HCMC – As of December 7, eight cities and provinces completed the administering of the second Covid-19 vaccine shot to residents aged 18 and older, according to the Ministry of Health.
They are Long An, Lam Dong, Khanh Hoa, Ca Mau, Danang, Vinh Long, Hau Giang and Dien Bien.
Vietnam has administered 128 million doses, with 73.3 million doses used as first shots and 54.4 million as second shots, the local media reported.
Nine localities have administered the second doses to over 90% of residents eligible for vaccination, comprising Hanoi, HCMC, Dong Nai, Haiphong, Quang Ninh, Yen Bai, Can Tho, Ba Ria-Vung Tau and Dak Nong.
In addition, 40 cities and provinces have completed the administering of the first shots.
Hoa Binh and Quang Nam had the lowest rate of administering the first doses, at over 81% each. All 63 localities have administered the first shots to over 80% of eligible residents.
Meanwhile, Thanh Hoa had the lowest rate of administering the second dose, at 28%. Nam Dinh, Thai Binh, Quang Nam, Son La and Tuyen Quang also had a rate of below 50%.
Pham Quang Thai, head of the northern region office of the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, said the Covid-19 vaccines were enough for localities to administer the second shots for all residents 18 and above. However, localities were responsible for reaching the target of vaccinating all of them at the end of this year.
Thai said the travel between localities had been made more comfortable, so many people received the first and second doses in two different places. Therefore, Thai asked the provinces to enhance cooperation.
At a meeting on December 5, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh required that in December at the latest, localities must complete administering the second dose to residents at 18 years of age and above. The competent agencies must have a roadmap to complete the vaccination of children aged between 12 and 17 and administer booster shots, especially for people 50 and older.
The prime minister also asked the competent agencies to study the possibility and plan to vaccinate children aged five and older against Covid-19.
In related news, Hanoi has returned the vaccine allocated from the two batches whose shelf life had been extended by three months, said director of the municipal Department of Education and Training Tran The Cuong.
At a meeting of the Hanoi People’s Council today, December 7, Cuong said the results of the city’s vaccination of children were positive, calling for parents to let their children get vaccinated as soon as possible.
