First batch of AstraZeneca vaccine to be delivered in late February

This is the first batch of Vietnam’s order of 30 million doses of the vaccine bought directly from the manufacturer, in addition to 4.88 million doses that the country is receiving under the WHO-led COVAX initiative aimed at equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines, especially for poor and developing countries.

The batch is expected to be delivered by AstraZeneca Vietnam on February 28.

Vietnam opted for the Oxford/Zeneca vaccine mostly because it could be stored at normal fridge temperatures of 2-8 degrees Celsius, instead of stringent super cold storage conditions like its Moderna and Pfizer counterparts.

Vietnam has one locally-made COVID-19 vaccine, Nanocovax, in the second phase human trials, with another expected to start at the end of February./.