Effectiveness of the lockdown policy in Vietnam during the COVID-19 pandemic
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, in the absence of vaccines and effective treatments, governments worldwide have implemented lockdown policies as non-pharmaceutical interventions to flatten the infection curve. This study evaluates the effectiveness of containment policies implemented at the local level in Vietnam. Data were synthesized from 143 policy interventions across 49 provinces and centrally run cities from April 27 to October 1, 2021, and an interrupted time series (ITS) analysis was used to estimate the effectiveness of each intervention. A random-effects meta-analysis was then conducted to combine the results based on different criteria. This analysis found that Directives No.15/CT-TTg and No.16/CT-TTg were successfully implemented in the provinces of Northern Midlands and Mountains, Red River Delta, North Central, Central Coastline, and Central Highlands. However, these directives were less effective when employed in the Southeast and the Mekong Delta areas. Furthermore, the ITS analysis indicates that Ho Chi Minh City and provinces in the Southeast region implemented stringent lockdown directives later than other regions, leading to the loss of control over the pandemic during the study period. In-depth studies on lockdown interventions could provide valuable insights for policymakers in managing future outbreaks, particularly considering the time required for the development of vaccines and drugs.
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