3 million more doses of Moderna vaccine donated by the US through the COVAX Facility have arrived in Vietnam. This is the second batch of the vaccine to be delivered to Vietnam this month.
Moderna vaccine donated by the US at Noi Bai Airport in Hanoi. (Photo: UNICEF)
Vietnam receives additional 3,000,060 doses of Covid-19 Moderna vaccine donated through the COVAX Facility by the United States Government, of which, 1,499,960 arrived in Ho Chi Minh City on July 24 and 1,500,100 doses will arrive in Hanoi the next day.
This is the second batch of Moderna vaccines to be delivered to the country this month, bringing the total donation from the US Government to Vietnam to more than five million doses, according to UNICEF Vietnam.
To date, Vietnam has received 7,493,300 doses of Covid-19 vaccines in four shipments through the COVAX Facility, the global risk-sharing mechanism for pooled procurement and equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines. They include 5,000,100 doses of Moderna vaccine from the US Government and 2,493,200 doses of AstraZeneca, VNA cited.
The latest batch of vaccines will help the Ministry of Health to expand inoculation coverage, contributing to attaining the country’s target of vaccinating more than 70% of the population by the end of the first quarter of 2022, VOV said.
“These vaccines arrive at a critical time for Vietnam as the country experiences its fourth and most devastating wave of Covid-19,” said UNICEF Vietnam Acting Representative Lesley Miller.
Moderna vaccines. (Photo: Vietnam Insider)
As of July 25 morning, the total number of people receiving the first shot of Covid-19 vaccine rose to 4,163,388, while 372,353 others have received full two shots.
The COVAX Facility is co-led by the World Health Organization (WHO), Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness and Innovations (CEPI), GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance, and UNICEF as the key delivery partner. The donated vaccines are provided through the COVAX dose-sharing mechanism, which allows well-supplied countries to share vaccine doses with other countries to help protect the most at-risk populations globally. The vaccines will contribute to the aim of reaching 20 percent coverage in low- and middle-income countries, as part of the Phase 1 vaccine allocation.
For several months, COVAX partners, WHO, CEPI, GAVI and delivery partner UNICEF, have been supporting the Government of Vietnam in readiness efforts and the national rollout of Covid-19 vaccines. They have been especially active in developing a National Vaccination Plan, as Vietnam is benefiting from the Advance Market Commitment (AMC), an innovative financial mechanism to help secure global and equitable access for Covid-19 vaccines.
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Valerie Mai
