OneStepVietnam presents
Monthly Newsletter of February 2022
COVID-19 and ECONOMIC NEWS
As of February 28, 2022 Vietnam’s Ministry of Health confirmed a total of 3,443,485 cases of infection in 61 cities and provinces in the country. The most severely hit areas are Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) with 534,093 infections, Binh Duong Province with 297,448 infections, Ha Noi Capital with 271,950 infections, Dong Nai Province with 101,236 infections and Tay Ninh Province with 90,425 infections.
There were 40,252 deaths announced due to the pandemic as of February 28, 2022. On the other side, around 2,438,951 patients were given the all-clear recoveries at the same time.
Around 193,625,095 doses of vaccine have been provided as of February 28, 2022. In detail, approximately 36.6% for initial vaccinated, 34.7% for 2nd vaccinated, 0.8% for 3rd vaccinated, 7.1% for supplemental vaccinated, 12.2% for repeatedly vaccinated and 8.6% for child from 12 -17 years old.
According to the General Statistics Office, growth rate of some key indicators in February 2022 compared to the same period last year increased as listed below:
– Index of Industrial Production 8.5%
– International visitors to Vietnam 169.6%
– Retail sales of goods and services 3.1%
– Realized investment capital from the State budget 9.9%
– Consumer Price Index 1.42%
– Core inflation 0.68%
The index of industrial production (IIP) in February 2022 was estimated to decrease by 12.4% compared to the previous month because the Lunar New Year holiday was mostly held in February. However, compared to the same period last year (February 2021), IIP was estimated to increase by 8.5%. For the first 2 months of 2022, IIP to be increased by 5.4% compared to the first 2 months of 2021.
Source: Ministry of Health, General Statistics Office of Vietnam
NEW LEGAL REQUIREMENTS
1. Decision 405/QĐ-BYT on issuance of guidelines on the diagnosis and treatment of children affected by COVID-19
On February 22, 2022, The Ministry of Health has issued new guidelines on the diagnosis and treatment of children affected by COVID-19, especially children under 12 months who are at high risk of severe disease.
The new guidance has replaced the one issued on November 8, 2021. Under the new guidance, the ministry has changed the instructions on confirmed cases of children with COVID-19.
A child identified as a COVID-19 patient has tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test; has been in close contact with a COVID-19 case and has a positive rapid test result for SARS-CoV-2; a child who has epidemiological factors or clinical symptoms suspected of being COVID-19 and a positive rapid test result of SARS-CoV-2; or a child with epidemiological factors and test results positive for SARS-CoV-2 twice within eight hours.
Please refer to the Decision 405/QD-BYT for the detail instruction on this.
2. Official Dispatch No. 762/BYT-DP regarding medical isolation for COVID-19 cases and quarantine for close contacts
On February 21, 2022, The Ministry of Health has issued the Official Dispatch No. 762/BYT-DP regarding medical isolation for COVID-19 cases and quarantine for close contacts.
This Official Dispatch replaces the Official Dispatch No. 10696/BYT-MT dated December 16, 2021. Under the new dispatch, The Ministry of Health requires to organize quarantine/isolation for confirmed COVID-19 cases (F0 cases) and their close contacts (F1 cases) according to conditions and resources of each province.
For the quarantine of F1 cases:
– Persons who have received at least 2 doses of COVID-19 vaccines, with the last dose given within 14 days or have recovered from COVID-19 within 3 months up to the time such persons are identified F1 cases, shall be subject to 5-day quarantine at home, accommodation or other eligible areas for quarantine arranged and set up by local agencies, organizations, units, schools from the last date of exposure
– Unvaccinated persons or those who have not received full doses of COVID-19 vaccines shall be subject to 7-day quarantine at home, places of residence or other areas eligible for quarantine from the last date of exposure.
For isolation of F0 cases:
Isolation shall be carried out according to the guidelines of the Decision No. 250/QĐ-BYT dated January 28, 2022 of the Ministry of Health on promulgating guidelines on diagnosis and treatment for COVID-19.
3. Circular 150/2020/TT-BCA on provision of fire prevention and fighting and rescue equipment to neighborhood watches, internal firefighting forces and specialized firefighting forces
The Ministry of Public Security has issued the Circular 150/2020/TT-BCA effective from February 20, 2021 and supersedes Circular No. 56/2014/TT-BCA.
Enclosed with Circular at Appendix II is the list and quantities of fire prevention and fighting and rescue equipment provided for 01 internal firefighting force. The third, fourth, fifth and sixth equipment mentioned in Appendix II shall be provided based on the number of members of each force but no lower than the required quantity and as suitable for the fire and explosion hazards faced by each facility.
4. Circular No. 18/2021/TT-BLDTBXH regulations on hours of work and hours of rest applicable to workers doing seasonal production work and processing of goods under orders
The Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs has issued the Circular dated December 15, 2021 which stipulates plan preparation and implementation of hours of work, hours of rest applicable to workers working under labor contracts of between 12 and 36 months or labor contracts of an indefinite term for the following job:
– Seasonal production work in the fields of agriculture – forestry – fishery – salt production that require instant harvest or instant processing after harvest without delay;
– Processing of goods under orders, of which delivery time requested by the goods owners.
Some highlights regulation of the Circular:
– Standard hours of work in a year:
TQ = [TN – (Tt + Tp + TL)] x tn (hours)
Where:
+ TQ: A worker’s standard hours of work in a year;
+ TN: Number of days in a year, which is 365 in a calendar year, or 366 in a leap year;
+ Tt: Total number of weekly days off in a year
+ Tp: Number of annual leave days, which is 12, 14 or 16 and may be increased depending on working seniority (if any)
+ TL: Number of official holidays in a year, which is 11
+ Tn: Number of daily normal hours of work, which is 8.
– The employer shall make a plan to determine the number of daily standard hours of work of each worker in the following cases: The number of daily standard hours of work is 8; may be more than 8 but may not exceed 12; from 4 to less than 8; a whole day-off is allowed.
– Maximum daily standard hours of work and overtime hours: 12 hours per day, 72 hours per week; 40 overtime hours per month and 300 overtime hours per year
– Hours of rest: Workers are entitled to at least one day off (24 consecutive hours) a week or at least 4 days off every month if weekly days off cannot be arranged.
The Circular was effective from January 02, 2022 and replaced the Circular No. 54/2015/TT-BLDTBXH dated December 12, 2015.
Source: Thuvienphapluat
ONESTEPVIETNAM NEWS
OneStepVietnam team’s auditors have are vaccinated and are now allowed to travel in all areas of Vietnam. Our office is back to work after Lunar New Year Holiday since February 9, 2022. We have conducted on-site audits as normally, remote services including consultation and virtual audit in February 2022.
OneStepVietnam team – February 2022