Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc chairs a meeting on COVID-19 response, Ha Noi, February 24, 2021

The batch is part of 30 million doses that the Viet Nam Vaccine Joint Stock Co., a company set up to handle vaccine import and distribution, will bring in.

Earlier, the Ministry of Health announced that more than 18.3 million people subject to 11 prioritized groups will be vaccinated first.  

PM Phuc said the vaccine should be given first to high-risk groups such as health workers, staff working at concentrated quarantine sites and pandemic-hit areas as the supply of vaccine could not immediately meet local demand.

At the same time, the Government chief also ordered subordinate levels to combine vaccination with serious implementation of the 5K message: Khau trang (facemask) – Khu khuan (disinfection) – Khoang cach (distance) – Khong tu tap (no gathering) – Khai bao y te (health declaration).

He tasked the Ministry of Industry and Trade to coordinate with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Ministry of Health to quickly issue protocol for rescuing farm produce in the pandemic hit-areas where farmers are struggling against the pandemic.

PM Phuc assigned leaders of the pandemic-affected localities to decide themselves concrete measures, including lockdown and social distancing, to contain the virus and promote economic activities.

He demanded strict control of borders and immigration to prevent illegal entrants.

To date, Viet Nam confirmed 2,412 COVID-19 patients, including 1,513 local infections, according to the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control led by Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam.

As many as 1,790 patients have recovered while death toll remains at 35./.