709,645 children aged between 12 and 17 in HCM City have been vaccinated against COVID-19. — VNA/VNS Photo |
HCM CITY — HCM City’s COVID-19 inoculation drive for children aged between 12 and 17 has been completed with a total of 709,645 children receiving the vaccines.
HCM City was the first locality in Việt Nam to launch a COVID-19 vaccination drive for children in late October, using Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 shots.
The first phase started on October 27 and finished on November 4 offering shots to children in Củ Chi District and District 1.
The second phase from November 22 gave COVID-19 vaccines to children in other districts in the city.
By yesterday, 96.6 per cent of the city’s eligible children had received their first dose and 85.5 per cent have been fully vaccinated against the COVID-19.
Seven districts in the city including District 5, District 8, District 10, District 11, Bình Thạnh, Củ Chi and Cần Giờ had child vaccination coverage reaching more than 90 per cent for both first and second doses.
According to the city’s authority, unvaccinated children could still get shots at wards and communes even after the citywide vaccination drive had finished.
From today, the city would begin to administer third vaccine shots to 6.3 million people who have been fully vaccinated in an effort to boost their immunity against COVID-19.
According to the city’s vaccination plan, this month they will focus on injecting patients with immunodeficiency, having got enough basic doses for at least 28 days, and those who have received the two doses for at least six months previously.
Next year, the city will give booster injections to people in order of priority and continue to inject for people with immunodeficiency.
It is expected that all vaccinated people aged from 18 years in the city would get booster shots by the end of next year.
As of December 5, more than 7.92 million people aged 18 and over in HCM City had received the first vaccine dose. Of the number, nearly 6.82 million people have received the second dose. — VNS