A batch of 500,000 doses of Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccines along with two tonnes of medical supplies, including syringes, arrived in Việt Nam on June 20. — Photo from the Ministry of Health

HÀ NỘI — The Ministry of Health has issued a decision on the distribution of 500,000 doses China-donated Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccines.

Signed by deputy health minister Trương Quốc Cường, the doses will go to nine northern provinces, with eligible groups for vaccination determined to be Vietnamese people living in communes neighbouring China, people who engage in trade and services exchanges with China, and Chinese nationals staying and working in Việt Nam.

Quảng Ninh, Lạng Sơn, and Cao Bằng CDCs will receive the most doses in this distribution phase – 230,000, 121,000, and 60,000, respectively.

Hà Giang, Điện Biên, Lào Cai, Lai Châu, Nam Định and Thái Bình CDCs are allocated 34,000, 28,000, 17,300, 6,000, 1,700 and 1,400 doses, respectively.

The local health departments have been asked to quickly compile lists of all eligible people and develop a plan to immediately administer the vaccines when they arrive and make sure each eligible person receives the full two doses under the guidelines of the National Expanded Programme on Immunisation.

The Chinese inactivated vaccine, with the product name Vero Cell, arrived at Hà Nội’s Nội Bài International Airport last Sunday. — VNS