On March 8, the first batch of AstraZeneca vaccines will be administered to groups prioritized by the Vietnam government, with athletes not included.
Vietnam Football JSC (VPF) has requested Viettel FC, Hanoi FC and Saigon FC players to be vaccinated before competing in Asian Football Confederation (AFC) tournaments abroad.
Viettel will compete in the group stage of AFC Champions League (ACL) with Thai club BG Pathum United, ACL title defender Ulsan Hyundai from South Korea and a play-off winner in Bangkok from April 21 to May 7.
In turn, Hanoi will play in the AFC Cup group stage with Indonesian side Bali United, Cambodian club Boeung Ket and a play-off winner. Saigon will compete in another group with Malaysia’s Kedah, Singaporean club Lion City Sailors and a play-off winner. The AFC Cup group stage will take place from June 22 to 28. While Hanoi’s group has still to nominate a venue, Saigon's group will play in Singapore.
Previously, Saigon had expressed a desire to host their group games, but the requirement of 14 days in quarantine fell short of AFC stipulations requesting players to be isolated for no more than four days when competing in a foreign country.
Earlier, the government had approved a list of prioritized groups to be vaccinated against Covid-19, which included frontline workers, military, and police forces.
Others on the priority list are teachers, diplomatic personnel, customs and immigration officers, those working in essential services like transport, people aged 65 and above, and those with chronic diseases that make them more vulnerable to the disease.