According to the recommendations of the Vietnamese Ministry of Health, COVID-19 vaccines play a critical role in preventing deaths, and hospitalisation caused by the disease, and are contributing to controlling the spread of the disease, thus their impact on infection and serious illness is significant. The COVID-19 vaccines also contribute positively to national government's plan of ‘Safe adaptation, flexible and effective control of the pandemic’ in the new normal. Da Nang’s health sector has been working with relevant local agencies to launch COVID-19 vacination drives to give sufficient doses to target groups in a bid to boost their immune response and provide best protection against the the disease in line with Da Nang government’s guildlines. Doctor Truong Van Trinh, the Deputy Director of the Da Nang Department of Health was interviewed by reporter Phan Chung from the Da Nang Newspaper regarding the importance and benefits of getting vaccinated against COVID-19.

A health professional giving a COVID-19 vaccine to a child in the 5 through 11 years age group. Photo: PHAN CHUNG

Q: what are benefits and efficacy of getting vaccinated against COVID-19?

The COVID-19 vaccines are very effective at preventing serious illness, hospitalization and death from all current virus variants. Data published by the Medical Examination and Treatment Management Department under the Vietnamese Ministry of Health shows that 52.8% of all COVID-19 deaths in Viet Nam involved unvaccinated people, 29.8% were in those who received one or two vaccine doses, and only 7.3% were linked to those who received third dose.

Viet Nam still reports hundreds of new COVID-19 cases every day although the pandemic is now under control across the country. No cure is available for COVID-19 and vaccines are crucial tools in the pandemic response and protect against severe disease and death amid unpredictable developments of the pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic remains volatile and unpredictable, which makes it difficult to predict the features of the next variant after Omicron. In addition, many countries have opened their doors to tourists, giving them greater chance to develop new mutations or variants and causing an increase of COVID-19 cases globally. Therefore, it is necessary to get sufficent doses of COVID-19 vaccines to protect yourselves, your family and friends against the disease in line with recommendations from the health sector.

Q: What's the city's progress on vaccinations?

The vaccine rollout for certain groups of people ages 12 and older began in Da Nang on June 3 while second booster shots was offered to all adults aged 18 and older starting from June 4.

On June 8, the city also continued to implement the rollout of its vacination campaign for children in the 5 through 11 years age group who have yet to get vaccinated, and gave the second dose for children in this age group who have received their first shots. As of June 27, more than 3,390 children or 12.4% of the city’s total had received the first dose of their vaccination while over 8,400 others or  35.2% had received their second shots.

Till date, more than 35,900 eligible people in Da Nang or 10.4% of the city’s target have received their fourth doses.

Q: Why the city’s coverage rate of second booster shots is low level

There are different causes of low uptake of second booster shots in Da Nang. The major cause is believed that the coronavirus pandemic is showing signs of slowing down in Da Nang, and the country as a whole, and this makes people ignore infection prevention and control measures for COVID-19, including refusing vacinations. In addition, misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines on social media is linked to vaccine hesitancy which can range from delaying vaccination indefinitely to refusing the vaccine.

COVID-19 vaccinations underway for health workers in Son Tra District. Photo: PHAN CHUNG

Q: what are ways to increase the city’s coverage rate of second booster shots?

It is necessary for authorities at local level and relevant agencies to increase public awareness of the benefits of the second booster shot as the efficacy of boosters against COVID-19 will likely decline over time, and people need a fourth shot to increase their protection in order to prepare for a possible COVID-19 resurgence in a bid to achieve high coverage of second booster shots in the city. Booster shots are recommended for people over 50, frontline forces in the fight against COVID-19 pandemic, health workers, workers in industrial parks, along with those working in tourism industry, wet markets, restaurants, hotels, along with certain groups of people with weakened their immune systems.

Authorities at local level and all relevant units play an important role in encouraging eligible people in their locales to be willing to get vaccinated against COVID-19 or roll out their sleeves for a second booster shot.

Reporting by PHAN CHUNG – Translating by H.L