Vietnam to speed up COVID-19 vaccines' supply for children

Hang told a regular press conference held by the foreign ministry that the Australian Government has committed 12.8 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines for Vietnamese children, of which 4.6 million doses of Mordena have already arrived in the Southeast Asian country.

The Netherlands has also pledged to give Vietnam 2 million doses of Mordena for the group, and France 2 million doses of Pfizer, expected to arrive in Vietnam this month.

The foreign ministry has maintained close coordination with the health ministry in negotiations with international organisations and partners to ensure vaccines for children, contributing to the inoculation target for children in the second quarter of this year in accordance with Government instructions, and meeting the hopes of parents that their children can be safe at school, Hang said.

As reported, one week after the start of a campaign to vaccinate children from 5 to under-12  against COVID-19, a total 88,820 children in the age group had received the first shot as of April 20. The Health Ministry has allocated over 2.3 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine for children to localities.

The northern province of Quang Ninh was the first locality in the country to inoculate children in the age group on April 14. In the capital city of Hanoi, a total 33,382 doses have been administered to children in the target age group since April 16, with no cases of serious reactions reported so far.

With more than 1 million children in the age group, Hanoi aims to have at least 95 percent of them fully vaccinated. The southern hub of Ho Chi Minh City is carrying out the vaccination campaign for 898,538 children from 5 to under-12 in the city from April 16 to 30.