All years 8 and 9 students in Da Nang will be offered a first dose of the Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine from November 11 -17 as part of the city’s school-based COVID-19 vaccination programme, Doctor Nguyen Tien Hong, the Deputy Director of the Da Nang Department of Health has announced.

Around 1,428 students from 10 schools under the municipal Department of Education and Training along with 33,268 others from schools under the management of district-level people's committees will be eligible for the Pfizer booster shot.

In line with standard practice for vaccinations in schools, consent letters will be sent out to parents with information on the COVID-19 vaccination. A consent form and information leaflet provided by the Da Nang Center for Disease Control and Prevention are used to seek parental consent.

Vaccinating school students will help to reduce the need for them to have time off school and to reduce the risk of spread of COVID-19 within their schools. The school vaccination programme will provide protection to children who will be vaccinated and help to reduce disruption to face to face education after schools reopen.

In addition, all those aged 18 or over who haven't received a jab yet will get their first dose of the Pfizer vaccine to protect themselves, their friends and their family. Beneficiaries are mums-to-be at or after 13 weeks of pregnancy across the city, along with older people, and persons with serious illness in Hai Chau District. Besides, people who have received their first dose of the Pfizer vaccine will be offered their second dose during the upcoming COVID-19 vaccine rollout. Overall, more than 62,100 eligible people will receive the Pfizer booster shot from November 11-17.

The vaccination will be available at 18 vaccination locations across the city. All the venues will do temperature checks on people before entry allowing space for social distancing and a 30-minute recovery time. Strictest health and safety measures, especially the 5K recommendations of the Ministry of Health, are being put in place at vaccination sites.

Beneficiaries are required to undergo medical checks for eligibility, and they are provided with medical advice and post-vaccination observation.

A resuscitation area is available in each location where vaccines are being given, and health workers are prepared to treat immediate allergic reactions after vaccination.

Reporting by PHAN CHUNG – Translating by H.L