From October 20, COVID-19 officially becomes a group B infectious disease

Accordingly, in Decision No. 3896/QD-BYT signed and issued by Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Thi Lien Huong - Deputy Minister of Health on October 19, from October 20, COVID-19 is no longer a group A infectious disease but has been transferred to group B of the Law on Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases 2007.

The decision of the Ministry of Health clearly states: Adjusting acute respiratory infections caused by the new strain of Corona virus (nCov) causing COVID-19 from group A infectious diseases to group B infectious diseases according to the provisions of Point b, Clause 1 and Clause 2, Article 3 of the Law on Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases 2007.

Previously, Decision No. 219/QD-BYT dated January 29, 2020 of the Ministry of Health on adding acute respiratory infections caused by the new strain of nCov virus to the list of group A infectious diseases as prescribed in the Law on Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases 2007 expired.

According to the new decision, COVID-19 prevention and control activities are carried out in accordance with the provisions of the Law on Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases for Group B infectious diseases.

COVID-19 is no longer a group A infectious disease but has moved to group B.

Regarding the basis for declaring the end of the COVID-19 epidemic, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha signed Decision 26/2023/QD-TTg amending the Appendix regulating the average incubation period and the period of time when no new cases of infectious diseases are detected as the basis for declaring the end of an infectious disease epidemic, issued together with Decision No. 02/2016/QD-TTg dated January 28, 2016, stipulating the conditions for declaring an epidemic and declaring the end of an infectious disease epidemic.

The decision clearly states: Adding groups, average incubation period and time without detecting new cases of COVID-19 (formerly known as acute respiratory infection caused by the new strain of nCov virus). Accordingly, COVID-19 belongs to group B, the average incubation period is 4 days, the time without detecting new cases is 8 days.

Previously, according to the provisions of Decision No. 07/2020/QD-TTg amending and supplementing a number of Articles of Decision No. 02/2016/QD-TTg dated January 28, 2016 of the Prime Minister on the conditions for declaring an epidemic and declaring the end of an infectious disease epidemic, the average incubation period of COVID-19 is 14 days and the time without detecting any new cases of COVID-19 is 28 days.

According to the Ministry of Health, the revision of the average incubation period to reduce from 14 days to 4 days and the time without detecting new COVID-19 cases to reduce from 28 days to 8 days is based on scientific grounds; the current developments of the COVID-19 epidemic and according to the recommendations of the World Health Organization and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

On October 19, 2023, the Prime Minister issued Decision No. 26/2023/QD-TTg amending the Appendix regulating the average incubation period and the period of time when no new cases of infectious diseases are detected as a basis for declaring the end of an infectious disease epidemic, issued together with Decision No. 02/2016/QD-TTg dated January 28, 2016, regulating the conditions for declaring an epidemic and declaring the end of an infectious disease epidemic.

Thus, from October 20, 2023, COVID-19 is a group B infectious disease, with an average incubation period of 4 days; The period of time without detecting any new cases of infectious disease as a basis for declaring the end of an infectious disease epidemic issued with Decision No. 02/2016/QD-TTg dated January 28, 2016 for COVID-19 is 8 days.

Vietnam has administered 266,532,582 doses of COVID-19 vaccine.

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/tu-20-10-covid-19-chinh-thuc-thanh-benh-truyen-nhiem-nhom-b-post269262.html