With 75 points, Vietnam is ranked 8th among 121 countries and territories listed in the Japanese-based media group Nikkei's latest and last COVID-19 Recovery Index.
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The index assesses 121 countries and regions on infection management, vaccine rollouts and social mobility. A higher ranking indicates a more advanced recovery, characterised by lower infection and death rates, better inoculation coverage and fewer restrictions on movement.
From the 100th place when the ranking was first published in July 2021, Vietnam has seen significant improvement to be ranked in the top ten for four straight months since May 2022.
A number of other Southeast Asian countries also recorded significant improvement in the ranking, notably Cambodia at the 4th place with 76.5 points, the highest in the region.
According to Nikkei, Vietnam and Cambodia have achieved a dramatic turnaround. They had early success in managing the coronavirus one year into the pandemic, but were then hit hard by the delta variant in the middle of 2021, when they had barely started mass inoculations. This forced the duo to impose draconian measures, including lockdowns.
Nevertheless, they successfully expedited their inoculation drives. Vietnam earned full marks, or a score of 30, for vaccinations in the latest index, while Cambodia scored 29. Both governments have dropped COVID-related restrictions and fully reopened to international tourists.
Their progress has translated into brighter economic outlooks. In its latest economic forecast, the World Bank raised Vietnam's annual growth prediction to 7.2% from 5.3% and Cambodia's to 4.8% from 4.5%.
The October edition of the index is the final installment, as some data sources will soon cease to be updated./.
VNA
