Below is the updated table of conditions for returning home to celebrate the Vietnamese New Year 2022  of 63 provinces and cities across the country:

Ensure a safe and happy Vietnamese New Year – Tết 2022

The New Year of the Tiger is approaching, students and expatriate workers have begun to prepare a plan to return to their hometown to celebrate the 2022 Lunar New Year with their families. However, the number of people returning home every year is very large, so the possibility of infection during travel is very high.

Everyone should carefully prepare basic disease prevention items such as hand sanitizer, masks, etc. to minimize the risk of disease transmission.

In order to meet the needs of users as well as contribute to the community’s anti-epidemic support, Kissy has created many attractive programs and gifts for customers before preparing for the 2022 Lunar New Year holiday.

Christmas 2021 – Are things still the same in decoration market? 

As every year before, the pine tree is still the main item for customers to choose. This year, it became difficult to import goods from abroad due to the pandemic, so stores have prioritized choosing domestically produced products. The pine trees produced by Vietnamese enterprises range in price from a few hundred thousand to several million dong.

Prices of pine tree decoration products increased insignificantly, however, purchasing power decreased significantly from 30-40% in previous years because people cut spending.

On e-commerce sites such as Shopee, Lazada, Sendo, Tiki … pine trees are sold in a variety of designs and types with all kinds of prices from popular to high-end.

In addition to plastic pine, businesses also import real pine trees from countries such as the US, Canada, Australia, Germany, Denmark … However, these types are priced quite high from a few tens of millions to hundreds of millions of dong. However, this Christmas 2021, due to the epidemic, businesses only accept pre-orders to avoid the risk of loss.

In addition to the pine, the accompanying decorative accessories such as LED lights, star lights, pinecones and Christmas tree decorations, maple leaf wreaths, etc. are also very popular.

The gift market such as scented bags, scented candles, snowmen, gnomes, reindeer stuffed animals .., is always the most interested. The familiar selected gifts such as: toys, dolls, cars, stuffed animals, scented bags… are priced from 30,000-500,000 VND/product.

Christmas 2021 Vietnam – Everything new in Covid era

Christmas 2021 Vietnam – Everything new in Covid era

Beautiful fashion models for women

With the cold weather of the North, girls can choose for themselves a lace dress with a sweater vest or a casual wool cardigan, which is not only warm enough but also very feminine and gentle. Accompanying accessories can be beanie hats and ankle boots for added personality.

In addition to trench coats and life jackets, fur coats are also a hot item loved by young people in the North this Christmas 2021 because they are both warm and “chic”. To refresh the look, you can choose a fur vest.

Places to spend Christmas in Hanoi

The first place that cannot be ignored is the Cathedral. Every year, when Christmas 2021 is approaching, the Cathedral is decorated with impressive lights, Christmas trees, Santa Claus, and rock caves to serve the sightseeing and enjoyment needs of local people, traveler and foreigner.

In addition, people can also visit Ham Long Church, located at 21 Ham Long Street, Hoan Kiem District. The church with two facades overlooking Ham Long and Ngo Thi Nham streets, is considered one of the most beautiful churches in Hanoi. Another equally beautiful church is Cua Bac Parish Church.

Large commercial centers such as Royal City, Time City, Aeon Mall, Vincom…. are also ideal places to hang out, eat, take pictures with relatives and friends. With a very dense population of urban areas such as Royal City, Times City, it is very necessary and reasonable to create entertainment spots for residents right within the urban area.

Christmas 2021 Vietnam – Everything new in Covid era

Christmas 2021 Vietnam – Everything new in Covid era

Comply with 5k regulations, ensure safety against pandemic

This year’s lively atmosphere has also been reduced somewhat because of the epidemic. People are more afraid to go out on holidays like this. It is less common to see a lot of groups of students gathering to have fun, instead there are only couples or small groups going together. Local epidemic prevention and control work is still being carried out very seriously and closely. Wards and communes regularly check and remind business households, customers and the public to be careful and strictly comply with the government’s 5k regulations.

Wearing a mask, washing hands often and avoiding crowded places are still basic and necessary things to do to prevent the Covid-19 pandemic.

With the desire to bring customers a peaceful and warm Christmas 2021 season, Kissy activated fiber mask would like to introduce a special Christmas 2021 collection with promotions, discounts and many different attractive gifts.

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For all details, please refer to the genuine stores on our e-commerce platforms here.

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The proposal, sent recently to the Ministry of Health, suggests reducing the quarantine time from 14 to seven days for Covid-19 patients who are fully vaccinated and have mild symptoms, if they test negative on the 7th day.

This will ease the burden for treatment facilities, it said. Experts agree that the municipal health department’s proposal is practical, even desirable.

Doctor Do Van Dung, head of the Public Health Department at the HCMC University of Medicine and Pharmacology, said shortening the quarantine period will have many positive impacts on pandemic prevention and control.

A shorter period of isolation and treatment will make the patients feel more comfortable, which can help them recover sooner than expected. It will also reduce financial costs for the healthcare system, he said.

Doctor Do Cao Van Anh, lecturer at the Pham Ngoc Thach University of Medicine, said that with hindsight, it can be seen that quarantining patients for 14 days, and at some point, 21 days, had created quite a few difficulties for the medical sector and had high human resource costs.

