Taking Stock : What will be the New Normal for Vietnam? - The Economic Impact of COVID-19

Vietnamese economy suffered from COVID-19 in the first half of 2020, prospects remain positive for both the short and medium term. The main challenge for Vietnam will be finding new drivers of growth to consolidate the expected recovery. The country’s traditional sources of growth–foreign demand and private consumption–are unlikely to return to their pre-crisis levels soon, amid continued uncertainties both at home and abroad. COVID-19 has also caused a surge in inequality as the pandemic affects businesses and people differently as, for example, workers in the service sector has seen a bigger decline in their income than farmers.