The government of the US has said it would mull over donating more Covid-19 vaccines to Vietnam in the coming time.

Vietnamese Ambassador to the US Ha Kim Ngoc. Photo: Baoquocte

Vietnamese Ambassador to the US Ha Kim Ngoc said, noting that the assistance is timely and meaningful to Vietnam.”

At present, the US is working with Vietnam’s agencies to finalize procedures for the shipment of Cue Covid-19 diagnostic test kits and 75 cold chain devices, Ngoc said in an interview with local media on Sunday.

Three million Moderna doses arrive in Vietnam

Ngoc made the statement on the occasion of the arrival of three million US-donated Moderna vaccine doses in Vietnam on late July 24.

The doses were delivered through the COVAX Facility, which is co-led by the World Health Organization (WHO), Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness and Innovations (CEPI), GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance, and UNICEF as the key delivery partner.

Half of the three million doses were sent to Hanoi and the other half arrived in Ho Chi Minh City, the pandemic epicenter where accounts for more than 60% of the country’s total infections. With the batch, the US donation volume for Vietnam totals five million doses within a month.

Remarking on the arrival of the vaccines to Vietnam, US Embassy Chargé d’Affaires, a.i., Christopher Klein, said “We are here to help Vietnam at this difficult time, and our total donation of five million doses of Moderna mRNA Covid-19 vaccine is proof of this support. We will get through this pandemic and emerge stronger together.”

US Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City Marie Damour added, “We are proud to be able to assist Vietnam with more US vaccines, especially with the delivery of nearly 1.5 million of the total doses directly to Ho Chi Minh City, the current epicenter of Vietnam’s fast-growing outbreak.”

Vietnam has received five out of 23 million doses on the list of shipments to 20 Asian countries.

In addition to these donations of five million Covid-19 vaccine doses, the United States has committed US$19.8 million in Covid-19 related assistance to Vietnam since the start of the pandemic, according to the US Embassy in Hanoi.

Vietnam has received 7.5 million Covid-19 vaccine doses from four COVAX batches, including 2.49 million AstraZeneca doses.

To date, about 14 million doses have arrived in Vietnam, from donations and imports.

As of July 25, roughly 4.5 million doses have been administered, including 353,601 fully vaccinated.

Moderna vaccine arrives in Vietnam on July 24. Photo: UNICEF