The Ministry of Health has decided to allocate eight million doses of Vero Cell/Sinopharm Covid-19 vaccine to 25 cities and provinces. Of them, Hanoi is the biggest recipient with 1.36 million.

The new doses will help localities to inoculate people with the first and second jabs.

So far, Vietnam has received approximately 45 million vaccine doses, including 20 million Vero Cell doses, which are sourced from China donations (six million), and Vietnamese Van Thinh Phat Group’s donations (13 million).

As of Sept 19, more than 34.2 million doses have been administered nationwide, including over six million second doses.

Hanoi has inoculated 6.4 million doses. It has 5.7 million adults aged above 18.

On Sept 19, Vietnam saw 10,040 coronavirus infections and 233 deaths over the past 24 hours, lifting the total to 687,063 and 17,090. On the day, Ho Chi Minh City accounts for 55% and 78% of the country’s figures, respectively.

People get shots in HCMC. Photo: HCDC

Ho Chi Minh City

Both health officials and experts in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) have supported the move that people who inoculated with at least one vaccine dose could get a “green Covid certificate” as proposed on Sept.18 by the city’s Department of Health.

According to Dr. Nguyen Van Vinh Chau, deputy director of the health body, people with one vaccine dose have a low risk of infection and a low risk of serious illness, so they are significantly protected.

The idea is based on both the scientific basis and actual situation, Chau said, adding that the body has weighed the risks and benefits, he told the media.

Dr. Truong Huu Khanh, head of the infectious diseases department at the Nhi Dong I Hospital in HCMC, said the high rate of one-shot people in HCMC enables the authorities to grant “green cards” to them to help them go out for earning.

Both the doctors said scientific figures show that people who get the first dose of the vaccine will generate immunity after two weeks.

The city also considers granting green Covid certificates to people who had recovered from Covid-19 and finished quarantine time.

Thus far, about 8.7 million doses of vaccine have been administered in the city, including two million second doses or more than 90% of its adults aged above 18 got the first jabs and 20% of them fully vaccinated.

Deputy Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee Duong Duc Tuan at the meeting on Sept 19. Photo: P.C

Hanoi

The capital city targets to complete vaccinating the second jabs to adults aged above 18 in November, Deputy Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee Duong Duc Tuan said today [Sept 19].

The timeline is a “very important” condition for the city’s twin goal of containing the virus and developing economy, Tuan told local authorities.

In addition, it will maintain 23 checkpoints at the entrance after Sept 21 and it will work with neighboring areas to monitor people coming to the city.

“Experience shows that relaxing restrictions must be accompanied by tightened control on precautionary measures,” Tuan said in a statement.

He said the city will keep an eye on safety measures applied on roads and airports. Meanwhile, authorities must get ready to welcome children back to schools.

From Sept. 21 onward, Hanoi will allow constructions sites, except for those in the “red zone” (very high-risk area), and stop those with any infection.

Covid infections in Vietnam. Source: MoH. Chart: Minh Vu