HCMC wants to share Sinopharm vaccine with other localities

The request, made by the municipal People's Committee, said the Sinopharm doses have been donated by sponsors to vaccinate the city's population.

The committee noted that other localities grappling with Covid-19 outbreaks and vaccine shortages would be served well if their burden was shared.

On July 31, HCMC had received a million Sinopharm vaccine doses from sponsors, part of five million promised for the city.

In a press meet on August 3, deputy chairman of the municipal People's Committee, Duong Anh Duc, said the vaccine was being evaluated, and if they met the requirements, it would be used in the Covid-19 vaccination program.

On August 5, Hai Phong authorities had requested the health ministry and the HCMC People's Committee that the northern port city is allowed to "borrow" 500,000 Sinopharm vaccine doses from HCMC to vaccinate its population.

Hai Phong had signed up with the health ministry to get two million Sinopharm vaccine doses and another 1.2 million doses of other types of vaccines. But so far, it has only received around 165,000 vaccine doses in total.

Ho Chi Minh City has recorded 128,285 local Covid-19 cases since the fourth coronavirus wave hit Vietnam in late April. It is now the country's pandemic epicenter.