More vaccine doses from the COVAX Facility, the global COVID-19 vaccine equity scheme, are scheduled to be delivered in Vietnam in July. (Photo: UNICEF)Flowers and Long met in Hanoi to expedite the delivery ofCOVID-19 vaccines to Vietnam amid the fourth coronavirus wave.
Long said Vietnam is battling the highly transmissibleDelta variant of coronavirus and several decisive measures have been put inplace to control the situation, including more talks with foreign manufacturersand partners for more COVID-19 vaccines and facilitating local development of home-grownvaccines.
One of Vietnam’s priorities now is to soon have enoughCOVID-19 vaccines for mass inoculation, he said, reiterating the request forUNICEF to work with COVAX to speed up delivery of vaccines to Vietnam in thethird quarter, and the country’s commitment to using the vaccines in a fair andeffective manner.
Flowers, for her part, cited a survey conducted by UNICEFand its partners found that about 67 percent of Vietnamese respondents saidthey are ready to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, which is quite high.
She shared concerns over the complicated developments ofthe current fourth wave in the country. She said that 1,910 high-capacity coldchain fridges to store vaccines – supported by Australia’s aid to Vietnam –will be delivered to Vietnam by UNICEF in late July.
UNICEF has also ordered five refrigerated trucks fortransportation of vaccines and the shipment will arrive in August andSeptember, along with some 5 million syringes via air routes.
Regarding expediting COVID-19 vaccine shipments to Vietnamvia the COVAX Facility, the UNICEF official remarked that the following batchwould be delivered as soon as it is approved by the World Health Organisation,scheduled for July.
UNICEF has delivered some 2.5 million doses ofAstraZeneca vaccines to Vietnam from COVAX out of the commitment of nearly 39million doses./.
VNA
