COVID-19 vaccination (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi - Vietnam and the Philippines showed their best performances in the COVID-19 Recovery Index for May announced by Nikkei Asia on June 3 as both managed to ease restrictions while keeping infections low.

The index assesses achievements of countries and regions in responding to and managing infections, vaccine rollouts and social mobility.

The higher the ranking, the closer a place is to recovery, characterised by lower infection and death rates, better inoculation coverage, as well as fewer movement restrictions.

Based on data newly updated by Nikkei, Vietnam jumped 48 places to 14th.

With more than 80 percent of the population fully vaccinated and 60 percent got booster doses, Vietnam received a score of 27 out of a possible 30 for inoculations, Nikkaei said.

It also said Vietnam is also the first country in Southeast Asia to exempt foreign travelers from all testing, vaccination and quarantine requirements.

Similarly, the Philippines climbed to the 33rd place in the ranking thanks to a significant decline of infections.