Seven batches of COVID-19 vaccines set to arrive in Vietnam

The initial batch of 117,000 COVID-19 vaccines from AstraZeneca arrived in the country on February 24. They are to be prioritised specifically for those on the frontline of the fight against the pandemic, including medical workers, doctors, nurses, contact tracers, and officials on COVID-19 prevention and control committees.

The second batch, expected to arrive within the first half of this year, will be made up of 1.5 million additional doses, of which 1.2 million will be provided by COVAX, with the rest made up of those by AstraZeneca. These doses will also be prioritised for those on the frontline of the fight against the pandemic, with the addition of diplomatic personnel, customs officers, immigration officers, and soldiers.

The third batch is set to arrive within the second quarter and will include 8.2 million additional doses from AstraZeneca. Soldiers who have are not inoculated during the second wave of vaccines, along with police officers, teachers, and the elderly, those aged 80 and above, will be vaccinated during this period.

The fourth batch is expected to arrive within the third quarter and will consist of 10.9 million doses, including 3.6 million from COVAX with the remainder coming from AstraZeneca. At this point, the elderly who have not been vaccinated, along with those working in essential businesses and those suffering from chronic conditions, will be inoculated.

The fifth batch is anticipated to arrive between the fourth quarter of this year and the first quarter of 2022, and will be made up of 14.4 million doses by AstraZeneca for those suffering from chronic conditions and those who have not yet been vaccinated.

The sixth batch will come within the same time frame as the fifth and will include 25.2 million COVAX doses for those with chronic conditions and individuals who have not yet been vaccinated, along with those aged between 65 and 80.

The final batch is set to arrive between the second quarter and fourth quarter of 2022 and will be made up of 90.5 million doses from both foreign and domestic producers. They will be administered to those aged between 65 and 80, in addition to those who have not been vaccinated, along with those aged 18 and above who have not been included in the aforementioned priority list.

According to the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control, vaccines should be prioritised for citizens in areas hit by outbreaks, with the Health Ministry and other relevant agencies being responsible for managing the purchase, import, and distribution of vaccines.