Covid vaccination for kids necessary for school reopening: Hanoi

Dinh Tien Dung, Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee, said medical authorities need to rehearse Covid-19 vaccination for children under 12.

"Only with vaccination can we be reassured that children can return to school. Even if they get infected, it would be mild and there would be fewer risks," he said.

While Vietnam has basically vaccinated its population aged 12 and above with at least two Covid-19 vaccine shots, children below 12 have not been vaccinated. The Ministry of Health has already been approved by the government to purchase 21.9 million Pfizer vaccine doses for children aged 5-11, but the deal has not been finalized yet.

Australia has also offered Vietnam 13.7 million Pfizer and Moderna vaccine doses for children aged 5-11, even when the Moderna vaccine has not been approved for young children yet, according to the health ministry. The doses are expected to be given within April, the ministry added.

Hanoi has fully vaccinated almost all 660,000 kids aged 12-17 (99 percent). Students in the age group have already returned to school since February 8.

But 950,000 students from grade 1 to grade 6, along with 600,000 kindergartners, are still either staying home or studying online.