792,000 Hanoi children eligible for Covid-19 vaccination

According to a plan for vaccinating children aged 12-17 against Covid-19 issued by the Hanoi Department of Health, 17-year-olds would be prioritized and other age groups would follow in descending order.

The vaccination of about 791,921 children in Hanoi is expected to begin either during the fourth quarter of 2021 or the first quarter of 2022. The goal is to vaccinate over 95 percent of children in the age range with two vaccine doses.

Hanoi has said it would deploy mobile vaccination stations in schools, in addition to administering the vaccines at medical centers.

Children with congenital or chronic conditions with the heart, lungs and other systems, as also other health conditions like allergies would be vaccinated in hospitals.

Vietnam has approved two Covid-19 vaccines, one by Pfizer and the other by Moderna, for vaccinating children. The country aims to cover all children aged 12-17 with at least one Covid-19 vaccine dose within the fourth quarter of this year.

Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang and Binh Duong are among 12 cities and provinces that have begun vaccinating children, starting late October.

Khong Minh Tuan, deputy director of the Center for Disease Control (CDC), said children would need to be mentally prepared for the vaccination, and family members should monitor their health for at least the first week after receiving the shots.

Children under 18 account for around 17 percent of Covid-19 infections in Vietnam, according to the health ministry.