5 covered groups of people include: Inpatients; outpatients tested after a decision is made to transfer to inpatient treatment; medical staff, workers at medical facilities; if patient caregivers (maximum no more than 2 people on rotation) are allowed to stay; foreigners and Vietnamese residing abroad entering Vietnam who have completed the prescribed medical isolation period but belong to the groups mentioned above. The scope of application is medical facilities nationwide, including field hospitals and COVID-19 initial treatment and reception facilities.

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The above groups, when testing for SARS-CoV-2 virus at medical facilities, are covered based on 2 funding sources, including health insurance fund and state budget. Specifically, the health insurance fund pays the subjects in the above 5 groups and the holders of health insurance cards when going for medical care at the facility according to the scope of benefit and the benefit level of the case designated by the hospital for testing. For those who belong to the above group but do not have a health insurance card or have a health insurance card that is not covered by the health insurance fund and the co-payment (if any) of the patient, the cost will be covered by the state budget.

Regarding testing methods, medical facilities shall base on the implementation capacity and guidance of the MoH to perform testing according to one or a combination of methods. Prices for payment of testing costs shall comply with the guidance of the MoH. The maximum price of SARS-CoV-2 virus testing service by RT-PCR technique from oropharyngeal swabs (applicable to single samples) is VND 734,000/sample.

The MoH also stipulates a specific frequency of testing for each group of subjects. Specifically, officials, medical staff, and workers at medical facilities may perform periodic testing every 7 days. For patients who need to be transferred to inpatient care after outpatient examination, they will be tested immediately after the decision is made. Referral patients must also be tested.

Inpatients can be tested every 7 days. In case there is a case of COVID-19 in the treatment area, it is necessary to immediately test all subjects. The family member taking care of the patient who is allowed to stay will be tested once in case the patient is inpatient for less than 7 days or 3 days. For patients who have been under inpatient treatment for 3 or 7 days or more, their caregivers can go for 2 tests.