Epidemiologist Truong Huu Khanh, a consultant with the infectious and neurological diseases department at the city’s Children’s Hospital No.1, said quarantining up to 14 days for fully vaccinated patients with mild symptoms and negative test results is causing unnecessary overload.

“What’s most important now is medical manpower. Medics need to be given priority so that they can focus their efforts on saving critical patients rather than treating those that have already tested negative,” he said.

In the health department’s proposal, director Tang Chi Thuong said that since HCMC started using molnupiravir, an antiviral drug approved in Vietnam for Covid-19 treatment, most patients have recovered and tested negative after one week.

However, as currently regulated, every patient has to stay at treatment facilities for 14 days, and this has overloaded them.

Meanwhile, in recent weeks, HCMC has recorded a decrease in the number of patients; but many of them still do not live in houses that meet conditions for self-treatment.

Doctor Anh said cutting the quarantine time to seven days is totally possible and reasonable: “Covid-19 patients who are asymptomatic or have mild symptoms can recover after a week and in most cases, there is little or even no chance that they could spread the virus to others.”

On the other hand, treating Covid-19 with antiviral drugs is becoming a trend worldwide and Vietnam has already applied it. If medical staff can guide patients on using it and keep a close eye on them, it is completely possible to have patients discharged after seven days.

The important issue then is preparing sufficient quantities of drugs for all Covid-19 patients.

For now, molnupiravir is being used on a trial basis in Vietnam, and any patients wanting to use it have to sign a consent form.

Doctor Dung suggested that those using the drug be allowed a shortened quarantine period of seven days and those not using it be isolated for at least 10 days.

“The treatment of Covid-19 with the antiviral drug molnupiravir has been quite effective, and the drug has shown very good virus-killing effect. Some studies have showed that after taking the drug for five days, the risk of spreading the virus no longer exists,” he said.

For patients not using the drug, recent studies indicate that around half develop breathing difficulties around the eighth day after showing the first Covid-19 symptoms and testing positive.

Therefore, such people should not leave treatment facilities after a week so as to prevent the possibility of their becoming critical without immediate medical help.

He said that for now, the decision to release a Covid-19 patient should be based on their actual symptoms rather than test results as has been regulated so far. “A person can certainly go home when he/she no longer shows any Covid-19 symptom 10 days after showing symptoms for the first time,” he said.

He also quoted a recommendation made by the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention back in September: “For most children and adults with symptomatic SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19, infection, isolation, and precautions can be discontinued 10 days after onset of symptoms and after resolution of fever for at least 24 hours and improvement of other symptoms, and for people who are infected but asymptomatic (never develop symptoms), isolation and precautions can be discontinued 10 days after the first positive test.”

Early in the pandemic, major problems in the global supply of medical grade masks meant that the public was asked to avoid using these so that stock could be used to protect healthcare workers. At this point, bodies such as the US Centres of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended that the public wear cloth masks and even provided information on how to make them out of household items such as T shirts.

Many people are still wearing cloth masks, which can now be bought in many shops. But as the worldwide supply of medical grade face masks has expanded, arguments have been made that some members of the public should start wearing more protective masks such as surgical masks. This argument has been strengthened by the emergence of more transmissible variants of SARS-CoV-2, including the UK and South African variants, in response to which some countries have tightened their guidance on what types of masks are allowed.

In France, homemade masks and some shop bought cloth masks have now been banned, after the president of the government’s scientific committee, Jean-François Delfraissy, said that the new variants had “completely changed the game.”

French health minister Olivier Véran announced on 22 January that people in France should no longer wear homemade masks or certain industrially made fabric masks, listed as category 2. The government specified that category 1 masks filter 95% of 3 μm particles, whereas category 2 devices filter only 70%. Only three types of masks will be recommended: surgical (which filter 95% of 3 μm particles), FFP2 (which filter 94% of 0.6 μm particles), and fabric masks made to category 1 standards.

Austria has gone a step further, making FFP2 masks mandatory in indoor public spaces and sending out free packs of these masks to all residents aged over 65 and to low income households. Like the UK, the country is currently in its third national lockdown.

Germany has made medical masks mandatory in supermarkets and on public transport. London’s mayor, Sadiq Khan, wants to introduce a similar requirement on the UK capital’s public transport system. The London newspaper the Evening Standard reported that the mayor’s office was currently reviewing whether passengers should switch to higher grade masks in light of the new variants. The former health secretary for England, Jeremy Hunt, has also called for FFP2 respirator masks to be made compulsory on public transport and in shops.

On 1 December the World Health Organization updated its advice to recommend medical masks for people at risk of serious covid-19 illness and for people aged over 60. But this was made before it became clear how new the variants affected transmission. Commenting on the types of cloth mask the public should wear, a WHO spokesperson told The BMJ, “For all others, a reusable three layer fabric mask is advised. The filtration, breathability, and fit of the mask are important. If the mask is produced at home, WHO advises an inner absorbent material such as cotton, a non-absorbent fabric such as polyester outside, and a middle filter layer, such as non-woven spunbond polypropylene.”

