3rd and 4th Covid-19 vaccine shots as “shield” to protect health

Currently, there is no scientific evidence to confirm that Covid-19 vaccines have long-term effects on people's health. The effectiveness of the vaccines has decreased quickly while people have been neglecting to get vaccinated against Covid-19. The government and the health sector are still trying to implement all measures to promote vaccination with the 3^rd and 4^th Covid-19 vaccine shots.

People neglecting Covid-19 vaccination

In recent days, localities in the province have organized the 3rd and 4th vaccination against Covid-19 for people in the province. In fact, some localities excelled at organizing and mobilizing people and workers to get vaccinated against Covid-19 with high results. Provincial Industrial Parks ‘Management Board cooperated with localities, including Thuan An city, Di An city, Tan Uyen town, Ben Cat town and Bau Bang district to deploy the 4^th Covid-19 vaccine shots for workers in industrial parks. The Management Board sent 2-3 officials and employees to participate in supporting localities to organize Covid-19 vaccination for workers.

Thu Dau Mot city’s Hiep An ward organizes Covid-19 vaccination at home for people

Over the past 3 days, the whole town mobilized all efforts to participate in vaccination against Covid-19. Statistics show that the whole town has administered more than 20,100 doses of Covid-19 vaccine. Particularly, there were more than 11,700 people with the 4th doses, more than 6,800 people aged at 12-17 with the 3rd doses and the rest with the 1st and 2nd doses. Meanwhile, at the mobile vaccination sites for companies in Thu Dau Mot city’s Hiep An ward, more than 150 workers of Tan A Co., Ltd., Hoang Viet Production, Trade and Service Co., Ltd., Innocraft Vietnam Wood Industry Co., Ltd. have registered to get the 3^rd and 4^th Covid-19 vaccine shots. Immediately after that, the ward’s medical force continued maintaining mobile vaccination at lodging facilities, people's houses and organized a fixed injection site at the ward's health station.

Currently, the province’s health sector and localities are speeding up the vaccination schedule. However, people are no longer interested in getting Covid-19 vaccine with the subjective mentality that vaccination still causes the pandemic. In particular, people are afraid of sequels after vaccination, so the number of vaccine use is not high. Huynh Minh Chin, Deputy Director of provincial Department of Health said that currently, the World Health Organization and countries have determined that vaccines are the most effective measure to prevent and control the Covid-19 pandemic. The Covid-19 vaccines have been gradually reducing the number of serious cases, the number of people hospitalized for treatment and the risk of death. Although there are more and more variants of SARS-CoV-2, the Covid-19 vaccines are still doing a good job of protecting people against the pandemic.

“Currently, there is no scientific evidence to confirm that the Covid-19 vaccines have a long-term effect on people's health while their effectiveness producing antibodies to prevent the pandemic is relatively quick. Therefore, in order to maintain the protective effectiveness of the Covid-19 vaccines, people need to inject the 3rd and 4th shots under the instructions of the Ministry of Health to protect their health and repel the pandemic", said doctor Huynh Minh Chin.

Businesses must sign minutes in case of refusing vaccination

Currently, localities are urgently deploying the 3rd Covid-19 vaccine dose for children from 12-17 and the 4^th dose for people aged 50 and over; people aged 18 years and over with moderate to severe immunodeficiency; people aged 18 years and older who are in high-risk groups for exposure to Covid-19 such as health workers, frontline officials. Nguyen Thi Kim Nguyen, Vice-Chairwoman of Tan Uyen town’s People's Committee said: "Localities need to actively review the list of workers at companies that have not received the 3rd and 4th dose vaccines and prioritize the early implementation for workers with the high risk of infection. For those who have received additional doses and then contracted Covid-19, localities also need to promote propaganda and mobilize them to participate in getting booster shots to increase herd immunity.

Facing the fact that the vaccination progress is slow, Dr. Nguyen Hong Chuong, Director of provincial Department of Health said that the health sector has stepped up coordination with relevant units to strengthen implementation, establish fixed and mobile injection points which is depended on the local situation. The People's Committees of districts, towns and cities direct the Steering Committees for Covid-19 prevention and control in communes, wards, townships and departments, sectors and mass organizations to be responsible for inviting people to the injection sites. Especially, sectors and localities coordinate with universities, colleges, junior colleges... to establish injection sites at schools to administer booster doses for teachers and students.

“Companies that do not agree to receive the vaccination must commit to be responsible before Head of provincial Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control if the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic occurs. Provincial Industrial Parks ‘Management Board reports the number of companies that do not agree to let workers get vaccinated against Covid-19. Provincial Center for Disease Control cooperates with the Management Board of provincial Integrated Administration Center building to set up an injection site at the building to deploy the 4th dose of Covid-19 vaccine for officials and civil servants. Thu Dau Mot city’s Center for Reproductive Health Care, Medical Center coordinates with provincial Center for Disease Control in arranging suitable injection sites for provincial-level units that are not located at provincial Integrated Administration Center. The sector strives to get 100% of civil servants and public employees at agencies and units of all levels must complete booster doses", said Dr. Hong Chuong said.

Reported by Kim Ha-Translated by Kim Tin