Following the directions of the Vietnamese Ministry of Health, in a short time, medical facilities across Da Nang are racing against time to prepare and organise COVID-19 vaccination drives for groups of subjects in line with the national regulations. As of June 23, more than 95% of the vaccination plan against COVID-19 had been completed, and encouragingly, no severe post-injection reactions have till date been registered in the city.

Teachers are injected with COVID-19 vaccines intoat Hai Chau District Medical Centre on the morning of June 23. Photo: PHAN CHUNG

Rest assured thanks to good preparations

According to the Da Nang Department of Health, a total of more than 21,000 doses of vaccines are being using for the ongoing Phase 3 of COVID-19 vaccinations which kicked off at 16 immunisation venues on June 18.

The priority groups for this phase are preschool and primary school teachers, frontline forces for COVID-19 prevention and control missions, Vietnamese foreign employees and diplomats, immigration officers, essential service providers, teachers and those working at educational institutions, agencies and administrative units often coming into contact with others and other at-risk subjects.

Ms Nguyen Thi Vy, a teacher of a preschool based in Hai Chau District feels secure when her name is on the list of additional vaccinations.

“The pandemic is certainly prolonged and with the current infection mechanism, the risk is always present. Therefore, vaccination is the best way to protect yourself”, Vy shared.

Before taking the injection, Vy went online to read relevant information from reliable sources, especially what needed to be grasped before and after getting vaccinated against the deadly virus.

In particular, the female teacher was proactive and honest in declaring her medical and health status-the best way to protect herself in the event of a severe reaction.

Vaccination against COVID-19 is in progress at the Hai Chau District Medical Centre. Photo: PHAN CHUNG

Careful consultancy, selection of the right objects eligible for vaccinations

According to doctor Ton That Thanh, the Director of the city's Centre for Disease Control (CDC Da Nang), based on the number of vaccines allocated by the Ministry of Health, jabs are being administered to subjects according to the naitonal regulations.

“Currently, the demand for vaccines against COVID-19 is growing, but in proportion to the number of vaccines received, in the immediate future, CDC Da Nang will coordinate with the local authorities to organise a selection of priority subjects to be vaccinated first in line with Resolution No. 21/NQ-CP dated February 16, 2021 of the national government” said doctor Thanh.

From June 18 to 23, more than 23,000 people across the city were vaccinated. Of whom, only 2 suffered grade-2 post-injection reactions after injection and were promptly handled.

Under the regulations of the Ministry of Health, the COVID-19 vaccination site at the Da Nang Lung Hospital must meet strict standards for storing and preserving the vaccines, be arranged to include designated areas for reception, waiting, clinical screening, vaccination rooms, post-injection monitoring rooms, and anaphylactic treatment rooms with one-way rule, be equipped with anaphylactic treatment boxes, and comply with epidemic prevention regulations.

A health worker will administer the vaccine, and the persons receiving it will be asked to wait for 30 minutes before leaving the vaccination site. They will be then closely monitored their health at home for 24 hours after vaccination. This is so that health workers can observe individuals for any unexpected reactions following vaccination.

The Ministry of Health also requires pre-vaccination screening on all vaccinated people. Pre-injection screening is a very important step as those who show abnormal signs of health are not allowed to get vaccinated.

Also, the preservation of the vaccine doses must meet the standards set by Vietnamese Ministry of Health on the storage of vaccines for immunisation activities.

Reporting by PHAN CHUNG – Translating by A.T