The spokesperson added that respirators and medical masks “continue to be in short supply for health workers.”

Fabric masks vary in terms of protection. The consumer website Which? examined this issue and provided a list of the best reusable masks on the market.

Are two masks better than one?

Some medical leaders have suggested that wearing two masks could provide more protection. Anthony Fauci, chief medical adviser to US president Joe Biden, told the US Today television programme that “if you have a physical covering with one layer, you put another layer on it, it just makes common sense that it likely would be more effective.”

New research from the CDC supports this. It has reported that transmission can be reduced by up to 96.5% if both an infected person and an uninfected person wear tightly fitted surgical masks or a cloth mask together with a surgical mask.

But a WHO spokesperson, commenting in the hours before the new CDC guidance emerged, told The BMJ that it was not currently recommending double masking. “Based on the currently available information on the spread of variants of concern, WHO is maintaining its advice on the use of masks. We will continue to review evidence as it becomes available.”

Should the public be wearing masks outdoors?

The UK’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) is considering this. In a recent paper that focused on physical distancing and face coverings in light of the UK variant B.1.1.7, SAGE said “using face coverings in a wider range of settings where people could be asymptomatic and may be in close proximity (less than 2 m)” should now be considered.

The paper said, “Transmission in outdoor settings where people are distanced is likely to still be very low risk. However, it remains the case that if people are in close proximity for extended periods in an outdoor setting, there is a potential risk of transmission from the higher concentrations of respiratory particles near to an infected person. It is possible that this close range risk is greater with the B.1.1.7 variant (low confidence).”

The Department of Health and Social Care for England did not respond when The BMJ asked it whether the UK government was considering recommending masks outdoors.

Paul Hunter, professor in medicine at Norwich Medical School and one of the reviewers for the WHO mask guidance, said the advice may depend on the situation. “If you’re outside in a big queue, and people aren’t socially distancing around you, I would put a mask on. But if I’m just walking on a not overly busy high street [or] going for a walk around a village I wouldn’t wear a mask,” he said.

Hunter added that people should be careful not to get their mask wet, especially if they are then going to go indoors wearing the same mask. He explained, “If that material gets wet, you can’t breathe through the material, and the mask then loses much of its effectiveness. So if it rains and you’ve got a mask on, it becomes pointless because you can’t breathe through it. If it’s cold outside and your breath wets the mask, as it will do, it becomes much less useful.”

WHO has recommended that masks be worn outdoors when there is “known or suspected community or cluster transmission” and when physical distancing cannot be maintained.

Is there any new evidence on mask wearing by the public?

New studies looking at the effects of wearing masks have been published during the pandemic. US researchers recently looked at the impact of state-wide mask requirements on new cases per 100 000 population per day from 1 January 2020 to 24 October 2020. They reported that, after adjusting for interstate differences, states that adopted mask requirements early saw the strongest effects on numbers of new cases when compared with those that did not adopt such measures. The effect was smaller but still “clearly protective” when comparing early adopter states to late adopters. “These analyses advance the scientific evidence showing positive impacts of state-wide mask requirements in the US,” the researchers concluded.

Meanwhile, a preprint tested the effectiveness of different face masks and compared this with the perceptions of protection among 710 US residents. A TSI 8038+machine was used to test N95, surgical, and two fabric face masks on an individual 25 times each. The researchers reported that fabric face masks “blocked between 62.6% and 87.1% of fine particles, whereas surgical masks protected against an average of 78.2% of fine particles. N95 masks blocked 99.6% of fine particles.” But they said that survey respondents tended to “underestimate the effectiveness of masks, especially fabric masks.” The results indicated that “fabric masks may be a useful tool in the battle against the covid-19 pandemic and that increasing public awareness of the effectiveness of fabric masks may help in this endeavour,” the authors concluded.

Source: bmj.com

Covid 19 belongs to the coronavirus family, which also includes the SARS virus (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) and MERS (Middle East Respiratory Symptoms) virus. The family of Coronavirus includes virus strains that cause the common cold and flu.  

It has been found that Covid 19 is a close relative of SARS. SARS is a novel type of virus that was reported in 2007, and like most SARS viruses, Covid 19 affects the respiratory tract in humans. The infection starts off with mild flu-like symptoms or no symptoms, and further progress to severe symptoms.

Covid 19 primarily infects the lungs in the affected individuals and in severe cases causes’ death due to ARDS and pneumonia. It is important to remember that it does not lead to ARDS and pneumonia in all the cases, which is an occurrence in most severe cases.

In the majority of the cases i.e. 80% will exhibit mild symptoms, 14% will have pneumonia, 5% will suffer from septic shock and organ failure (mostly respiratory failure) and in 2% cases it will be fatal.

Some of the primary symptoms to look for in a Covid 19 infected person are fever, dizziness, breathlessness, headache, dry cough ( eventually result in phlegm) and in a few cases loss in smell and taste. A few cases have also reported diarrhoea and fatigue.

So while a person infected with Covid 19 can be cured, it is important to understand that the factors that lead to fatality, include underlying illnesses (hypertension, diabetes, cardiac problems, respiratory issues) and individuals who are on immune-suppressing medications. In older individuals, the risk is higher, as the immunity decreases with age and they have a higher disposition for other illnesses.

