Pregnant women are vaccinated against COVID-19 in Hà Nội. —VNA/VNS Photo Minh Quyết

HÀ NỘI — The Ministry of Health on Thursday urgently asked agencies and localities to strictly follow the ministry’s guidelines over COVID-19 vaccinations after reports of children under 18 years old getting jabs.

As well as the unregulated vaccinations, there were reports about the use of two different kinds of COVID-19 vaccines for a person, but the combination was not in accordance with the health ministry’s guidelines.

According to the ministry, unregulated vaccinations and vaccine use have a negative impact on the direction, management and implementation of the COVID-19 vaccination drives in Việt Nam.

The ministry emphasised that currently in Việt Nam, COVID-19 vaccinations are only for people over 18 years old.

Once the ages for vaccination is adjusted, the ministry will issue another guidelines, according to the document signed by Deputy Minister of Health Đỗ Xuân Tuyên and sent to local health departments on Thursday.

On the same day, Thốt Nốt District authority in the southern city of Cần Thơ confirmed that 57 children aged below 18 got Pfizer jabs on August 11 at the vaccination site based at Thốt Nốt Secondary School.

Of the vaccinated children, the youngest is 12 years old, said Trần Minh Thắng, chairman of  Thốt Nốt District People’s Committee.

A total of 362 people including 57 children received COVID-19 doses at that time at that site.

The district authority organised a meeting on Thursday morning to examine the unregulated vaccinations.

Director of the district’s Healthcare Centre Nguyễn Kim Hải was accused of improper understanding about the health authority’s documents and vaccination regulations, which resulted in the COVID-19 vaccines being offered to non-eligible people.

“We are verifying responsibilities of involved individuals and groups,” Thắng said, adding that sanctions would be decided later.

As COVID-19 vaccine supplies to Việt Nam remain limited and can only meet a fraction of the needs, the country has been giving priority to vaccinate groups from 18 years old and above – including medical personnel, frontline workers, elderly people and people with underlying health conditions.

When more supplies and appropriate types of vaccines are available, the health ministry would issue guidelines for vaccination of children.

Early this month, the ministry announced that it signed an amendment to the original deal of 31 million doses with Pfizer for another 20 million doses specifically for nine million children between 12-18 years old. The 20 million Pfizer doses are expected to be delivered in the final quarter of the year.

Việt Nam has received more than 38 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines, most of which are AstraZeneca. — VNS