Herd immunity expected to be reached at super fast manner: Health Minister

(Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam is about to launch its largest-scale vaccination campaign ever with around 150 million COVID-19 vaccine doses to be injected, aiming to reach herd immunity at an extremely fast manner, according to Health Minister Nguyen Thanh Long.

Speaking to the media about the campaign, Long said that it will be implemented in every province and city and injection stations will be set up in all communes and wards. It is a very important factor for the success of the vaccination campaign, he stressed.

Apart from current injection sites, there will be mobile injection stations to vaccinate people in factories, students in schools and other areas to ensure residents can be injected in the most convenient and easiest way.

The campaign will be participated by all ministries and sectors, especially, the Ministry of National Defence, the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of Information and Communications, the Ministry of Transport to support the health ministry.

Health Minister Nguyen Thanh Long (Photo: VNA)

“We will also strengthen the application of information technology in the prevention of the COVID-19 pandemic, including deploying vaccinations under the direction of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh. We have successfully applied information technology in the fight against the pandemic in the past”, he stated.

Currently, the health ministry has already set up an electronic health book for individuals. Citizens will register for the vaccination on their electronic health book or via text message.

Then, the system will send messages to people to inform them about the vaccination time and place to avoid having to wait for the injection. Those who meet medical requirements will be injected and confirmed 'vaccinated' on the electronic health book. The database will later be used for vaccination passports.

People can report symptoms and post-injection reactions via the electronic health book for health agencies to manage and begin treatment.

Regarding the goal of the COVID-19 vaccination campaign, the official said Vietnam is pursuing herd immunity in 2021 and early 2022.

“We have to vaccinate at least 70 percent of the total population to get the target of herd immunity and bring our lives back to normal”.

The health ministry has reported to the Politburo and the Government on the issue of purchasing vaccines as well as implementing the vaccination campaign to ensure that people can access vaccination soon.

A new lot of COVID-19 vaccine has arrived in Vietnam (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Minister Long stressed that vaccination safety is a matter of special concern to the health ministry. The ministry has always put safety first during the implementation of vaccinations in Vietnam not only for COVID-19 vaccines but also many other vaccines.

The difference of the vaccination programme in our country compared to other countries is the careful screening of all people before vaccination. If a person fails to meet the health requirements, the injection station will delay the inoculation.

Facilities providing vaccinations must ensure standards of facilities, equipment and human resources. The facilities must also carry out pre-vaccination screenings and counselling as well as organise safe vaccinations under the guidance of the Ministry of Health.

He advised people must stay at the vaccination station for at least 30 minutes after being injected to monitor their health. They will be instructed to monitor their health at home for at least the next 24 hours and continue monitoring for up to three weeks after injection, he said.

Hospitals are always ready to perform emergency treatment for people with severe reactions to ensure maximum safety for them.

The ministry has also set up the Steering Committee on Immunisation Safety, bringing together leading experts and professors in various fields to be ready to help localities across the country to ensure vaccination safety./.