COVID-19 vaccines to be distributed equally: Deputy PM

Vietnam will effectively use the gift, he said, adding that the vaccine will be distributed on the basis of equal access for all.

So far, Vietnam has organised COVID-19 vaccinations in a very careful and prompt manner, he said.

Meanwhile, UN Resident Coordinator in Vietnam recognised Vietnam’s efforts in preventing the COVID-19 pandemic from spreading.

Vietnam’s quick response to the pandemic has minimised its impacts on the local’s lives, he noted.

He said that this year, 2 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines are expected to be provided for 92 countries in the first step and 190 countries in the next stage.

So far, COVAX has supplied 33 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine to 73 eligible countries.

The vaccine doses have been immediately transferred to the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology (NIHE) for storage, awaiting the health ministry’s instructions on the allocation of the vaccine to 63 cities and provinces during this month. Another batch of over 3.36 million doses will be provided for Vietnam in May.

Vietnam had been promised 30 million doses of the vaccine under COVAX, a global mechanism for developing, manufacturing and procuring COVID-19 vaccine that help member countries access vaccines as they become available.

The remaining batches are scheduled to arrive in the country by the year-end or early 2022.

All of the doses will be supplied free of charge by COVAX through UNICEF.