Another important aspect in understanding Covid 19 is its effect on the body system, especially the lungs.

Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS)

There is a direct correlation between Covid 19 and ARDS, severe cases of Covid 19 infection leads to ARDS and pneumonia, which can prove to be fatal for the infected individual. Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome causes dry cough, heavy breathing, breathing difficulties and increased heart rate. In most healthy individuals, who do not have underlying issues Covid 19 exhibits mild symptoms, which can be treated with medications and eventually the patients recover. In severe cases, where the infected person has an impaired immunity due to underlying health conditions, an infection due to Covid 19 can progress to severe ARDS. Once the patient progresses to ARDS, it eventually leads to pneumonia.

Before understanding the severity of Covid 19 infection, it is important to understand the different stages/categories of Covid 19 infection:

First category: These individuals are infected by the virus, but act as carriers but may not exhibit the symptoms. These individuals are at a higher risk of spreading the virus as they might be oblivious to its presence.

Second category: Individuals with mild fever, cough, headache or possible conjunctivitis. This is due to an infection in the upper respiratory tract.

Third category: Similar to the third category, the symptoms here are more pronounced and might require hospitalization. Immediate treatment can help alleviate the symptoms and prevent a fatality.

Fourth category: Severe cases of Covid 19, might lead to ARDS and pneumonia. At this stage, it is fatal.

Effect of ARDS on lungs

Covid 19 directly impacts the lungs and damages the alveoli (tiny air sacs). The function of the alveolus is to transfer oxygen to the blood vessels. These blood vessels or capillaries carry the oxygen to the RBCs (Red blood cells). It is the RBCs that finally deliver the oxygen to all the internal organs in the body. 

The virus works by damaging the wall and the lining of the alveolus and capillaries. The debris from the damage, which is plasma protein accumulates on the alveolus wall and thickens the lining. As the walls’ thicken, the transfer of oxygen to the red blood cells is impaired. The thicker the wall gets, the more difficult it gets to transfer oxygen to the red blood cells, which causes difficulty in breathing as the body is running short of oxygen. And the lack of oxygen to the internal organs results in a deficit in the body and impairs the functioning of the organs. At this juncture, the body fights to increase oxygen intake.

And the first response of the body is to destroy the virus and prevent its replication, but if the individual has weaker immunity then the body is unable to stop the virus, and this aggravates the crisis

Pneumonia

As the air sacs are damaged, there is an influx of liquid which is mostly inflamed cells and protein and this fluid build-up leads to pneumonia. This further impairs the oxygen intake by the lungs and hinders the oxygen exchange. Due to the novelty of the Covid 19 strain, there is no immediate treatment to directly cure pneumonia in Covid 19 patients and are mostly given supportive care.

How do doctors’ ascertain the onset of ARDS in Covid 19 infected individuals?

There are some key indicators that the doctors to judge the onset and severity of ARDS in infected individuals:

1. Hypoxia – Low oxygen levels in the blood, due to damage to the alveolus
2. Breathing difficulties and shortness of breath
3. Chest x-rays of the lungs exhibit an opaque and glassy look against the black background
4. Worsening symptoms over the course of time, from the day of detection of the virus

Acute Cardiac Injury:

Studies have shown that patients in China who were diagnosed and hospitalized with COVID-19 had developed some heart problems, including arrhythmias. Researchers from Washington, U.S.A, studied patients who were extremely ill due to COVID-19 and they found that the patients were also diagnosed with high levels of cardiac issues. It’s assumed that COVID-19 may cause serious cardiac complications long after a patient has recovered from coronavirus. However, since this virus is novel its implications on the heart are still unknown.

Secondary infection:

As secondary infection occurs when you contract an infection that is unrelated to the first issue you had. In this case, if someone with COVID-19 begins to get infected with another contagion. Reviews and studies that were done on COVID-19 patients, who were hospitalized, have found that secondary infection is quite possible, but it’s not common. It can happen when the patient’s immunity is quite weak; so, if they are fighting off a virus (or recovering from it) they can contract a bacterial infection. Strep and staph infections are common culprits. If the infections are not treated immediately. They can be serious enough to risk death.

Septic shock:

Sepsis takes place when the body’s reaction to an infection goes astray. The chemicals that are released in the blood, to battle the illness, don’t trigger the correct response and your organs are affected negatively. If the Sepsis process is not stopped, as soon as possible, then you can go into a septic shock state; especially if your blood pressure drops too much then septic shock can dangerous.

Acute Kidney injury:

This is a rare complication, but if it does happen then it can be quite serious. If your kidneys stop functioning then the doctors will start treatment to reduce the damage, immediately. You may be put on dialysis (a machine that filters your blood) until your kidneys start working normally. Sometimes, the damage won’t heal entirely and people will get chronic kidney disease, which will require long term management.

Blood clots:

Blood clots can be caused due to a condition called disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). Due to this condition, the body’s blood clotting response will work differently than it should; unusual clots will begin to form around major organs of the body and it will lead to internal bleeding and organ failure, if not treated at the earliest. A study among Chinese COVID-19 patients has shown that DIC was common among the deceased patients.

