Vietnam Covid-19 Updates (Oct. 31): HCMC Health Department Urges Covid Booster Shots

By October 30, the country has injected over 80.52 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines, with more than 23.91 million people now fully inoculated.

October 31, 2021 | 10:06

Vietnam Covid-19 Updates (Oct. 31): HCMC Health Department Urges Covid Booster Shots

Photo: Zing News

Over 5,200 new Covid-19 cases were documented on October 30

Vietnam logged 5,227 new Covid-19 cases, including three imported cases, on October 30, according to the Ministry of Health.

Among 50 cities and provinces nationwide reporting new infections, Ho Chi Minh City recorded the highest number of 1,042, followed by southern provinces of Dong Nai (679), Binh Duong (665), Bac Lieu (404), Kien Giang (298), An Giang (231), Tien Giang (223), Tay Ninh (203), and Soc Trang (190).

In the past 24 hours to 5:30 pm of October 30, the country saw 64 deaths from the disease.

Photo: Zing News

Deputy PM proposes accelerating recognition of vaccine passports

Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh has assigned the Foreign Ministry to work alongside partners in an effort to fast-track the recognition of vaccine passports. The Ministry of Public Health has therefore been tasked with issuing paper and electronic forms for the Vietnamese vaccine passport scheme, with this expected to be finalized before November 5.

Deputy PM Minh has adopted the policy of facilitating entry procedures for foreign nationals belonging to groups that are specified in the conclusions of meetings of permanent Government members on Covid-19 prevention and control. This is in addition to foreign citizens who travel to the country to study the market, attend conferences and workshops, visit family members, and overseas Vietnamese and their family members. All those people should have certificates of Covid-19 vaccination or recovery from the virus.

For overseas Vietnamese, the Health Ministry has been asked to co-operate alongside relevant agencies and localities in order to issue medical quarantine regulations for arrivals with vaccine passports. Deputy PM Minh has also approved in principle the resumption of regular commercial flights both to and from countries and territories with high Covid-19 safety levels, with appropriate pandemic prevention measures to be taken.

Photo: VN Express

HCMC health department urges Covid booster shots for later this year

The HCMC Department of Health proposed city authorities allow third Covid vaccine shots to be administered to frontline staff and those at high risk in the next two months. The booster shot would be given to those who had gone at least six months since receiving their second dose depending on the type of vaccine.

Ho Chi Minh City, which has fully vaccinated almost 80 percent of its adult population, was the first locality in the country to vaccinate children aged 12-17 against Covid-19 since Oct. 27. In 2022, the city plans to vaccinate all children aged three and older. In addition, the health sector would inject third and fourth shots for residents as prescribed by the Ministry of Health.

HCMC started vaccinating frontline Covid workers on March 8 when Vietnam started its mass vaccination campaign. As of Saturday, 7.3 million people in HCMC have got at least one dose of a Covid vaccine and 5.7 million have been fully vaccinated.

Photo: TG&VN

Covid-19 vaccination drive passes 80 million doses

Vietnam has now injected a total of 80,659,184 doses of Covid-19 vaccines, whilst distributing a total of 100,435,136 doses, according to an update given on October 30 on the Covid-19 vaccination portal. At present, 32.3 million people have been vaccinated with one dose of the vaccine, with 23.3 million people now being fully inoculated with two doses.

The rate of injection of people with at least one dose stands at 77%, with the rate of people with two doses is 32.3% of the population aged 18 years and over. There are also nine provinces with a coverage rate of over 50% for double-jabbed people over the aged of 18.

The national tally now stands at 915,603. According to the Ministry of Health’s report, 2,831 patients nationwide are in serious conditions, with 290 requiring invasive ventilation and 15 on life support (ECMO).

The death toll now hits 22,030. By October 30, the country has injected over 80.52 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines, with more than 23.91 million people now fully inoculated.

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