HCMC – The Ministry of Health has allowed cities and provinces to decide on the shortening of the interval between the two doses of the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine after HCMC and Long An Province proposed reducing the time to six weeks, instead of 8-12 weeks.
When cities and provinces weigh shortening the interval, they should refer to the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO) and vaccine producers as well as the ministry’s guidance.
The Ministry of Health asked the Departments of Health of cities and provinces to propose the appropriate interval to the municipal and provincial governments in line with the recommendations of vaccine producers and the developments of the pandemic.
After the municipal and provincial governments approve the proposed interval, the Departments of Health must direct vaccination teams to develop vaccination plans and make a list of those eligible for getting vaccinated. They must inform residents about the shortening of the interval and its efficiency and safety and administer the second shot earlier than recommended to those who agree with the reduced time.
The AstraZeneca producer has recommended that from the 22nd day of the first shot, the efficacy rate is 69.2%.
If the interval between two shots is less than six weeks, between six and eight weeks and over 12 weeks, the rate will be 55.1%, 59.7% and 80%, respectively.
WHO has recommended that the interval between the first and second doses of AstraZeneca should be eight to 12 weeks.