Staying safe against COVID-19

While a vaccine for Covid 19 is still under work and might take a while before it is tested and certified for usage, our best bet right now is to stay safe, stay indoors and avoid crowds. A few simple precautions like maintaining hygiene and sanitizing your environment, or wearing a masks will go a long way in countering the spread of Covid 19 infection.

Ultraviolet (UV) rays, or ultraviolet radiation, have many harmful effects on the human body. Most of the UV rays are absorbed and reversed by the ozone layer in the atmosphere, which is Earth’s most powerful protective layer from UV rays. However, today the environment is increasingly polluted, along with the greenhouse effect causing the Earth to heat up every day, the ozone layer is severely reduced.

Therefore, you need to have a certain understanding of UV rays and its harmful effects in order to take the necessary measures to protect your health and the community.

What is UV rays?

Ultraviolet rays, also known as ultraviolet radiation, are invisible rays, part of the energy coming from the sun, that can burn skin and cause skin cancer. UV radiation is made up of 3 types of rays – ultraviolet A (UVA), ultraviolet B (UVB) and ultraviolet C (UVC).

Most of the UV rays humans are exposed to originate from the sun. However, about 10% of the sunlight is UV light, and only 1/3 of this is capable of penetrating the Earth’s atmosphere. UVC is the most dangerous type of ultraviolet rays, but it cannot penetrate the ozone layer of the atmosphere. Therefore, it poses no threat to the life of humans, animals or plants on Earth. Broad spectrum ultraviolet radiation – including UVA and UVB rays – are the most harmful substances to organisms on Earth.

Of the UV rays that can reach Earth, 95% are UVA rays and 5% are UVB rays. UVA is weaker than UVB but it goes deeper into the skin. Many studies also accept that both UVA and UVB cause skin cancer, including melanoma. For this reason, it is often recommended to use sunscreens and UV-resistant masks  to block both types of radiation.

What are the harmful effects of UVA and UVB radiation?

UVB rays often affect the outer layer of the skin, damaging the skin. It can lead to several types of skin cancers such as melanoma, basal cell carcinoma, and squamous cell carcinoma. UVA rays are much less intense than UVB rays but reach the deeper layers of the skin about 50 times and cause more damage than UVB rays.

The acute effects of UVA and UVB are short-lived and reversible, such as sunburns and dullness. The long-term effects of UV rays are much more serious and dangerous, which can be life-threatening, including aging of the skin, suppression of the immune system, eye damage and skin cancer.

What factors does the UV index depend on?

Sun elevation:  The more the sun stands, the greater the degree of UV radiation. UV radiation varies with time of day and year, with maximum levels around noon during the summer months. During the day, UV rays are usually highest near noon and early afternoon (from 10am to 16pm), especially in late spring, summer and early fall. So UV levels change throughout the day, lower in the morning, maximum mid-day, and gradually decrease as the sun goes down. 

Cloud cover:  UV radiation is highest when it is clear. However, even when it is cloudy, UV radiation remains high due to UV scattering by water molecules and fine particles in the atmosphere. The shade of the clouds barely reduces the effects of UV rays. Therefore, UV rays can still harm the skin and eyes, even in winter and cloudy or rainy days.

Altitude above sea level:  The higher it is above sea level, the less UV radiation is filtered out by the atmosphere. For every 1,000 m rise above sea level, UV levels increase by about 10-12%.

Depends on latitude:  The closer to the equator, the higher the UV radiation. The further away from this location, the less the risk.

Surface Reflectance:  UV radiation can “turn on” backwards when exposed to reflective surfaces including water, sand and snow. Snow can reflect up to 80% of UV radiation, dry beach sand reflects about 15% and seawater about 25%. As a result, swimmers, skiers, anglers or swimmers can be affected by increased UV radiation from both above and below. 

Dependent on the ozone layer:  Ozone absorbs some of the UV radiation in the sunlight that falls on Earth. The greater the amount of ozone, the more protective filters are provided by the atmosphere. Ozone depletion has the potential to exacerbate health effects from exposure to UV radiation. As the ozone layer becomes thinner, people will be exposed to higher levels of UV radiation, especially UVB rays. 

According to  WHO , scientists predict a 10% reduction in current ozone could cause 300,000 additional   non-melanoma skin cancers , 4,500 melanomas, and 1.6-1.75 million cataracts. crystal all over the world every year.

The scale indicates the danger level of UV rays

The UV index predicts the intensity of UV radiation at noon and is calculated on a scale of 1 to 11+.

UV Index 0-2.9:  This index shows that the amount of solar radiation during the day is very low. You will be less affected by the harmful effects of UV rays. Most people can stay in the sun for about an hour during peak periods (from 10am to 16pm) without getting sunburned.

UV Index 3-5.9:  At this time, the amount of UV radiation is at average level. UV problems for the skin will be a bit more serious but still within the threshold. People with sensitive skin are susceptible to sunburn within 20 minutes. Wear a hat with wide brim and sunglasses to protect your eyes. Always use a sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 and wear a long-sleeved shirt when outdoors. At the same time, it is advisable to add endogenous sunscreen pills to help with sun protection and stronger skin protection.

