Coronavirus: Vietnam and the Philippines

Available for over a year

Vietnam was, until recently, one of the world’s Covid success stories. Its policy of early border closures, lockdowns and track and tracing ensured that fewer than 40 people had died from the disease since the start of the pandemic. This all changed in May and host Karnie Sharp talks to two journalists in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi about what happened and what went wrong. As some countries see people returning to work and students going back to school after the summer break, there are others where strict restrictions are still in place. Children in the Philippines, for instance, are still at home and have not been inside a classroom since the official start of the pandemic. We hear from three parents and their children in Manila on the effect of remote learning for over 18 months, with most children also unable to leave their homes. (Photo: Floyd and his son JD with kind permission)