Vietnam will receive 4.8 to 8.2 million of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine doses AZD1222 for free, which are shared by COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX), a global initiative Vietnam has engaged, the Ministry of Health said on Sunday.

COVAX, which aims at equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines, is led by the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization, the World Health Organization, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, and others.

The doses are said to arrive in Vietnam in batches from now to the second quarter of this year and will be given for free.

The Ministry of Health has assigned the General Department of Preventive Medicine to draw a plan on using COVID-19 vaccince.

According to Nguyen Minh Hang, deputy head of the department, the plan is expected to be finished this week.

“The first prioritized group to get the vaccination is medical staff members who are participating in combating the pandemic and treating COVID-19 patients,” Nguyen said. “Then, we will move to the next groups.”

In Vietnam, AZD1222 is used to vaccinate people aged 18 to 60.

Earlier, Vietnam also ordered to buy 30 million of doses of AstraZeneca vaccine which are expected to arrive in Vietnam in batches within this quarter.

The vaccination price has yet to be revealved.

Besides the imported vaccine, four domestic manufacturers are currently researching and developing namde-in-Vietnam COVID-19 vaccine, of which two units are conducting human trial on volunteers.

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