Vietnam to give all adults third Covid shot by next March

Speaking at a Ministry of Health’s meeting held in response to the International Day of Epidemic Preparedness in Hanoi on Monday, Deputy Minister Nguyen Truong Son said cities and provinces must boost the progress to inoculate all adults with the third Covid-19 jab and cross the finish line within the first quarter of 2022.

“Vietnam’s vaccination rate and vaccine coverage rate have reached a high level compared to other countries in the region and around the world.”

With the current vaccination rate, by the end of this month, Vietnam will guarantee coverage for all people aged 18 and above with the first dose and have 90 percent of them inoculated with the second dose, he said.

For now, 98 percent of the adult population have received at least one shot, and 86 percent, two shots.

By Tuesday, over 65.9 million people of Vietnam’s 96 million population have been vaccinated with two doses, and more than 2.5 million have received the third dose.

Vietnam allowed mass administration of the third Covid-19 vaccine shot on Dec. 1.

On Dec. 17, the health ministry issued a new guideline to reduce the waiting time for the third Covid-19 vaccine shot from six months to three.