Illustrative image (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) –The fourth batch of AstraZeneca vaccine with 288,000 doses arrived at Tan SonNhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City on May 25 night.
It is the second batchordered by the Health Ministry via the Vietnam Vaccine JSC (VNVC) and the fourthdelivery to Vietnam.
So far, four batchesof 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 dateconducted vaccinations in the first and second stages in cities and provinceswith over 1,034,072 doses administered to those in the priority list in accordance with Resolution No.21/NQ-CP datedFebruary 26 on the purchase and use of COVID-19 vaccines.
The country has rollled out vaccinations since March 8, targeting frontlinemedical staff, members of COVID-19 prevention and control teams, members of publicsecurity and army forces, with 28,503 being given enough two shots.
Minister of Health NguyenThanh Long said the ministry successfully negotiated with AstraZeneca,Pfizer/BioNTech and COVAX Facility – a global vaccine sharing mechanism.
It also registered withCOVAX to buy more vaccines under the cost sharing mechanism.
It is estimated thatVietnam 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 31million from Pfizer/BioNTech.
However, the ministrytargeted having enough 150 million doses to inoculate 75 percent of theVietnamese 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’svaccine fund./.
