Vietnam to receive 150 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines
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A box of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine vials (Photo: Getty Images)

The National Advisory Council in charge of granting drug circulation registration numbers approved the two new vaccines and submitted the proposal to the Ministry of Health for consideration at their meeting on February 25.

Earlier on February 24, the first 117,600 AstraZeneca doses arrived in Vietnam. The batch is part of the 30-million-dose contract between Vietnam Vaccine JSC (VNVC) and UK’s biopharmaceutical company AstraZeneca. These vaccines are currently stored at VNVC’s super-cold storage and undergoing inspection prior to vaccination. On top of that, the country is negotiating with US-based Pfizer Biotech for more COVID-19 vaccines, as reported by VTC News.

Vietnam needs at least 150 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines to vaccinate its people this year. However, Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long has said Vietnam is likely to get 90 million doses this year.

The Ministry of Health is scheduled to kick-start a vaccination campaign in early March, with priority given to frontline healthcare workers, according to VOV.

(Photo: VTC News)

Vietnam is currently having four potential vaccines on hands. The vaccines are studied and produced by Nanogen, Vabiotech, Polyvac and the Institute of Vaccines and Medical Biologicals (IVMB), all have completed the laboratory production process.

While Vabiotech and Polyvac’s vaccines are still under evaluation on animals, IVMB’s candidate Covivac is currently under the first phase of human trials. Nanocogen’s Nonacovax vaccine has completed its first trial and set to enter the second phase this February. The third phase (August 2021 - February 2022) is planned to take place in an epidemiological area in India, Indonesia, or Bangladesh to gather enough 1,500 – 3,000 volunteers aged 12-75.

Nanocovax is priced at VND120,000 ($5.17) per dose.

Along with injections, Vietnam’s COVID-19 Nanocovax vaccine will also be developed in the form of eye-drop and nasal spray for special subjects.

A peak into Vietnam’s first super-cold COVID-19 vaccine storage The super-cold vaccine storage is currently housing the first 117,600 doses of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine that arrives in Vietnam on February 24.

Vietnam Airlines proposes to join in Covid-19 vaccine delivery Vietnam Airlines - Vietnam’s flagship air carrier has proposed to health authorities to join in the Covid-19 vaccine delivery mission from overseas to Vietnam.

Health Minister: Vietnam won’t lack Covid-19 vaccines Vietnam is expected to receive 30 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines from Covax, 30 million doses from AstraZeneca, and 30 million doses from Pfizer, said ...