Deputy Prime Minister Vũ Đức Đam, head of the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control (centre), chairs the meeting. — VNA/VNS Photo Dương Giang

HÀ NỘI — Deputy Prime Minister Vũ Đức Đam, head of the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control, on Friday chaired a meeting on COVID-19 'vaccine passports'.

At the meeting, representatives of the Tourism Advisory Council agreed with the guidelines of the steering committee and the Ministry of Health (MoH) on the issuance of 'vaccine passports'.

The steering committee listened to reports and opinions from the ministries of information and communications, foreign affairs, health, public security and national defence on infrastructure, research, policies and specific instructions to implement 'vaccine passports' when possible, while ensuring safety.

For citizens, immunisation information will be integrated into the electronic health record system. Experts believe this is the most convenient way for people to registers their vaccinations, while controlling travel and movement amid the pandemic.

Minister of Health Nguyễn Thanh Long said that when getting vaccinated, people have to download the electronic records application and re-declare necessary information. Medical facilities will scan QR-codes instead of filling in paperwork. People can then be screened, vaccinated and monitored after vaccination.

After receiving the vaccination, people will receive a certificate and a QR code. The management agency captures information and data to implement the COVID-19 vaccination programme and is provided with a tool to monitor information of those who have received the COVID-19 vaccine.

For foreigners and representatives of ministries, major mobile carriers said that infrastructure will be completed and deployed next month.

The system will take into account the most complex cases and will be ready to be deployed immediately after specific policies on vaccine passports are issued.

Regarding specific policies and guidelines, the MoH is continuing to work with foreign health agencies so that Việt Nam can soon participate in the international community's joint efforts to facilitate trade and travel for people who have been vaccinated against COVID-19 in other countries.

The MoH said that in Hải Dương Province, in the last 12 days, only one or two new cases were recorded per day, are all were quarantined.

The Ministry of Health is reviewing the quarantine work in Hải Dương Province and at the same time directing the province to pay attention to improving testing quality.

The Deputy PM asked ministries and localities to continue strengthening leadership and promoting a sense of responsibility as the virus still poses significant risks.

Local leaders must focus on proactively deciding appropriate anti-pandemic measures and take responsibility for prevention and control in their respective localities, limit negative impacts on economic, social activities and people's lives.

It is necessary to be proactive in a new normal state, both in economic development and ready to prevent the pandemic in all sectors, fields and in all agencies, units, organisations and the community.

Data from the National Immunisation Programme said that as of 4pm on March 18, Việt Nam had given the AstraZeneca vaccine to 27,546 people.

All vaccination sites comply with the MoH's regulations on ensuring safety. The post-injection response rate is at a permitted level according to the vaccine manufacturer's recommendation. — VNS