Third phase of COVID-19 vaccination campaign begins

Illustrative image (Source: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) –
has asked agencies and localities
nationwide to immediately make plans to carry out the third phase of COVID-19
vaccination on greater scale compared to the previous phases.

According to the
official, 1.682 million doses of AstraZenceca COVID-19
vaccine will arrive in Vietnam on May 16, which are supplied by
via the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

Dr Duong Thi Hong, Deputy Director of the National  Institute  of Hygiene and
Epidemiology said that the Expanded Programme on Immunisation will continue to
hold trainings on , especially pre-vaccination screening
and response to post-injection reations to ensure safety.

Meanwhile, Prof. Dr Phan Trong Lan, head of
the Ho Chi Minh City Pasteur Institute underlined the significance of COVID-19
vaccination amid the complicated pandemic situation in the region and the world
with over 3 million deaths so far.

Minister Long said that the Ministry of
Health has negotiated with many countries, organisations and vaccine producers,
resulting in 110 million doses of vaccines committed for Vietnam, including 31
million doses from COVAX Facility, 30 million from AstraZeneca, and 31 million
from Pfizer/BioNTech.  The ministry has
registered with COVAX to buy additional 10 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine
under the cost-share mechanism, he added.

Long affirmed that the ministry is still
working with other suppliers to diversify sources of supplies.

Since March 2021, the COVID-19 vaccination
scheme has been carried out, with priority given to frontline medical workers
and people involving in COVID-19 prevention and control activities.

As of May 13, 959,182 doses of COVID-19
vaccines had been administered to the target groups in an effective and safe
manner. The second phase of the scheme is expected to complete on May 15./.