Sinopharm's COVID-19 vaccine Vero Cell. — Photo vtc.vn

 HÀ NỘI — The Ministry of Health has allowed HCM City to use one million doses of Sinopharm's COVID-19 vaccine Vero Cell.

The shipment of the vaccine, imported by the State-owned Saigon Pharmaceutical Group (Sapharco) in HCM City, arrived at the city’s Tân Sơn Nhất International Airport on July 31.

Early in July, the health ministry gave permission for Sapharco to import Vero Cell with the sponsorship of Vạn Thịnh Phát Holdings Group, a private conglomerate founded by a Vietnamese national of Chinese origin in HCM City.

The vaccines are being preserved at the company’s cold storage and have not yet used pending quality controls.

The Ministry of Health said the vaccines meet requirements for administration after being examined by the National Institute for Control of Vaccine and Biologicals.

Vero Cell was approved for emergency use by the WHO in May, and given conditional approval for use in Việt Nam on June 4. The first 500,000 doses donated by the Chinese Government to Việt Nam have been used for Chinese nationals living and working in the country, Vietnamese residents in border areas with China and people who engage in trade and service exchanges with Việt Nam's northern neighbour. — VNS