Vietnam News Today (August 2): Vietnam's Covid-19 Infection Tally Crosses 150,000
	Vietnam News Today (August 1): HCM City Coronavirus Tally in New Wave Tops 90,000
	Vietnam News Today (July 31): Hanoi Asked to Work Out Home Isolation Plan for Covid-19 F1 Cases

Photo: VOV

Vietnam to receive nearly 50 million doses of Pfizer vaccine by year-end

Between 47 and 50 million doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine are set to be delivered to Vietnam during the fourth quarter of 2021, according to Health Minister Nguyen Thanh Long.

Long disclosed the information during an emergency online meeting held on August 2 to discuss Covid-19 prevention and control.

He said that he has signed a document requesting localities nationwide, especially those in lockdown, to speed up vaccinations, cited VOV.

The Health Minister requested that provinces devise concrete plans to create vaccination stations as rapidly as possible, while simultaneously ensuring safety for local residents.

He stressed that all vaccines used locally have been licensed by the WHO and used in other countries.

Vietnam has so far received more than 17.6 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines from various manufactures, including AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Moderna, Sputnik-V, and Sinopharm.

More than 16 million doses have been distributed to different localities nationwide.

As of August 2, nearly 6.5 million doses of vaccine have been administered across the country.

HCM city deploys 1,200 vaccination teams, aims for 200 shots per team daily

HCM city has deployed 1,200 vaccination teams that will provide 200 shots per team each day, according to the city People's Committee.

The city, currently the biggest Covid-19 epicentre in the country with caseload nearing 100,000 in the fourth wave of infections, aims to vaccinate all people aged 18 and above against the disease.

People aged 65 years and above with underlying medical conditions, those who suffer from chronic diseases, frontline health workers, and other forces in Covid-19 prevention and control will continue to have priority.

Local residents receive vaccinations in Thu Duc city’s locked-down area in HCM city on Monday. Photo: VOV

People aged 65 years and above with underlying medical conditions and those who suffer from chronic diseases will no longer have to go to hospitals for vaccinations, according to VNN.

People who were rejected in previous vaccination drives because of underlying health conditions such as high blood pressure will now be invited to the vaccination sites.

The vaccination site staff will send a message about the specific time and address of the site to people in order to avoid overcrowding at the site.

The vaccination period can extend beyond 6 p.m., city authorities said.

The city is using public and private health facilities for vaccination sites. Each ward has three to four vaccination sites, instead of two previously.

The city is also using mobile vaccination teams including doctors, nurses, ambulances and motorbikes to its each residential quarter, especially in locked-down areas, to create convenience for people during the social distancing period under the Government’s Directive No. 16.

Hanoi supermarkets limit customer numbers

Many supermarkets in Hanoi are starting to impose social distancing, limiting the number of customers and the volume of foodstuffs they buy.

BigC Thang Long Supermarket stipulated that each customer is allowed to buy a maximum three egg blisters a day, while the respective rate at MM Mega Market is five egg blisters.

Aeon Mall Ha Dong announced each shopper could buy 30 chicken eggs each time. Its egg price currently stands at VND3,000 (US$0.13) per egg, up VND300-400 against a week earlier.

Hanoi supermarkets limit customer numbers Customers wait their turn to enter Go!Market Supermarket in Thanh Xuan district, Hanoi. Photo: VnExpress

In supermarkets across Hanoi, most essential groceries like fresh vegetables and fruits are abundant. Only poultry eggs are insufficient from time to time, so many supermarkets have limited the number of eggs customers may buy, cited VnExpress.

A shopper named Le in Cau Giay district said: "After going to the third supermarket, I managed to buy two egg blisters. It is very hard to buy eggs this time," he said.

Go!Market Supermarket in Thanh Xuan district announced it had limited the number of people entering its premises at once. Shoppers are required to make health declarations online or via QR code scans, have temperature checks, sanitize their hands, receive coupons, and queue for entry. Every 10 minutes, supermarket staff would guide a group of customers to enter it.

Supermarkets in Hanoi were taking stricter measures to prevent and combat Covid-19, after some wholesales markets and supermarkets in the capital were closed down due to pandemic impacts.

Many other districts of Hanoi have distributed coupons to families so they could buy essential goods at markets, supermarkets and convenience stores on odd or even days at fixed time frames.

Hanoi has recorded 1,457 Covid-19 cases in the ongoing wave. The city is on its 10th day of a 15-day strict social distancing campaign.

Tourist hotspots clamp social distancing measures amid growing Covid threat

Binh Dinh province and Phan Thiet in Binh Thuan, famous tourist hotspots, have announced social distancing measures to limit the spread of Covid-19.

Beach town Phan Thiet with over 228,000 people began a 14-day lockdown under Directive 16 on Monday, which requires people to stay at home and only go out for necessities such as buying food or medicines or to work at factories or businesses that are allowed to open.

A tourist sits at a beach in Mui Ne in Phan Thiet, Binh Thuan Province, 2020. Photo: VnExpress

Phan Thiet, home to Mui Ne, a beach resort hotspot, has detected a number of Covid cases with their sources remaining unidentified, VOV reported.

Binh Thuan province has recorded 667 infections in the ongoing wave that began in late April.

Binh Dinh, home to another famous resort town, Quy Nhon, began social distancing for two weeks Sunday under the less stringent Directive 15, which prohibits holding of social events, gatherings of 20 people or more and 10 outside of workplaces, schools and hospitals, SGGP newspaper reported.

Quy Nhon, a rising star on Vietnam’s tourism map for its long, broad sandy beaches, welcomed four million visitors in 2019.

Binh Dinh has had 195 cases so far.

Many popular tourism destinations such as Nha Trang, Da Nang and Hoi An have been placed under lockdown after they detected Covid clusters.

In the fourth wave, the country has had 153,621 cases in 62 of its 63 cities and provinces.

Film screening to celebrate August Revolution, National Day

A number of movies will be screened nationwide from August 19 to September 5 to mark the 76th year of the August Revolution (August 19) and the National Day (September 2), according to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

A screen in the movie "Hanh phuc cua me." Photo: VNA

The films include “Hanh phuc cua me” (Happiness of a Mother), documentaries “Chung mot coi nguon” (Sharing the same root) and “Sac xuan tren tho cam” (Colours of Spring on brocade) and animation “Nguoi thay muon doi” (Teacher of a Lifetime), cited VNA.

The screening will only be organised in localities where Covid-19 has been brought under control and theater-goers must comply with guidelines by the Ministry of Health.

In case the event cannot be held, the movies will be screened in the upcoming occasions.

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