were significantly associated with the detection of bat CoVs, with site-specific effects. Phylogeographic analysis indicated localized viral transmission among pig farms. Our limited human sampling did not detect any known zoonotic bat viruses in human communities living close to the bat cave and harvesting bat guano, but our serological assays showed possible previous exposure to Marburg virus-like (Filoviridae), Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus-like (Bunyaviridae) viruses and flaviviruses. Targeted and coordinated One Health surveillance helped uncover this viral pathogen emergence hotspot.

Impacts of COVID-19 crisis and some related factors on the mental health of 37150 Vietnamese students: a cross-sectional online study.

BACKGROUND: University students are vulnerable to changes due to COVID-19 pandemic. Although warning has been made about the impact of this crisis on students' mental health, there are barely any sufficient study. This work investigated how the pandemic affected the mental health of students at the Vietnam National University of Ho Chi Minh City (VNU-HCMC) and efficiency of available mental health supportive methods. METHODS: An online survey was conducted among students at Vietnam National University of Ho Chi Minh City (VNU-HCMC) from October 18, 2021, to October 25, 2021. Microsoft Excel 16.51 (Microsoft, USA) and R language, Epi packages 2.44 and 4.1.1 (rdrr.io) were used for data analysis. RESULTS: Thirty-seven thousand one hundred fifty students participated in the survey, including 48.4% female and 51.6% male. Online learning pressure was mainly recorded (65.1%). Many students suffered from sleeping disorders (56.2%). Some reported being victims of abuse (5.9%). Female students expressed a significantly higher level of distress than males, particularly the feeling of ambiguity about the purpose of life (p-value < 0.0001, OR: 0.94, 95% CI: [0.95-0.98]). Third-year students suffered higher stress levels than others, especially in online learning (68.8%, p-value < 0.05). Mental health statuses among students of different lockdown status regions were not significantly different. Therefore, lockdown status did not affect the stress levels of students which suggested that poor mental health outcomes seemed to root in the suspension of everyday university life rather than the prohibition of going out. CONCLUSIONS: During COVID-19, students experienced lots of stress and mental problems. These findings underscore the importance of academic and innovative activities, bringing attention to the needs of interactive study and extra-curricular activities.

Severity and geographical disparities of post-COVID-19 symptoms among the Vietnamese general population: a national evaluation.

Post-COVID-19 symptoms have become a significant global health concern. This study focused on assessing the prevalence, severity, and care preference of post-COVID-19 symptoms, as well as identifying determinants to inform evidence-based policy on post-COVID-19 in Vietnam. A national cross-sectional study was conducted in May 2022 among 12,361 recovered COVID-19 patients, providing the largest dataset on health status after COVID-19 in Vietnam. The study utilized ordered logistic, Poisson regression, Multilevel linear random-effects models, and Multilevel random effects ordered logistic model to identify factors associated with various aspects of post-COVID-19 conditions. Results showed that the average number of post-COVID-19 symptoms was approximately 3, with fatigue and headache being the most common symptoms. The number of post-COVID-19 symptoms varied by province, decreased with age, and was significantly correlated with the duration of infection. Age, infection period, underlying conditions, telehealth utilization, and geographical location were identified as significant determinants of post-COVID-19 symptoms. The study concluded that improving resource allocation and health-seeking behavior in underserved areas could help address differences in health outcomes and improve post-COVID-19 control in Vietnam.

Spatiotemporal Evolution of SARS-CoV-2 Alpha and Delta Variants during Large Nationwide Outbreak of COVID-19, Vietnam, 2021.

We analyzed 1,303 SARS-CoV-2 whole-genome sequences from Vietnam, and found the Alpha and Delta variants were responsible for a large nationwide outbreak of COVID-19 in 2021. The Delta variant was confined to the AY.57 lineage and caused >1.7 million infections and >32,000 deaths. Viral transmission was strongly affected by nonpharmaceutical interventions.

Assessing cognitive decline in Vietnamese older adults using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment-Basic (MoCA-B) and Informant Questionnaire on Cognitive Decline in the Elderly (IQCODE) during the COVID-19 pandemic: A feasibility study.

Objectives: The lack of cognitive assessment tools suitable for people with minimal formal education is a barrier to identify cognitive impairment in Vietnam. Our aims were to (i) evaluate the feasibility of conducting the Montreal Cognitive Assessment-Basic (MoCA-B) and Informant Questionnaire On Cognitive Decline in the Elderly (IQCODE) remotely on the Vietnamese older adults, (ii) examine the association between the two tests, (iii) identify demographic factors correlated with these tools. Methods: The MoCA-B was adapted from the original English version, and a remote testing procedure was conducted. One hundred seventy-three participants aged 60 and above living in the Vietnamese southern provinces were recruited via an online platform during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results: IQCODE results showed that the proportions of rural participants classified as having mild cognitive impairment and dementia were substantially higher than those in urban areas. Levels of education and living areas were associated with IQCODE scores. Education attainment was also the main predictor of MoCA-B scores (30% of variance explained), with an average of 10.5 points difference between those with no formal education and those who attended university. Conclusions: It is feasible to administer the IQCODE and MoCA-B remotely in the Vietnamese older population. Education attainment played a stronger role in predicting MoCA-B scores than IQCODE, suggesting the influence of this factor on MoCA-B scores. Further study is needed to develop socio-culturally appropriate cognitive screening tests for the Vietnamese population.

