Hanoi began Covid-19 inoculation for students aged 15-17 from November 23, using the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, the municipal health department announced.

The first five districts, including Dong Da, Thanh Xuan, Hai Ba Trung, Long Bien, and Soc Son carried out Covid-19 vaccination for students aged 15-17 at local school sites this morning.

Nearly 2,000 students at Phan Huy Chu High School in Hanoi's inner district of Dong Da were the first students in the capital city to receive a Covid-19 vaccine.

From the early morning, the school and functional forces welcomed students, instructed them to make medical declarations, take their temperature and scan the QR code right from the school gate.

To ensure the distance, the school arranges classes to be injected at different time frames.

Pfizer/BioNTech shots have been recommended for children by the World Health Organization. The Hanoi Health Department allocated 304,140 doses to 30 districts to give the first jab to children aged 15-17 studying and living in the city. This inoculation drive is expected to last three days.

After injection at the site, all the students were monitored for at least 30 minutes. Then, a certificate of vaccination will be issued along with instructions for monitoring the children at home, including the phone number of the medical facility to contact when needed.

"Safety must be the top priority. Health and safety regulations must be strictly followed, with medical personnel standing by to monitor health conditions. All sites must have mobile emergency teams and ambulances to handle any adverse event after the shots,” Director of Hanoi Department of Health Tran Thi Nhi Ha told The Hanoi Times.

Vaccines would be given at schools for those attending schools and at medical stations for those who don't. Children with congenital diseases or chronic diseases will receive jabs at hospitals, Ha added.

"I hope that, after being vaccinated safely, my son will soon return to school," said Nguyen Thi Kim Dung, a parent of a tenth student.

Meanwhile, high school students are also excited when they were vaccinated and granted certificates of vaccination against Covid-19.

"We all hope that we can go to school as soon as possible after the vaccination," Cao Hoang Đan, a 12th-grade student of Phan Huy Chu High School told The Hanoi Times.

Hanoi plans to vaccinate all children aged 12-17 eligible for vaccination until the first quarter of 2022, amounting to around 800,000 children. It is now the 23rd locality to start inoculating children against Covid-19.

Vietnam has vaccinated around 1.8 million children aged 12-17, or 20% of children in the age group, with at least one Covid-19 vaccine shot. Around 4,300 children have received two shots.

Preparation for Covid-19 vaccination for children aged 15 to 17 is completed. Photo: Cong Tho

Students are arranged to sit at a two-meter distance to ensure pandemic prevention. Photo: Nguyen Bao

Students of Phan Huy Chu High School in Dong Da District are screened before being injected. Photo: Thu Trang

A student of Tran Hung Dao High School in Thanh Xuan District receives his first Covid-19 vaccine shot on November 23 morning. Photo: Thai San

A student of Da Phuc High School in Soc Son District completes her vaccination against Covid-19 and receives a certificate. Photo: Trong Tung