Additional 288,000 AstraZeneca vaccine doses arrive in Vietnam

Illustrative image (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – The fourth batch of AstraZeneca vaccine with 288,000 doses arrived at Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City on May 25 night.

It is the second batch ordered by the Health Ministry via the Vietnam Vaccine JSC (VNVC) and the fourth delivery to Vietnam.

So far, four batches of AstraZeneca vaccine have been delivered to Vietnam with nearly 2.9 million doses, including 117,600 on February 24; 811,200 on April 1; 1.682 million on May 16, and the latest 288,000.

Vietnam has to date conducted vaccinations in the first and second stages in cities and provinces with over 1,034,072 doses administered to those in the priority list in accordance with Resolution No.21/NQ-CP dated February 26 on the purchase and use of COVID-19 vaccines.

The country has rollled out vaccinations since March 8, targeting frontline medical staff, members of COVID-19 prevention and control teams, members of public security and army forces, with 28,503 being given enough two shots.

Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long said the ministry successfully negotiated with AstraZeneca, Pfizer/BioNTech and COVAX Facility – a global vaccine sharing mechanism.

It also registered with COVAX to buy more vaccines under the cost sharing mechanism.

It is estimated that Vietnam will have some 110 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines by late 2021, including 38.9 million from COVAX, 30 million from AstraZeneca via VNVC, and 31 million from Pfizer/BioNTech.

However, the ministry targeted having enough 150 million doses to inoculate 75 percent of the Vietnamese population as directed by the Politburo and the Government.

To such end, it is necessary to have the participation of groups and businesses to donate to the country’s vaccine fund./.