Not. Currently, the number of confirmed 2019-nCoV cases in Vietnam is 10 (as of February 4, 2020). Therefore, this virus is not spreading so widely in the Vietnamese community that everyone has to wear a mask when on the street. The Ministry of Health of Vietnam recommends wearing masks when traveling to crowded places or when interacting with people with symptoms.
Wearing a medical mask can help prevent certain respiratory illnesses. However, using only masks does not guarantee infection and should be combined with other precautions including hand and respiratory hygiene, and avoiding close contact – at least within 1 meter distance between you and others.
The Ministry of Health recommends wearing masks when going to crowded places.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends using medical masks appropriately to avoid unnecessary waste and avoid misuse of masks. Proper use of masks means to be used only when there are respiratory symptoms (cough, runny nose), suspected 2019-nCoV infection with mild symptoms or when caring for a suspected person 2019-nCoV. The suspected 2019-nCoV infection is someone who has been to or had close contact with someone who has been to an epidemic area in China and has respiratory symptoms.
Dr. Nguyen Xuan Hung – Director of Share99 Institute for Applied Research and Regenerative Medicine (VIASRM) translates and synthesizes from sources: CDC, WHO, ECDC.
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