Side effects following first dose of COVID-19 vaccination in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

Vaccines are strongly recommended globally as an effective measure to prevent serious illness from and spread of COVID-19. Concerns about safety following vaccination continue to be the most common reason that people do not accept the vaccine. This retrospective study was carried out on 4341 people who received the first dose of ChAdOx1 nCoV-19, BBIBP-CorV, or mRNA-1273 vaccine at Jio Health Clinic in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Post-injection side effects were either reported by participants or actively collected by health care staff by means of telemedicine. Local side effects were reported by 35.5% of all individuals, with pain being the most common symptom (33.3%). Systemic side effects were reported by 44.2% of individuals, with fever (25.3%) and fatigue (21.4%) being the most common. Age ≤60 years, female gender, and ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 were significant independent risk factors for both local and systemic side effects, while a history of allergy was significant as a risk factor for local side effects. A total of 43 individuals (1.0%) reported concerning symptoms of rare severe complications, which were addressed and treated by physicians via Jio Health app.

How has the COVID-19 epidemic affected the risk behaviors of people who inject drugs in a city with high harm reduction service coverage in Vietnam? A qualitative investigation.

INTRODUCTION: The COVID-19 outbreak disproportionally affects vulnerable populations including people who inject drugs (PWID). Social distancing and stay-at-home orders might result in a lack of access to medical and social services, poorer mental health, and financial precariousness, and thus, increases in HIV and HCV risk behaviors. This article explores how the HIV/HCV risk behaviors of PWID in Haiphong, a city with high harm reduction service coverage in Vietnam, changed during the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, and what shaped such changes, using the risk environment framework. METHOD: We conducted three focus group discussions with peer outreach workers in May 2020 at the very end of the first lockdown, and 30 in-depth interviews with PWID between September and October 2020, after the second wave of infection in Vietnam. Discussions and interviews centered on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their lives, and how their drug use and sexual behaviors changed as a result of the pandemic. RESULTS: The national shutdown of nonessential businesses due to the COVID-19 epidemic caused substantial economic challenges to participants, who mostly were in a precarious financial situation before the start of the epidemic. Unsafe injection is no longer an issue among our sample of PWID in Haiphong thanks to a combination of different factors, including high awareness of injection-related HIV/HCV risk and the availability of methadone treatment. However, group methamphetamine use as a means to cope with the boredom and stress related to COVID-19 was common during the lockdown. Sharing of smoking equipment was a standard practice. Female sex workers, especially those who were active heroin users, suffered most from COVID-related financial pressure and may have engaged in unsafe sex. CONCLUSION: While unsafe drug injection might no longer be an issue, group methamphetamine use and unsafe sex were the two most worrisome HIV/HCV risk behaviors of PWID in Haiphong during the social distancing and lockdown periods. These elevated risks could continue beyond the enforced lockdown periods, given PWID in general, and PWID who are also sex workers in particular, have been disproportionately affected during the global crisis.

Mapping COVID-19 related research from Vietnam: a scoping review.

Introduction: The situation of COVID-19 pandemic is becoming more complex. The research institutes should focus on the most important challenge related to this outbreak at the national level. We aim to realize this scoping review to map publications on COVID-19 in Vietnam in order to guide research priorities and policies in the country. Methods: This study was conducted at the Thai Binh University of Medicine and Pharmacy, from May to August 2020, according to the guidance for conducting systematic scoping review. Results: A total of 72 studies met the inclusion criteria. The most frequent publications were original articles (27.8%), followed by letter to editor/correspondence (26.4%). According to the research priorities for COVID-19 set by the WHO, 41.7% studies focused on control and prevention of COVID-19, but none of studies on personal protective equipment or protocol for healthcare workers' safety were conducted. 12.5% studies carried out a thorough investigation into epidemiology of the COVID-19 pandemic in Vietnam. Virology and genomics, natural history of the virus and its transmission in Vietnam were described by 18.1% papers. Only one study was conducted in terms of development for candidate therapeutics. Conclusion: We call for national investigation on treatment against SARS-CoV-2 and protocol for medical staff protection. The government and academic institutions should work in collaboration with international stakeholders, including the WHO, to combat together the COVID-19.

Movement restrictions, vaccine coverage, and reduction of the COVID-19 incidence rate in the fourth wave of the pandemic: Analysis results from 63 provinces in Vietnam.

On April 27, 2021, the fourth wave of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic originating from the Delta variant of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) began in Vietnam. The adoption of travel restrictions, coupled with rapid vaccination and mask-wearing, is a global strategy to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Although trade-off between health and economic development are unavoidable in this situation, little evidence that is specific to Vietnam in terms of movement restrictions, vaccine coverage, and real-time COVID-19 cases is available. Our research question is whether travel restrictions and vaccine coverage are related to changes in the incidence of COVID-19 in each province in Vietnam. We used Google's Global Mobility Data Source, which reports different mobility types, along with reports of vaccine coverage and COVID-19 cases retrieved from publicly and freely available datasets, for this research. Starting from the 50th case per province and incorporating a 14-day period to account for exposure and illness, we examined the association between changes in mobility (from day 27 to 04-03/11/2021) and the ratio of the number of new confirmed cases on a given day to the total number of cases in the past 14 days of indexing (the potentially contagious group in the population) per million population by making use of LOESS regression and logit regression. In two-thirds of the surveyed provinces, a reduction of up to 40% in commuting movement (to the workplace, transit stations, grocery stores, and entertainment venues) was related to a reduction in the number of cases, especially in the early stages of the pandemic. Once both movement and disease prevalence had been mitigated, further restrictions offered little additional benefit. These results indicate the importance of early and decisive actions during the pandemic.