Treating severe Covid-19 patients at the Emergency Department, Central Hospital for Tropical Diseases - Photo: To Linh

Deputy Minister of Health Do Xuan Tuyen told the local media on December 8 that Vietnam has actively sought Covid-19 vaccines from many sources, so the country has enough vaccines for the second shot for people aged 18 year and over and for children aged 12-17. Vietnam also has enough vaccines for the booster shot for people aged 18 and over.

According to the official, by December 8, 97% of people aged 18 and over and about 5 million children aged 12-17 have been vaccinated with the first dose, and 70% of the adults with a second dose.

From now to the year end, Vietnam aims to complete vaccinations for adults and begin to give the booster dose to adults while continuing vaccinations to children aged 12-17.

Regarding the Covid-19 vaccination plan in 2022, Tuyen mentioned four key points: Firstly, giving booster shots for adults aged 18 and over; secondly, giving vaccination for those who have not been vaccinated yet for different reasons; thirdly, vaccinating children 12-17 years old; fourthly, developing a plan for Covid-19 vaccines for children aged 5 to 11.

"We are striving to basically complete giving the booster dose (the third dose) for people aged 18 years and older and for children aged 12-17," he said.

Regarding information that the rate of vaccination in Vietnam is high but the number of Covid-19 deaths has not reduced much compared to the peak of the fourth wave, Tuyen said that according to the world and Vietnamese statistics, the mortality rate in Vietnam is still much lower than the world. He said that there were many reasons, but most of the deaths were Covid-19 patients with underlying diseases or chronic diseases, or elderly people whose health was not good.

To reduce the fatality rate of Covid-19 patients, Vietnam is switching to a new strategy. Most Vietnamese have been vaccinated with the first dose, so patients with mild symptoms will be treated at home while severe cases will be taken to hospitals.

“The Ministry of Health is trying to have access to Covid-19 treatment drugs that have been under research and used around the world, and have enough medicine for treatment in Vietnam,” he said.

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