People are still vaccinated against Covid-19 for free

This plan helps localities determine their own vaccine needs, develop and implement Covid-19 vaccination plans in their localities in accordance with the situation.

The Ministry of Health said that Vietnam has completed basic vaccination for people aged 12 and above; in 2023, it is necessary to continue to vaccinate new subjects reaching the age of Covid-19 vaccination and to vaccinate booster doses.

Regarding the strategy for using Covid-19 vaccines in Vietnam, the Ministry of Health has determined to make maximum use of existing vaccines, especially vaccines recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) or included in the emergency use list and vaccines licensed for use by the Ministry of Health.

Along with that, the health sector applies the method of combining different types of Covid-19 vaccines based on research results and vaccine use experience of Vietnam and other countries around the world to create high immune efficiency and ensure safety.

The Ministry of Health will vaccinate against Covid-19 for subjects according to WHO recommendations; use vaccines according to local proposals, people's needs and the amount of vaccine supplied according to the Ministry of Health's instructions. It is estimated that by the end of 2023, localities will need more than 2,259 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine. This demand may change according to local proposals.

Specific subjects to be vaccinated according to the above plan include: People aged 18 and over, people who are eligible for vaccination, people who have not received booster shots and people who are scheduled for vaccination in 2023 (people aged 17 to 18); people aged 12 to under 18, people who have not received 3 shots, people who are scheduled for vaccination in 2023 (people aged 11 to 12); people aged 5 to under 12 who need to receive basic vaccination.

Children under 5 years old and subsequent injections for groups of subjects aged 5 years and older. Regarding this group of subjects, the Ministry of Health stated that the implementation of the basic dose of Covid-19 vaccination for children under 5 years old and subsequent injections for groups of subjects aged 5 years and older will be recommended and specifically guided by the Ministry of Health when there is sufficient basis, scientific basis and in accordance with the epidemic situation.

Covid-19 vaccines will still be given free of charge to people in 2023. Funding for this plan will come from the state budget, the Covid-19 Vaccine Fund, aid, sponsorship, and support from domestic and foreign organizations and individuals, and other cooperative capital sources.

In this plan, the Ministry of Health clearly states that campaign vaccination can be integrated with regular vaccination activities in accordance with local implementation.

Based on the recommendations of WHO and other international organizations as well as experience in implementing Covid-19 vaccination in countries, on November 11, 2022, the Ministry of Health's Vaccine Advisory Council met and made the following recommendation: At present, Covid-19 vaccination has not been implemented for children under 5 years old, but resources should be focused on activities to increase the vaccination rate of Covid-19 for groups of subjects that have been instructed, such as the 3rd dose for people aged 12 and above, the basic dose for children aged 5 to under 12 years old; the 3rd booster dose (5th dose) of Covid-19 vaccine and annual boosters have not been recommended.

Next, on April 17, 2023, the Ministry of Health's Vaccine Advisory Council met and made recommendations: The use of vaccines according to WHO's recommendations on March 30, 2023 is necessary; it is necessary to continue monitoring and synthesizing information on the implementation situation in the world and the implementation of vaccination in Vietnam to have a basis for considering recommendations on the use of vaccines in the coming time in Vietnam.

According to Associate Professor, Dr. Tran Dac Phu, former Director of the Department of Preventive Medicine, Senior Advisor of the Vietnam Center for Public Health Emergency Response, the current Covid-19 epidemic situation in our country is still under control, the majority of new cases have mild symptoms or no symptoms, not overloading the health system. With severe cases and deaths, the majority are still people with underlying diseases, the elderly, people who have not been vaccinated, people with immunodeficiency...

These cases can have serious complications if infected with other infectious viruses such as influenza, not just Covid-19. When these subjects are infected with viral diseases, their immunity is reduced, making them susceptible to other diseases, leading to severe illness and death. Therefore, people with immunodeficiency, people with underlying diseases, and chronic diseases need to be fully vaccinated according to the schedule and instructions of the Ministry of Health.

VNA

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