HCM City is speeding up its vaccination campaign to ensure that all people aged 18 and over receive at least the first COVID-19 vaccine dose. VNA/VNS Photo

HCM CITY — All 21 districts as well as Thủ Đức City in HCM City will continue to speed up vaccinations to achieve the goal of having 100 per cent of people aged 18 and over inoculated with at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose.

It targets giving everyone aged 18 and over their second shot by the end of the year.

According to the Centre for Disease Control of HCM City (HCDC), districts are now focusing on covering the first dose for people 18 and over, regardless of permanent or temporary residence status.

Only districts 11 and 12 have reached 100 per cent of its residents receiving the first vaccine dose.

The city has been giving around 200,000 doses daily in the last few days.

HCM City, the country's top COVID-19 hotspot, has given more than 8.4 million vaccine doses. The figure includes more than 6.7 million people who have received the first dose and 1.6 million people who have received the second dose.

According to health experts, the rate of vaccine coverage is one of the most important conditions for the city to return to normal life and re-open economic and social activities in the future.

HCM City will continue imposing social distancing under the Government’s Directive 16 until the end of September, but ease the lockdown in some districts where the situation has become stable.

The announcement was made at a press conference held by the Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control of HCM City on the evening of September 15.

Districts that have basically controlled the outbreak, including 7, Củ Chi, and Cần Giờ, will allow people to go to the market once a week.

The city said some businesses and production activities that follow the safety criteria of the city People’s Committee could resume under certain conditions. VNS