HCMC needs 5.5 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines in August

Specifically, the city needs 800,000 doses of AstraZeneca for people who had been inoculated from eight to 12 weeks earlier and 200,000 doses of Moderna for others who got first jabs four weeks ago.   

HCMC has step up negotiations with vaccine suppliers and is looking for vaccine sources with an aim to achieve herd immunity as quickly as possible. 

The southern metropolis kicked off the largest ever COVID-19 vaccination campaign on June 19 and has strived to speed up the rollout during the extensive social distancing period. 1,200 vaccination teams have been set up, capable of administering up to 240,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses per day. The city aims to deliver the first dose to 70% of its population by August.

This inoculation phase is intended for 15 priority groups, with residents aged 65 and above, as well as people with underlying health conditions, such as chronic kidney disease, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, being asked to receive jabs at hospitals while others have been directed to vaccination points throughout the city.

The city has recorded over 105,095 infections since April 27, when the fourth COVID-19 wave erupted in Viet Nam, with thousands of cases added each day./.  

By Khanh Phuong