UV Index 6-7.9:  This index shows the amount of solar radiation is quite high. You should be more careful every time you go out. Wear a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses to protect your eyes, nose, and ears. You should also wear a sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30, wearing long clothing.

UV Index 8-10.9:  Summer days usually have very high UV amounts, from 8-10. If you’re not careful, your chances of getting a sunburn are very high. People with sensitive skin can burn in less than 10 minutes. Minimize sun exposure from 10am to 4pm. Wear a sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30. You should wear sunglasses and long, thick clothing when outdoors.

UV Index more than 11:  UV level during the day is alarming. You can get burned in as little as 5 minutes without protection. It’s best to stay indoors and close the door instead of going out into the street at this time.

Does temperature affect the UV index?

The spectrum of radiation received on Earth from the sun includes infrared radiation, visible radiation and ultraviolet radiation. The light spectrum ranges from purple to red. Purple is the UV rays, overexposure can be harmful to humans. On the other end of the light spectrum, red is infrared (heat radiation), which is the radiation that produces warmth. 

Many people still mistakenly believe that heat radiation and ultraviolet rays are the same. In fact, they represent different regions of the spectrum and are distributed from the sun in different ratios.

Common ways to avoid UV rays?

Normally, when people hear about avoiding the sun and UV rays, people easily think of sunscreens that have been present for a long time on the market. However, because sunscreen is a cosmetic applied to the skin, sometimes women have to spend more time choosing the right cream for their skin. Sometimes when people have a job, they only go out of the house for a short period of time, then applying the cream before going out is quite time consuming and annoying.

So is there a simpler and faster way? The answer is masks! Most of the masks available on the Vietnamese market are low-price masks, which are definitely not resistant to UV radiation because of the cost of manufacturing a fabric material that is resistant to UV rays is not cheap.

Active fiber mask Kissy are the leading masks brand in Vietnam that has been on the market since 2004, achieving a lot of achievements and certifications of units, organizations and state agencies for quality. and service. In addition to conventional features such as anti-smoke, fine dust, and air pollution, the active fiber mask Kissy also has UV protection.

The Ministry of Health confirmed two more Covid-19 cases in Hanoi Monday morning, raising the infection tally of Vietnam’s new community transmission wave to 240.

The latest patients are both women, aged 40 and 48.

Tagged “1818” and “1819,” they are residents in Nam Tu Liem and Cau Giay Districts of Hanoi. Both of them got infected with the new coronavirus after having contact with people who were later confirmed Covid-19 infections in Chi Linh Town of Hai Duong.

The new patients have raised Hanoi’s tally in the new Covid-19 to 15.

The northern province of Hai Duong, more than one hour east of Hanoi, has become the biggest cluster of Covid-19 in Vietnam with 188 cases confirmed since Covid-19 returned to the community in Vietnam on January 28.

Its neighbor Quang Ninh has recorded 25 cases. Infections have spread to seven other cities and provinces, including Gia Lai with four patients, Bac Ninh (three), Hoa Binh (two), and HCMC, Hai Phong, Binh Duong (one each).

By Monday morning, Vietnam has recorded 1,819 cases and 362 are active.

Worldwide, the pandemic has killed more than 2.23 million after infection over 103.5 million.

Due to the concern about the spread of the pandemic, and just a few more days to come until Tet, people are very interested in masks. Especially the Kissy active fiber mask is getting alot of attention to buy because it is the leading mask product in the domestic market, has a lot of certificates of merit and receives the trust of people for more than 14 years.

After going almost two months without a Covid-19 case, Vietnam is back to high alert following a major new outbreak.

Le Anh Tuyet, a student at the Foreign Trade University in Hanoi, packed her stuff on January 28 after hearing about the new Covid-19 outbreak in the northern Hai Duong Province, her hometown.

Afraid she might not be allowed to visit home for Tet (Lunar New Year) if there was a lockdown, Tuyet tried to return home that night but did not succeed.

There was no bus to take her home since drivers, afraid of the new outbreak, refused to travel to Hai Duong. Passenger buses had been prohibited from entering the province as of midnight that day.

“I am afraid when there are more cases in the future, my district will be locked down, and I will be stranded in Hanoi,” Tuyet said, tears in her eyes.

She is one of many people whose lives have been thrown into disarray following the recent Covid-19 outbreak in Vietnam.

Two weeks before the year’s biggest festival, Tet, the Lunar New Year, in mid-February, 109 people were found to have the novel coronavirus after a streak of nearly two months without local transmission.

The new cases were found in Hai Duong, Quang Ninh, Hai Phong, Bac Ninh, and Hanoi.

Millions of people for whom life had gradually returned almost to normal, again face disruption and inconvenience.

One million students in Quang Ninh, Hai Duong and Hai Phong have been told to stay at home, causing many parents to struggle to find caregivers.

“My husband and I will take turns to stay at home with our four-year-old son,” Nguyen Thi Minh Phuong, a white-collar worker in Hai Phong City, said.

“We do not want to send him anywhere because who knows where that virus is.”

In Hanoi, many parents face similar issues. A kindergarten in Tay Ho District had to be closed after one of its students came into close contact with a suspected Covid-19 patient.

The social distancing and semi-lockdown in Hai Duong and Quang Ninh have hit people out of the blue.

