Vietnam to buy nearly 22 mln Pfizer vaccines doses for kids above 5

The government issued a resolution on Saturday, assigning the Ministry of Health to organize the purchase and vaccination for children from 5 to under 12 years old to ensure safety and effectiveness. It accepted to use the prime minister’s provision of “choosing contractors in special cases.”

On Jan. 6, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh requested the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education and Training to organize a survey on vaccination for children from 5 years old and collect international experience.

Covid-19 vaccination for children from 5 years old has received mixed opinions. According to a survey on VnExpress over the past month, more than 154,000 readers expressed their views. A total 67 percent did not agree with the plan, 30 percent agreed and 3 percent had different opinions.

More than 20 countries have vaccinated children 5-11 years old, including the U.S., Bahrain, Canada, Chile, Cuba, Italy, Israel, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Spain, and the UAE.

Brazil approved the Covid-19 vaccine for children 5-11 on a voluntary basis on Jan. 5.

A report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last December said children from 5-11 years old rarely have serious side effects after vaccination. Myocarditis, a side effect of Pfizer vaccination in some adolescents and adults, “appears rare” among young children, it said.

Vietnam is currently vaccinating children aged 12-17 against Covid-19. All adults, people from 18, have received their first vaccine shots, 74.9 percent have received their second, and 29.9 percent their third.