COVID-19 vaccination in Binh Duong (Photo: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) – The northwestern
province of Dien Bien administered the first shots of the AstraZeneca COVID-19
vaccine to at its temporary hospital for coronavirus
treatment at the medical centre of Phu city on March 18.
On the first day, 80 of the hospital’s 172 staff
members were given injections, with every necessary measure taken to ensure
absolute safety.
Dr Nguyen Duc Hanh from the hospital’s emergency
department said it was an honour to be the first person to get the jab, adding
that as a health worker, he knows of the benefits of vaccination and also feels assured
since preparations for inoculations have been conducted professionally.
Dien Bien province has received 1,900 doses of
the AstraZeneca vaccine from the Ministry of Health in the first phase.
It plans to initially provide the vaccine to priority
groups in Muong Ang district, the health checkpoint at Pha Din Pass in Tuan
Giao district, Dien Bien Phu city, and the Dien Bien General Hospital. The
first shots are to be administered on March 18 and 19.
Meanwhile in the Mekong Delta province of Dong Thap, about 900,000 people from priority groups will be vaccinated, according to the
provincial People’s Committee.
Apart from the 11 priority groups selected by
the Government, the local administration has requested relevant agencies review
forces performing duties and residents in border areas, to include them on the
priority list.
Dong Thap is scheduled to inject 350 doses
allocated by the Health Ministry to staff at the Hong Ngu General Hospital,
which is treating COVID-19 patients, from March 23 to 26.
Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s
Committee Doan Tan Buu, who is also deputy head of the province’s steering
committee for COVID-19 prevention and control, said that apart from tightening
control in border areas, Dong Thap has also supported neighbouring Cambodian
provinces with medical supplies and established plans to ensure health and safety
during the upcoming general elections.
The 11 priority groups in the country’s COVID-19
vaccination plan consist of healthcare workers; those who have joined the
fight; diplomats and customs and immigration officers; military personnel;
public security forces; teachers; people over 65 years of age; providers of
essential goods; people with chronic diseases; those who must work or study
abroad; and residents in pandemic-hit areas.
Vietnam received the first 117,600 doses of the AstraZeneca
vaccine on February 24 and launched the inoculation drive on March 8. Medical
workers in Hanoi, HCM City, and northern Hai Duong province – the country’s largest
coronavirus hotspot in the latest outbreak – were the first to be vaccinated./.
Source: VietnamPlus
