Binh Duong gets ready to vaccinate children against Covid-19

In order to achieve herd immunity, the province has promoted vaccination against Covid-19. Currently, about 95% of the province's population within vaccination age has received at least one dose of Covid-19 vaccines. The province is urgently receiving vaccines sponsored by Sovico Group, and developing a plan, review the list of children from 12 to 17 years old.

Provincial Department of Health requires provincial localities and vaccination units to vaccinate children against coronavirus; expand the target group to include children from 12 to 17. In photo: SARS-CoV-2 testing for children at Hoa Loi social housing area, Thu Dau Mot city.

To guarantee vaccination safety

Recently, localities in the province have put all efforts into giving vaccination against Covid-19. Up to now, the whole province has injected 3,253,813 doses out of a total of 4,859,390 doses distributed, of which 2,295,032 people receiving the first dose and 958,781 people receiving the second dose. Dr. Nguyen Hong Chuong, Director of provincial Department of Health, said that in order to achieve the goal of community immunity, Binh Duong has accelerated vaccination. Currently, about 95% of the province's population within vaccination age has received at least one dose of Covid-19 vaccines.

In order to achieve the maximum vaccination coverage, localities in the province must maximize vaccination facilities and organize many mobile vaccination sites to be on the set schedule. Regarding the work of vaccination safety, injection facilities have basically met the requirements. The Department of Health suggested that vaccination facilities must carefully screen people before vaccination. These facilities must arrange mobile emergency teams, permanent emergency hospitals and regional emergency hospitals. After vaccination, injected persons must be monitored on the spot and instructed to self-monitor their health at home.

According to Dr. Nguyen Hong Chuong, in order to correct the vaccination work, Department of Health previously sent an official dispatch to vaccination facilities in the province to strictly implement the vaccination. The Covid-19 vaccines are given free of charge to all people of 18 years of age and older, so it is strictly forbidden to collect fees or profits from vaccination in any form (collecting money from people, doing testing before vaccination, ultrasound, tests etc.). Therefore, before vaccination, these units must update the information of injected persons on the "Covid-19 Vaccination Portal", detect and handle cases that are not eligible for vaccination, select suitable vaccines, give the third shot... to handle each case.

In particular, the units must organize the vaccination of the 1st and 2nd dose of the same vaccine type; in case of lack of vaccine, combine 2 doses of Covid-19 vaccines according to the instructions: 1st dose is AstraZeneca vaccine, 2nd dose is AstraZeneca; 1st dose is Moderna from 4 weeks or more can be replaced with 2nd dose of Pfizer vaccine; 1st dose is Pfizer, then 2nd dose must be Pfizer; 1st dose Vero Cell, then inject 2nd dose of Vero Cell, do not mix with other types.

To develop a vaccination schedule for children

According to Professor - Dr. Tran Van Thuan, Deputy Minister of Health, currently a number of vaccines against Covid-19 are prescribed for children according to manufacturer's instructions. Data of the manufacturer's studies also show that the vaccines are as effective in preventing coronavirus in children as it is in adults and the elderly. In fact, many countries around the world have given Covid-19 vaccines to children. In order to gradually increase coverage and maximize the effectiveness of vaccines, according to the experience of using vaccines in some countries, the Ministry of Health has issued Document No. 8688/BYT-DP on Covid-19 vaccination for children of 12-17 years old.

Accordingly, the Ministry of Health assigned Central Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Pasteur Institute to develop documents, plan trainings and guide the vaccination for children aged 12-17 years old for provinces and cities about vaccines licensed by the Ministry of Health for use in this age group. The units direct, guide and provide professional and technical support to localities in organizing vaccination.

To realize this document of the Ministry of Health, Provincial Department of Health also asked localities and vaccination units in the province to provide Covid-19 vaccines for children; expand the target group to include children from 12 to 17 years old according to plan, in which vaccination is prioritized for the age group from 16 to 17 years old and gradually lowering the age according to the vaccine supply and the Covid-19 situation.

The vaccines used are vaccines approved by the Ministry of Health for this age group, according to the instructions of use of manufacturers and the Ministry of Health. Each injected person gets 2 basic doses and is injected with the same vaccine type. The Department of Health is developing a plan and carrying out the 1st injection from October 2021, if vaccination facilities well prepare to meet the conditions.

The provincial health authority has also coordinated with Department of Education and Training to review and make a list of children having schooling from 6th grade to 12th grade for vaccinations. For children of this age who do not go to school, municipalities will coordinate and make a list for vaccination. The form of vaccination is organized into campaigns at fixed and mobile vaccination sites. Parents and guardians need to sign consent form. Before injecting, vaccination establishments must screen injected people under the guidance of the Ministry of Health, and designate the type of vaccine used according to the manufacturer's instructions, explain how to monitor health and care after vaccination; propagate and mobilize people to bring children from 12 to 17 years old to participate in fully.

Reported by Hoang Linh - Translated by Ngoc Huynh