The Central Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology has asked relevant agencies in HCM City, including the HCM City Customs Department, Tan Son Nhat Border Gate Customs Branch, HCM City Express Customs Branch, HCM City Department of Transport, and HCM City Department of Health, to assist the customs clearance for shipments of Comirnaty vaccine of Pfizer/BioNTech.

Vietnam signed a contract to buy 51 million doses of Pfizer vaccine in 2021, including 20 million doses for children 12-17 years old.

The institute said that in 2021, it would receive more than 31 million doses of Pfizer vaccine made in Belgium.

The first Pfizer shipment arrived in Vietnam in early July and so far, Vietnam has received more than 1.2 million doses. From now to the year end, Vietnam is expected to receive nearly 30 million doses.

The storage of vaccines during transportation as well as the implementation of customs procedures need to comply with strict regulations to ensure that the quality of vaccines is not affected.

Therefore, the institute has asked agencies in HCM City to make favorable conditions for the fastest clearance so as not to affect the storage temperature of the vaccine.

It is strongly recommended not to inspect the vaccine unless there is a special urgent request by an authorized authority. In case it is mandatory to open the shipment for inspection, it is necessary to ensure that the total opening time does not exceed three minutes.

On August 20, in a phone call with Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, President of Pfizer Albert Bourla pledged to speed up the delivery of part of the ordered vaccines to Vietnam in August-September, instead of the fourth quarter. It is expected that this week Vietnam will receive one batch of the Pfizer vaccine.

Vietnam officially approved the conditional emergency use of the Pfizer vaccine manufactured in Belgium and Germany on June 12. On August 21, Vietnam continued to license the Pfizer vaccine made in the US.

On August 23, Pfizer vaccine was fully approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for people 16 years of age and older. For those 12-15 years old, emergency use permits will continue to be used.

The fact that a vaccine is fully licensed is an affirmation that the vaccine meets the US FDA's rigorous standards for safety, efficacy, and quality. The FDA analyzed efficacy data from more than 20,000 people who were vaccinated with the Pfizer vaccine.

Thuy Hanh

20 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine to arrive in Vietnam in August and September

Deputy Minister of Health Tran Van Thuan said that in August and September, about 10-12 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine will be shipped to Vietnam each month.