The Ministry of Health (MOH) has issued Decision No. 2499/QD-BYT on the allocation of 1,682,400 AstraZeneca vaccine doses shipped recently to Viet Nam via the COVAX Facility, for the third phase of the national vaccination program.

Vaccines allocated to units for third phase of COVID-19 immunization

The vaccine doses will be distributed to 63 cities and provinces nationwide, as well as the health, public security and military sectors, with Ha Noi receiving the largest number of doses with 71,000, followed by Ho Chi Minh City with 70,000.

Specifically, the MOH will allocate AstraZeneca vaccine doses to the Centers for Disease Control (CDCs) of cities and provinces; the public security and army forces; institutes, hospitals and universities; and the remaining units under the MOH through provincial-level CDCs.

The ministry requested the National Expanded Immunization Project (run by the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology) to receive, preserve, send samples for quality accreditation, and transport vaccines to its regional branches for immediate distribution to localities and units.

Units are responsible for implementing the COVID-19 inoculation immediately after receiving the vaccines. Regarding those under the MOH, the Expanded Immunization Project will allocate vaccines to them through the CDCs in the localities where they are located.

The allotted units will use the vaccines distributed from the National Expanded Immunization Project to immunize units and agencies pursuant to the MOH’s Official Dispatch No. 3823/BYT-DP dated May 7, 2021 (including central agencies, ministries, corporations, international organizations in Ha Noi, and diplomatic agencies), as well as their officials and employees.

If the vaccines are not used up, the units will need to work with the National Expanded Immunization Project to proactively coordinate and vaccinate other priority subjects according to the Government’s Resolution No. 21/NQ-CP as assigned, ensuring the effective use of vaccines.

The MOH noted that those who have been administered the first dose will get the second shot 8-12 weeks after the first one. Units and localities must implement the immunization right after they get the vaccines, and the inoculation must be completed before August 15, 2021.