Saigon Offers 200,000 Vaccine Shots Per Day As COVID-19 Worsens

Saigon administers over 800,000 vaccine shots

For the past couple of weeks, Saigon has witnessed a rapid spike in the number of COVID-19 infections. As of today, the city has recorded 44 new cases and a total number of 1,483 COVID-19 cases since 27th April.

To curb the spread of COVID-19, Saigon has kicked off a large-scale vaccination campaign with a total of 836,000 doses waiting to be administered to local residents.

Saigon administers nearly 1 million vaccine jabs to residents

Saigon COVID-19 vaccine
Nearly 1 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine arrived in Vietnam on 16th June
Image credit: Tuoi Tre

On 16th June, nearly 1 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine donated by the Japanese government arrived at Noi Bai Airport in Hanoi.

Due to the urgency of the COVID-19 situation, 836,000 doses were transferred into Ho Chi Minh City for timely vaccinations to be carried out.

Saigon prioritizes workers at industrial parks for COVID-19 vaccines

Saigon COVID-19 vaccine
Image credit: Ministry of Health

On 19th June, Saigon’s largest vaccination program kicked off in Thu Duc with over 1,000 vaccination booths across the city. The vaccination campaign will last for about 5 days, during which medical workers will strive to administer about 200,000 vaccine jabs per day, Cong An reports.

According to Tuoi Tre, local authorities will prioritize workers at industrial parks because they are at a high risk of exposure due to their working conditions.

On the first day of the program, around 500 workers at local high-tech industrial parks received the vaccination.

Saigon COVID-19 vaccine
Image credit: Ministry of Health

Before giving the jabs, medical workers will conduct consultations with patients.

This is to identify those with unique medical conditions who are unable to receive the COVID-19 vaccine – safeguarding against possible post-vaccination reactions.

Vaccines might have side effects, but a survey by the Ministry of Health showed that their benefits supersede possible risks. You might contract COVID-19 after a vaccination, but the severity of your illness can be considerably reduced.

Safety measures reinforced as Saigon’s COVID-19 situation escalates

Saigon COVID-19 vaccine
Image credit: Cong An

It’s been nearly 3 weeks since Saigon first entered citywide social distancing. Despite plenty of restrictions in place, the city is still recording a considerable number of domestic infections on a daily basis. A number of unlinked clusters were also discovered during this period.

For the past couple of days, Ho Chi Minh City has sadly overtaken Bac Giang, in terms of housing Vietnam’s highest daily caseloads.

Saigon COVID-19 vaccine
Image credit: Thanh Nien

Seeing that former measures were not 100% effective in containing the spread, local authorities have decided to reinforce safety protocols.

Starting from 20th June, gatherings of over 3 people in public places are strictly forbidden.

Adhere to safety protocols while awaiting vaccination

The past 3 weeks have been considerably hard for Saigon residents, whose lives are continuously interrupted by movement restrictions, health anxieties, and an extended distancing period.

The COVID-19 situation in Saigon is getting a bit out of control, and we’re all worried about the possibility of us carrying the virus without knowing it. As certainly as we want to be vaccinated, we also have concerns about its potency and side effects.

Even though vaccine supplies are limited, our government has been working very hard to make COVID-19 vaccines available and that they meet safety standards. If it’s your turn to get inoculated, don’t hesitate to do so.

While you’re still waiting to receive your COVID-19 vaccination, adhere to safety protocols and stay indoors as much as possible.

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Cover image adapted from: Sai Gon Giai Phong

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