Việt Nam plans to innoculate children aged 3-6 against COVID-19.  —VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính has urged the Ministry of Health to study COVID-19 vaccines for children aged between three and five.

The Government leader's request was detailed in a dispatch issued by the Government Office regarding the purchase and injection of vaccines and promoting domestic vaccine production.

The Prime Minister also asked the health ministry to direct the study of giving the fourth shot to adults and the third for children aged 12-18, and plan to purchase more vaccines and step up domestic vaccine production to ensure safety and efficiency.

Health officials and doctors agree that Việt Nam is ready to implement a safe vaccination campaign for children aged 5-11 following a successful vaccination programme for 12-17. The country aims to have a vaccination rate in this age group of 90-95 per cent.

At a meeting held last month, deputy minister of health Nguyễn Trường Sơn said 19.2 per cent of total infections in the country are children under 18 years old. Specifically, 4.8 per cent are children aged 13-17, about 8 per cent are children from 6-12 years old, 2.8 per cent are children in the ages of 3-5, and the other 3.6 per cent are children under three.

Việt Nam has administered more than 201 million vaccines, including over 17 million doses for children aged 12-17. — VNS