The vaccine doses will be transported to the National Institute for Hygiene and Epidemiology for storage.

Earlier on April 1, Viet Nam received the first batch of 811,200 doses from the COVAX Facility - a global initiative between the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO), to ensure fair and equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines.

Viet Nam began national vaccination program on March 8 with health workers among the top priority groups. As many as 977,032 people were inoculated as of May 15, according to the Ministry of Health.

Of the above figure, 22,512 people have got the two COVID-19 vaccine shots, the ministry added.

The ministry said it planned to acquire 170 million doses for its free vaccination program including both those directly purchased and doses obtained via the COVAX Facility.

In addition, Viet Nam is also stepping up research and development of four domestic vaccines, with two of them under the first and second phases of human trials.

The first homegrown COVID-19 vaccine, called Nanocovax, is expected to be put into use in 2022./.