Medical workers give COVID-19 vaccine booster shots to migrant workers in Binh Duong province. (Photo: VNA)Ministerof Health Nguyen Thanh Long said Vietnam had seen a rapid increase inthe number of COVID-19 cases caused by the BA.2 mutation, with a very rapidspread compared to the original Omicron variant.
However,the number of COVID-19 hospitalisations has remained low due to the high vaccination rate.This showed the important role of vaccinations against COVID-19.
"Inparticular, as the country returns to normal, the ministry has shifted ourapproach to managing the risk of severity among COVID-19 patients instead ofthe previous approach focusing on the number of cases," the ministersaid.
Hesaid that the health system had strengthened its capacity to control thepandemic and the mortality rate for COVID-19 patients.
Longsaid the ministry was building a plan on human resources and infrastructure tovaccinate children aged 5-11.
Thosewith underlying diseases and high-risk groups will also be injected with afourth dose.
Theministry has assigned specialised agencies, scientific councils andexperts to carefully research the vaccination plan in each stage and analysethe risks before implementing the vaccination drive.
OnMarch 16, the Ministry of Health announced that more than 200 million COVID-19vaccine doses had been administered in Vietnam, including 183.4 million inadults.
Morethan 17 million COVID-19 doses have been given to children aged 12-17years. 8.7 million received the first dose, and 8.2 million the second.
Inthe Spring vaccination campaign, implemented from February 1 to 28, about 18million doses were administered.
Longsaid Vietnam's COVID-19 vaccination campaign had been successful.
Interms of the approach to the COVID-19 vaccine, the country has multi-sourceaccess to vaccines approved by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
Thecountry has allocated vaccines in different stages, prioritising vaccines forhigh-risk areas or groups to ensure flexible production.
Vietnamhas successfully organised the largest-scale vaccination campaign in history.
"Wehave used the entire health system to participate in the vaccination campaign.The country has targeted to administer the booster to all adults by the end ofthis month," Long said.
"Interms of dissemination, media forces have done a good job, which helped thosewho were hesitant to get vaccinated against COVID-19 to go ahead and get itdone."
Coordinationamong ministries, sectors and local authorities at all levels alsocontributed to the success.
Militaryforces have set up vaccine storage warehouses in military zones to transfervaccines, ensuring that they are always available.
Thespeedy action of the grassroots party committees in vaccination work alsoadded to the success of the vaccination campaign, he said./.
VNA
