Currently, Binh Duong has received and safely preserved 1,700 doses of Covid-19 vaccine as allocated by Ministry of Health. For this number of vaccines and for the time being, Binh Duong prioritizes to inject to the frontline anti-epidemic forces and plan to buy and use Covid-19 vaccine by local funds to inject all local people.
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Medical staff of VNVC Binh Duong hands over the vaccine to Binh Duong provincial Center for Disease Control (CDC) for preservation
Safe vaccine acceptance and preservation
Dr. Nguyen Hong Chuong, Director of the Department of Health, said: “Binh Duong is one of 13 provinces and cities that have been allocated with Covid-19 vaccination by Ministry of Health in stage 1 with 1,700 doses by AstraZeneca in coordination with Oxford University to research, produce and import to Vietnam. After receiving it from the VNVC Binh Duong, the provincial Center for Disease Control preserves vaccines in accordance with the provisions of Decree 104/2016/ND-CP of the government to ensure the quality of vaccines at the best from receiving and transporting to the injection.”
Also according to Dr. Nguyen Hong Chuong, this first round of Covid-19 vaccination for the front line forces who are the medical staff treating Covid-19 patients and participate in the prevention of Covid-19 epidemics, including members of the Steering Committee for epidemic prevention and control at all levels, staff in isolated areas, tracing staff, epidemiological investigators, and testers.
Out of 1,700 doses of Covid-19 vaccine received in Binh Duong from the Vietnam Vaccine Joint Stock Company, the provincial Center for Disease Control preserves 1,460 doses, equivalent to 146 vaccine vials; VNVC Immunization Center Binh Duong branch 240 doses of vaccine to support vaccination for the units under the direction of Binh Duong Department of Health with the districts of Bau Bang, Bac Tan Uyen and Thu Dau Mot city. After receiving it, Department of Medical Materials and Medicine under the provincial Center for Disease Control is responsible for preserving 1,460 doses of Covid-19 vaccine in a TCW4000AC refrigerator and dispensing it to district and town health centers by specific allocation. Accordingly, the district, town, city health center, the Binh Duong provincial General Hospital (500 doses of vaccine) are transported from the provincial warehouse to the unit's warehouse for storage and use for at least 1 day before vaccination.
As noted by the reporter, during the transportation of vaccines, the units sent trained staff and instructed to preserve vaccines for safety assurance. In the course of transportation and preservation of vaccines at all levels, temperature monitoring equipment and regular vaccination equipment and materials are available to receive, store and transport.
Still alerted
Currently, due to the limited quantity of Covid-19 vaccines, 13 provinces and cities that have recorded Covid-19 cases from January 27 are given priority to organize the vaccination. It is expected that in the coming time, people will be vaccinated against Covid-19 for free in the national expanded vaccination program at health facilities. Currently, Binh Duong provincial Department of Health is cooperating with its Department of Finance to advise Binh Duong provincial People's Committee to issue a plan to buy and use Covid-19 vaccines with local funds to vaccinate all people in the province.
Discussing the protective effect of Covid-19 vaccine, Associate Professor, Dr. Duong Thi Hong, Deputy Director of the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, said that AstraZeneca's Covid-19 vaccine is currently effective at 76% after the first dose and increased to 84% at the second dose; Covid-19 Pfizer vaccine with a protective effect of over 90%; and Moderna vaccines 94%. Covid-19 vaccine consists of two doses given two injections. After the first injection, antibodies against the virus have not been generated immediately and the second dose is needed. During the period between the first and second shots, the person must still be considered as a person who has not been vaccinated.
According to the plan, the province will start to vaccinate Covid-19 on March 18. Emphasizing the implementation of measures to prevent and control Covid-19 in parallel with the vaccination, Dr. Nguyen Hong Chuong added that vaccine is a long-term solution in the prevention and control of Covid-19. Having vaccines does not mean that people can ignore the "5K" message of Ministry of Health. In the immediate future, the amount of vaccines is still limited, so it cannot be administered to all people, while the epidemic is still complicated, so even those who have been vaccinated must strictly follow the "5K" message and anti-epidemic measures as guided by Ministry of Health.
Reported by Kim Ha – Translated by Vi Bao
