Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc chairs the meeting on Monday. —VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc on Monday asked vaccine research units to take strong measures and use suitable and creative methods to speed up vaccine testing.

Chairing a Cabinet meeting, the PM asked agencies to create the best conditions for domestic units to conduct vaccine research. He assigned the Ministry of Health to work with the Ministry of Science and Technology and other agencies to determine the vaccine production capacity of domestic enterprises to offer appropriate support measures.

The Ministry of Health should learn from the experience of countries around the world in conducting COVID-19 vaccine trials to speed up the testing of NANOGEN's Nanocovax vaccine to soon put it into use, while looking for foreign partners to co-operate in implementing the phase-three clinical trial of the domestically produced vaccine, the Government leader noted.

Under the direction and management of the Ministry of Health, the Vietnam Military Medical University will work with the Institute of Biotechnology under the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology and other agencies to build a project to develop a vaccine research and development centre for prevention and control of human infectious diseases, including a grade 3 or 4 biosafety laboratory.

Regarding the purchase of COVID-19 vaccines from other countries, the PM said a certain volume of vaccines is needed to protect people's health. He asked the Ministry of Health to complete a project to determine the purchase of an appropriate country's vaccine, and search for more suppliers.

Amid the complex developments of the pandemic in the world and the region, PM Phúc said raising vigilance is still the most important measure to prevent and control the disease.

People nationwide should closely follow the message featuring the 5Ks (in Vietnamese) Khẩu trang (facemask)- Khử khuẩn (disinfection) - Khoảng cách (distance) - Không tụ tập (no gathering) – Khai báo y tế (health declaration) to live safely with the coronavirus in the new normal, he said.

Meanwhile, agencies at all levels must prevent violations of quarantine regulations and localities, especially big cities, need to enhance inspections of pandemic prevention and control. —VNS