HCMC set to make Covid vaccination plans for children, adolescents

The city is awaiting guidelines from the Ministry of Health on what kind of vaccine to use for them.

But the list should be completed before Sunday, the health department has told the Ho Chi Minh City Steering Committee for Covid -19 Prevention and Control.

An expected 780,000 children aged 12-17 will be immunized.

Those that attend school will be immunized at their school, and those that do not will be vaccinated at sites identified by district authorities.

Those with underlying conditions will be given the shots at hospitals along with those currently undergoing treatment at city hospitals, regardless of where they reside.

People aged 16-17 will be vaccinated first, and authorities will then work their way down.

The ministry had on Oct. 14 approved the administration of vaccines for children aged 12-17, prioritizing those aged 16-17.

The vaccine for age group has to be approved by the ministry.

All vaccines have to be administered in two doses, with both being of the same kind. Parents or legal guardians must give consent to the vaccination.

The Pfizer vaccine has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for this particular age range, India has approved the emergency use of the Zydus Cadila vaccine for those aged from 12 while China has approved Sinovac for children from three.

During his visit to Cuba last month, President Nguyen Xuan Phuc had asked his hosts to soon dispatch documents on vaccines for children for Vietnam to evaluate.

Vietnam signed a contract to buy 20 million doses from Pfizer to immunize children and adolescents.

HCMC has given the first shot of vaccines to more than 99 percent of its populace aged over 18, and both doses to 77 percent.