On April 19, at the request of the Ministry of Health, a mobile team consisting of 13 medical staff from the Ho Chi Minh City-based Cho Ray Hospital set out to support Kien Giang in COVID-19 prevention and control. The team will coordinate with the local authorities and concerned units for emergency construction of two field hospitals in the cities of Ha Tien and Rach Gia, as well as an ICU with sufficient equipment to support treatment for critically ill patients stationed at Ha Tien General Hospital, which is defined as the local frontline unit in receiving, caring for and treating COVID-19 patients.
In addition, in order to take initiative in planning, improving treatment capacity and efficiency, and being ready to respond to any epidemic situations in Kien Giang, the ministry has assigned Cho Ray Hospital to coordinate with the locality to build options for establishing treatment venues that can accommodate severe to very critical cases, as well as providing training and guidance to help the local health sector master difficult techniques in emergency resuscitation.
On April 19, a number of localities continued to inject, train and receive batches of vaccines against COVID-19. Phu Yen Province started vaccination in nine districts, towns and cities, with the first round taking place from April 19 to 26, in which 3,000 doses are to be given first to forces directly involved in the prevention and control of COVID-19. In addition to the 5,600 doses allocated by the Ministry of Health previously, Phu Yen has also been allocated an additional 950 doses for the police and border guards on duty in isolation camps and medical checkpoints.
Vaccination against COVID-19 in the first phase at Phu Yen General Hospital. (Photo: NDO/Trinh Ke)
Ho Chi Minh City has organised the 1st COVID-19 vaccination drive for 8,872 people directly involved in the prevention and control of COVID-19, including employees from 71 medical facilities and staff from concentrated camps in the city. On April 19, the city started the second injection campaign with the first injection held at District 1 Hospital. With 56,250 doses provided by the Ministry of Health for the second stage, the city will organise vaccination for health care workers who received the first shot in the first round, people working in medical facilities who have not been vaccinated and staff working at Tan Son Nhat International Airport who have contact with passengers and incoming goods. They are at high risk of COVID-19 infection and works in key facilities and units that need the highest security against COVID-19 to prevent it from entering and spreading into the community.
On the same day, the Mekong Delta province of Vinh Long received 5,600 doses of COVID-19 vaccines provided by the Vietnam Vaccine Joint Stock Company according to the allocation plan from the Ministry of Health for vaccination in phase 2, which is scheduled to commence from today, April 20.
