Nation to vaccinate 95% of children aged 12 to 17 against COVID-19 this year

Deputy Minister of Health Do Xuan Tuyen stated that the Ministry is in the process of outlining a roadmap for COVID-19 vaccination for children, initially for those from 12 to 17 years old. This policy is poised to be issued in a guideline regarding the implementation of work on October 15.

He went on to add that the Ministry is also reviewing making a list of children from three to 11 years old, while seeking addition vaccine sources. It is also gathering ideas from various experts and scientists for readiness in order to make guidance on vaccinations on this group.

The education-training and health sector are in the process of working hand in hand to make plans regarding vaccinations for particular groups of children towards reopening schools as swiftly as possible.

The Deputy Minister has asked localities to direct their departments of Education and Training to both review and assess pandemic prevention and control work in order to allow students to return to school.

During a recent working session held with representatives from the Ministry of Education and Training on October 12, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam said that the Government has issued a resolution that sets a target of containing COVID-19 nationwide by the end of this year. Therefore, the Ministry of Education and Training’s plans should be in tandem with this goal, he added.

The Ministry of Education and Training has also been asked to review regulations on pandemic safety at schools in the current circumstance when teachers and parents are fully vaccinated and students aged between 12 and 17 are to get their vaccine shots soon.

So far, over 57 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered to people aged 18 years old and above throughout the country, including over 39 million people, or 54% of the total adults who have received their first shots, and 16 million others, or more than 22%, have received full two doses.