The Centre of Information and Education for Health (CCIH), with support from UNICEF, has organized a visit with a team of journalists to Champasak Province to observe the ongoing rollout of COVAX-supported COVID-19 vaccines from Jul 27 – 28.
The visit comes shortly after the arrival of 1,008,000 doses of the Johnson & Johnson/Janssen (J&J/Janssen) COVID-19 vaccine, donated by the United States Government via the COVAX facility earlier this month, which has provided a significant boost to Lao PDR’s COVID-19 vaccination rollout.
During this visit, journalists from national media had the opportunity to meet with Champassak Governor Vilayvong Bouddakham at the Provincial Governor’s Office.
The Governor informed the media that Champasak province has high responsibility in preventing and controlling the spread of COVID-19. The challenges are to prevent community transmission, manage Lao workers returning back to Champasak from neighbouring countries and increase the rate of COVID-19 vaccination in the province.
According to Governor Vilayvong Bouddakham, the provincial authorities are focusing on six key measures: tighten border surveillance; control the flow of Lao workers returning from neighboring countries and encourage them to enter the country through official checkpoints; improve quarantine camps and increase the number of field hospitals; test returning workers for COVID-19 and, if the results are positive, send them to field hospitals for treatment; disseminate information on the danger of COVID-19, its impact and how to protect people from the pandemic; educate people about the law and legal actions related to the prevention of COVID-19; and manage economy and regulate the prices of essential goods,” said Governor Vilayvong Bouddakham.
“Vaccination is crucial to control and prevent the spread of the pandemic. I would like to take this opportunity to express my thanks to the government and partner countries, including those who have donated vaccines directly to the Government of the Lao PDR and also through COVAX Facility. I would also like to thank UNICEF, WHO and other development partners for their support towards the COVID-19 response in Champassak Province,” noted Mr Vilayvong Bouddakham.
Director of Champassak Provincial Health Department and Secretariat of Provincial Taskforce of COVID-19 Control and Prevention Viengsy Souphakdy also briefed the media about Covid-19 situation in Champassak.
As of Jul 27, 2021, there are 1,498 active cases, including 137 cases of community transmission and 1,361 imported cases, while 652 cases have recovered and 846 cases are still under treatment. No deaths have been reported in the southernmost province so far.
“About 37,000 workers have returned to Champassak Province from Thailand. It is expected that around 8,000 workers will continue to come back home and all returnees are currently in the quarantine camps. The urgent tasks right now are to improve the quarantine centres to accommodate more incoming returnees and train more medical staff, procure more equipment and budget to support the quarantine centres and COVID-19 prevention activities,” said Dr. Viengsy Souphakdy.
According to Governor Vilayvong Bouddakham, the provincial authorities are focusing on six key measures: tighten border surveillance; control the flow of Lao workers returning from neighboring countries and encourage them to enter the country through official checkpoints; improve quarantine camps and increase the number of field hospitals; test returning workers for COVID-19 and, if the results are positive, send them to field hospitals for treatment; disseminate information on the danger of COVID-19, its impact and how to protect people from the pandemic; educate people about the law and legal actions related to the prevention of COVID-19; and manage economy and regulate the prices of essential goods,” said Governor Vilayvong Bouddakham.
“Vaccination is crucial to control and prevent the spread of the pandemic. I would like to take this opportunity to express my thanks to the government and partner countries, including those who have donated vaccines directly to the Government of the Lao PDR and also through COVAX Facility. I would also like to thank UNICEF, WHO and other development partners for their support towards the COVID-19 response in Champassak Province,” noted Mr Vilayvong Bouddakham.
Director of Champassak Provincial Health Department and Secretariat of Provincial Taskforce of COVID-19 Control and Prevention Viengsy Souphakdy also briefed the media about Covid-19 situation in Champassak.
As of Jul 27, 2021, there are 1,498 active cases, including 137 cases of community transmission and 1,361 imported cases, while 652 cases have recovered and 846 cases are still under treatment. No deaths have been reported in the southernmost province so far.
“About 37,000 workers have returned to Champassak Province from Thailand. It is expected that around 8,000 workers will continue to come back home and all returnees are currently in the quarantine camps. The urgent tasks right now are to improve the quarantine centres to accommodate more incoming returnees and train more medical staff, procure more equipment and budget to support the quarantine centres and COVID-19 prevention activities,” said Dr. Viengsy Souphakdy.
“It is very convenient that the J&J/Janssen vaccine requires only one dose,” she said.
Before getting her vaccination, she was slightly worried as she is old and is not in good health. The vaccination team checked her temperature and pulse and asked her if she has any underlying health conditions.
“I told them all about my health conditions and they said no need to worry because everything will be fine. After getting vaccinated, I did not feel any symptoms at all and was able to go home after 15 minutes,” she added.
“It is very convenient that the J&J/Janssen vaccine requires only one dose,” she said.
Before getting her vaccination, she was slightly worried as she is old and is not in good health. The vaccination team checked her temperature and pulse and asked her if she has any underlying health conditions.
“I told them all about my health conditions and they said no need to worry because everything will be fine. After getting vaccinated, I did not feel any symptoms at all and was able to go home after 15 minutes,” she added.
Source: Lao News Agency