Truong Cong Toai, who has been on a business trip to Ha Long Town in Quang Ninh since last weekend, cannot return home to Hanoi after the province suspended all public transport following the outbreaks on January 28.

“I should be at home this weekend because we plan to visit my parents-in-law before Tet.”

He has no idea when he can return home.

People living in the capital and other provinces are ready for social distancing and even lockdown if the number of new cases escalates.

Many have rushed to stock up on essential items, especially giving the fact Tet is approaching.

“I do not know what will happen in the next few days or hours,” Nguyen Phuong Dung said while shopping at a mall in Hanoi’s Long Bien District on the evening of January 28. “We must be prepared for the worst.”

Plans to gather, party and travel during the holidays have all gone out the window, with many people deciding there will be no gathering in large groups before Tet.

“I have canceled all gatherings and year-end parties next week,” Truong Hong Thuy, an HR executive at a paper company in Hanoi’s Long Bien District, said. “No one cares about partying now. They only care about safety.”

Tour companies said they have postponed or canceled hundreds of tours to Ha Long Bay in Quang Ninh.

“We thought Tet would be a better time for the tourism industry, but that glimmer of hope is fading,” Le Khanh, a tour coordinator in Hanoi, said.

Hope is also fading for businesses like shops and restaurants, which are afraid the new outbreak would prevent people from venturing out.

Hoang Minh, who closed his hair salon on Quan Thanh Street during the national social distancing in April, said 11 clients called to cancel appointments on the afternoon of January 28.

“My staff all wear plastic gloves and routinely sanitize brushes, scissors and combs after every use, but patrons are still scared.”

His dream of doing good business before Tet like in other years is fading.

No more champagne

The outbreak has rattled many people and caused them to change their habits to be safe. Masks and hand sanitizers have again become de rigueur.

Buildings and employers require people to follow safety measures and check their temperature before allowing them entry.

Some companies in Hanoi have let their employees work from home right from January 28, worried any of them might have come into contact with people from the new Covid-19 hotspots.

“Those who have met people from Hai Duong or Quang Ninh must tell their manager and start working remotely immediately,” Thuy, the HR executive, said in a letter to employees.

She has notified each department, recommended that employees should avoid gathering or talking in elevators, and “reconsider going to shopping malls before Tet.”

Authorities have also ramped up measures to contain the outbreak.

Hai Duong’s Chi Linh Town, which has around 220,000 residents, has been placed under lockdown while other parts of HaiDuong have announced social distancing.

In Hai Phong, where a patient at the Children’s Hospital tested positive for the virus, local authorities have closed bars and dance clubs and put up checkpoints at city entry points.

Activities involving crowds of 30 or more people have been banned, and students are staying at home from Friday.

Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam, head of the National Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control, warned of many more likely cases in the provinces of Hai Duong and Quang Ninh, which are contact tracing and testing thousands of people, given the source of infection has yet to be discovered.

Luong Ngoc Khue, head of the health ministry’s department of medical examination and treatment, said this is the most severe outbreak Vietnam has seen yet.

The country has had 1,651 cases, including 109 in the latest outbreak.

On January 28 Dam said the steering committee would strive to contain the outbreak within 10 days though it is considered much more serious than the one in Da Nang last summer that took 23 days to quell. Besides, there are now cases of the new highly transmissible variant of coronavirus.

With Tet coming in two weeks, people are yearning for normalcy so that the holiday could be spent safely.

“All I want is the coronavirus to vanish, and I can reunite with my family before Tet,” Tuyet said after returning to her studio in Hanoi’s Long Bien District.

Due to the concern about the spread of the pandemic, and just a few more days to come until Tet, people are very interested in masks. Especially the Kissy active fiber mask is getting alot of attention to buy because it is the leading mask product in the domestic market, has a lot of certificates of merit and receives the trust of people for more than 14 years.

One of the new cases is linked to a woman who tested positive for the new variant of coronavirus after arriving in Japan to work earlier this week.

It has not yet been determined if either of the new detections are the stronger strain of COVID-19, but officials say as there is a connection to the case in Japan, extra precautions should be taken.

One new patient is a 34-year-old Vietnamese woman who works at POYUN Company in Hải Dương Province. She had close contact with the 32-year-old woman from the same province, who had tested positive upon arrival in Japan.

She has been isolated after testing positive on Wednesday evening and is being treated at the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Đông Anh Commune, Hà Nội.

The second patient is a 31-year-old man, who is an employee of Vân Đồn International Airport, living in Hồng Hà Ward, Hạ Long City of Quảng Ninh Province. He developed a fever and cough and went to a hospital for check-up.

His sample test came back on Wednesday evening and was positive for coronavirus. He is now being treated at the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Đông Anh Commune, Hà Nội.

After receiving information from the Japanese authorities about the Hải Dương woman testing positive after entering Osaka, on January 27, Minister of Health Nguyễn Thanh Long sent a working group, including leaders and health experts from the ministry’s Department of Preventive Medicine, Department of Health Environment Management and the Central Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology to Hải Dương Province to support the local epidemiological investigation and emergency measures to respond to the situation.

