PM requests Covid vaccination for children

Chinh made the request to the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Education and Training, adding the government would deploy policies to ensure the new school year could begin safely thanks to vaccination.

The health ministry would need to determine which type of Covid-19 vaccine is frequently used by other countries to vaccinate children aged 12 and above. For younger, if an appropriate vaccine is available, the ministry would need to gain access to that too.

The education ministry meanwhile should collaborate with the health ministry to aid with vaccination.

"Children that have been fully vaccinated can resume school normally along with certain coronavirus control measures, just like how some countries have already been doing, like Singapore," Chinh said.

Teachers should also be vaccinated in preparation for the new school year, he added.

Schools in low-risk areas can resume on-site schooling along with coronavirus restrictions, while schools in high-risk areas would continue with online classes, he said.

Vaccinating students against Covid-19 has also been proposed by localities and the education ministry itself.

Hoang Minh Son, Deputy Minister of Education and Training, said while online classes have commenced, teaching quality has been limited, especially for elementary schools and schools in areas whose infrastructure is lacking. Students should be vaccinated so they could study in-person, he urged.

Vietnam has recorded 406,224 local Covid-19 cases since the fourth coronavirus wave hit the country in late April. Amid emerging clusters and persistent social distancing orders, several localities, including Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, have decided to let students stay home and study online instead as the new school year starts next month.