The first shipment of COVID-19 vaccines from the COVAX initiative to Viet Nam originally slated for late March has now been delayed until mid-April due to production issues, said UNICEF UNICEF Representative to Viet Nam Rana Flowers.

Around three million more doses will be arriving by the end of May, pending operational and supply constraints, the statement writes.

Commenting on the adjustment of delivery date and initial quantity of COVAX vaccines to the country, Rana Flowers said the company has not been able to fulfill “the number they have predicted, and that they are going more slowly at this point in time.”

“We have clearly communicated with the Vietnamese officials that the scenario changes every day and therefore a firm commitment can only be given within 24 hours prior to the shipment arriving,” she added.

Earlier, the UNICEF announced to support Viet Nam to buy vaccines that could reach 20% of the population. In March and April, about 4.1 million doses of vaccine will arrive in Viet Nam through the COVAX Facility.

Viet Nam received the first batch of 117,600 AstraZeneca vaccine doses on February 24. From March 8-23, as many as 37,911 health workers at 16 localities nationwide were vaccinated against coronavirus.

Yesterday, the Vietnamese Ministry of Health approved Russia's Sputnik V vaccine for emergency use in Viet Nam. This is the second COVID-19 vaccine approved in the Southeast Asian country so far.