“This working team is led by Associate Professor, Dr. Trần Như Dương – Deputy Director of the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology – who has had experience in fighting epidemics in hot spots in the past year such as Sơn Lôi, Bình Thuận, Đà Nẵng,” the minister said.

“The group will set up a station in Hải Dương and coordinate with the province to immediately implement general anti-epidemic measures.”

On January 27, Deputy Prime Minister Vũ Đức Đam, Head of the National Steering Committee for the prevention and control of COVID-19, held an urgent meeting with the Standing Steering Committee at the Ministry of Health.

Immediately after the meeting, Deputy Minister of Health Đỗ Xuân Tuyên – Deputy Head of the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control, went to Hải Dương Province to direct the emergency prevention work in the province.

Minister Nguyễn Thanh Long said that the Ministry of Health has mobilised laboratory specialists from Bạch Mai Hospital, the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, the University of Public Health and Hà Nội Medical University to Hải Dương early Thursday morning.

The Ministry of Health has asked the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases to help Hải Dương Province immediately establish a local system to provide on-the-spot treatment.

Deputy Prime Minister Vũ Đức Đam called on all the authority and experts to put their all-out efforts to deal with the situation so that in 10 days they could thoroughly control the outbreak in the province.

The Deputy Prime Minister also said since the case in Hải Dương was related to a case of new SARS-CoV-2 variant according to Japanese information, it is necessary to be especially careful, ensuring maximum safety for the epidemic prevention and control team. — VNS

PM is also called Particulate Matter or particle pollution, which is a mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets present in the atmosphere. The particles present in the air are so minute that you cannot even view through naked eyes. Some particles are so small that they can only be detected by using electron microscope. Particle pollution consists of PM10 and PM2.5 which are very dangerous.

PM2.5 refers to the atmospheric particulate matter that has a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometres, which is about 3% of the diameter of human hair.

The particles in PM2.5 category are so small that they can only be detected with the help of the electron microscope. These are smaller than PM10 particles. PM10 are the particles with a diameter of 10 micrometers and they are also called fine particles. An environmental expert says that PM10 is also known as respirable particulate matter.

Particulate matter is a complex mixture of soot, smoke, metals, nitrates, sulphates, dust water and rubber etc. Do you know that PM10 and PM 2.5 spread more due to dust, construction work and burning of wastes etc?

Do you know that if the quantity of PM2.5 in the air is 60 and of PM10 is 100 then the air is considered safe for breathing?

Sources of Particulate Matter

Particulate Matter is of different sizes and it can be due to both human and natural sources. Sources can be primary and secondary. The primary source includes automobile emissions, dust and cooking smoke. The secondary source of pollution can be due to complex reactions of chemicals like sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxide. These particles are mixed in air and pollute it. Apart from these, forest fires, wood burning stoves, agricultural burning, smoke of the industry, dust occur from various construction sites also causes air pollution etc.

Due to small in size both PM2.5 and PM10 particles act as gas. When you breathe, these particles they penetrate into the lungs, which can lead to cough and asthma attacks. High blood pressure, heart attack, stroke etc. serious diseases may occur and as a result of which premature death can occur. Do you know that if the level of PM2.5 is high in the air mist or fog increases and the visibility is affected? The worst effect of these particles in the air is on children and the elderly people.

Some other diseases that can affect health are as follows:

– Problem in breathing

– Irritation in eyes, nose and throat

– Tightness of the chest

– Lungs do not work properly

– Severe Respiratory diseases

– Irregular heart beat etc.

Who are at risk due to these particles?

Everyone needs air to breathe, when we breathe this air we come in contact with the air pollution. One Research states that the risk of air pollution is higher in urban and industrial areas than in rural areas. Apart from this, exposure to air pollution is likely to affect children and senior citizens badly. People with heart and lung diseases can be more at risk to air pollution.

The American Heart Association also warns about the effect of PM2.5 on Heart’s health and mortality rate:

“Exposure to PM <2.5 μm in diameter (PM2.5) over a few hours to weeks can trigger cardiovascular disease-related mortality and nonfatal events; longer-term exposure (eg, a few years) increases the risk for cardiovascular mortality to an even greater extent than exposures over a few days and reduces life expectancy within more highly exposed segments of the population by several months to a few years.”

Preventive measures from Air Pollution

– People should use masks to avoid air pollution and should consult a doctor if problem is severe.

– Avoid exercising outside when the pollution level is high.

– Do not burn wood or thrash because these particles are the main source of pollution.

– Do not smoke at both indoor and outdoor places.

– To keep your indoor space safe from air pollution, you can also use air purifier. Air purifier can reduce the rate of air pollution inside your home.

– If air pollution lasts for several days, then change the place for some time.

How much level of PM2.5 and PM10 should be there in the air?

Normal level of PM10 should be 100 micrograms cubic metre and PM2.5 level should be 60 microgram cubic meter.

As we know that the level of PM2.5 and PM10 in the air is increasing which is causing air pollution and on the other hand risk of diseases is also emerging day by day. Therefore, we should make use of masks, especially reputable masks that have been certified for quality like Kissy active fiber masks. Kissy is a leading mask brand with exclusive technology that has produced and distributed in the Vietnamese market for over 14 years.