Socializing the supply of Covid-19 vaccines to expand coverage is a major policy of the Party and State. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Dac Phu, Senior Advisor of the Center for Response to Public Health Events (Ministry of Health) spoke with Customs News about this issue.

Prof. Dr. Tran Dac Phu, Senior Advisor of the Center for Response
to Public Health Events (Ministry of Health)

What do you think about the Prime Minister's decision to establish a vaccine fund for Covid-19 prevention and control?

The view of the Party and State is "fighting the pandemic, means fighting the enemy" and mobilizing society to participate in this task. I think the decision to establish a vaccine fund for Covid-19 prevention and control is completely reasonable in the current situation, because vaccines bring great effectiveness in prevention.

Vaccine socialization not only mobilizes people to contribute to the Covid-19 vaccine fund, but also mobilizes the supply so that our country has the fastest and earliest vaccine sources to inject people. It is estimated that Vietnam needs 150 million doses of vaccine for the 2-dose type/person to inject about 60-70% of the population to achieve herd immunity. The number of these vaccines is very large, requiring the cooperation of the State, businesses and people.

The Covid-19 vaccine has an expiration date of 6 months to a year, but in 2021 Vietnam has negotiated 130 million doses. So in such a time, can Vietnam get all these vaccines, sir?

Other vaccines are researched and manufactured for 4-5 years, so the expiration date should be assessed. However, currently all Covid-19 vaccines in the world have been researched and produced in less than a year, so manufacturers have not yet assessed how long the vaccine shelf-life is. Therefore, the Covid-19 vaccine has a short shelf-life.

For all Covid-19 vaccines imported into Vietnam, the Ministry of Health and the People's Committees of provinces must have a plan to supply and inject a large volume of vaccines in a short time. With early vaccination, we can solve the current pandemic.

Vietnam strives from now to October 2021 to achieve herb immunity of 60-70%, that is, about 60-70% of the population is vaccinated against Covid-19. But I also want to say that from now until the end of 2021, we have not reached that desired rate. Therefore, people must implement 5K measures. The Prime Minister has also thoroughly mastered pandemic prevention with the motto "vaccine plus 5K".

How is the domestic production of Covid-19 vaccines, sir?

Vietnam is a country with experience in vaccine production and has produced over 10 vaccines. For the Covid-19 vaccine, there are currently three manufacturers, Nanogen, Ivax and Vabiotech, in which Nanogen's vaccine is in phase 3. I think if Nanogen's vaccine is tested in phase 3 with good results, in 2021 Vietnam will have a vaccine for people.

The production of vaccines in the country is extremely necessary to meet the immediate and long-term sources. When we ensure the supply of vaccines, the vaccination coverage plan will be implemented and the price of vaccines will be lower than those of imported vaccines.

At the same time, Vietnam has been negotiating with a number of countries around the world to transfer vaccine production technology. With the production technology of some countries, Vietnam not only produces Covid-19 vaccines but can learn to produce many other vaccines.

Recently, the Ministry of Health has announced 36 businesses eligible to import vaccines, what do you think these businesses need to do to be able to import Covid-19 vaccines? What advice do you have for businesses that want to import vaccines, sir?

I highly appreciate the enterprises and companies that implement the Government's policy of socializing vaccines. Vaccines are special drugs, so enterprises importing vaccines must ensure a very strict process, from production to transportation, storage and distribution.

Vaccines licensed for domestic circulation by the Ministry of Health have all been assessed to meet world standards or are used by advanced countries in the world.

The Ministry of Health has said there are 36 businesses eligible to import vaccines, so any unit that has the supply to import vaccines needs to contact qualified businesses to import them. As for the businesses that have the function of importing vaccines, they can import them directly.

Firstly, enterprises importing vaccines to inject people who are not officials and employees of that enterprise need to have the sharing and direction of the Government and the Ministry of Health to consider which subjects to give priority for injection.

Secondly, in case an enterprise imports vaccines to directly inject its workers and officials, it must have a plan to administer and must have injection techniques.

Because vaccination is not a normal injection, but also a screening examination and follow-up 14 days after vaccination. All injection procedures must follow the regulations of the Ministry of Health to ensure safety and effectiveness.

Deputy Minister of Health Truong Quoc Cuong said that the Ministry of Health was tasked with importing 150 million doses of vaccine to administer 70% of the population aged 18 and over.

So far, Vietnam has ordered 170 million doses of vaccine, but the manufacturer does not commit to deliver on schedule.

However, from August 2021, more vaccine sources will come to Vietnam. Of which, Pfizer committed to deliver 15.5 million doses in the third quarter and an equal number in the fourth quarter of 2021. AstraZeneca and Covax also committed to providing Vietnam with about 30 million doses of vaccine. Recently, the Russian side also committed to give Vietnam 20 million doses of Sputnik V.