Vietnam offers vaccination to foreign diplomats

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Linh Pham 10:13, 2021/06/11

Foreign diplomats and UN representatives are among the first to get vaccinated in Vietnam.

Covid-19 vaccines were administered to more than 600 members of foreign missions and UN bodies in Vietnam on June 9-10.

A staff at the French Embassy in Hanoi gets vaccinated. Photos: Baoquocte

The vaccination went smoothly without any serious reaction, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA).

Before the injection, vaccine recipients were given a pre-vaccination checklist and screening for contraindications and precautions.

The inoculation will continue among foreign missions and UN organizations.

Pre-vaccination checklist.

Thus far, foreign diplomats and representatives of international organizations are the recipients only after frontline forces and industrial park workers in epicenters in Vietnam due to the thin vaccine supply.

As of June 10, about 1.42 million doses have been administered in Vietnam, or equal to 1.47 doses per 100 population, the lowest ranking in Southeast Asia.

Screening before the vaccination.

Regarding contribution to the national Covid-19 vaccine fund, the MoFA’s Spokesperson, Le Thi Thu Hang, on June 10 said Vietnam highly appreciates contributions by domestic and international individuals and organizations when answering reporters' queries about the Vietnamese government’s request for contributions by foreign companies operating in the country.

Hang said Vietnam respects all contributions by people and businesses, no matter how small or large. The country will run the fund transparently coincided with the law in order to protect people and help facilitate businesses, including foreign-invested enterprises (FIEs).

Consultation for precautions.

Last week, the Vietnam Fund for Vaccination Prevention of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (VFVC) was launched to mobilize contributions domestically and abroad. So far, the National Assembly has decided to spend VND12 trillion (US$521 million) on the fund.

Vietnam is estimated to need VND25 trillion (US$1.08 billion) to get 150 million doses of the Covid-19 vaccine for 75 million people. The country is seeking supply to fulfill its herd immunity target set for 2022.

Recently, foreign chambers of commerce in Vietnam and a number of FIEs have supported the inoculation and said they were willing to pay more to have their employees vaccinated.

In a survey conducted on May 21-22 by the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) in Hanoi, 88% of respondents said they or their company would pay to receive Covid-19 vaccination here.