Ho Chi Minh City on October 27 morning started giving COVID-19 vaccines to school children in the district of Cu Chi.

COVID-19 vaccination on children will only be carried out with agreement from their parents (Photo: VNA)

According to Chairwoman of the People’s Committee of Cu Chi Pham Thi Thanh Hien, the vaccination is being piloted at one site initially, with about 1,500 students aging from 16-17 to receive the shots.

Doctor Nguyen Thanh Danh, head of the Health Care Division of Cu Chi said that the vaccination will only be carried out with agreement from their parents. The students are receiving Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, he added.

Duong Anh Duc, Vice Chairman of the HCM City People’s Committee said that Cu Chi district, together with District 1, are the first localities in the city chosen for the vaccination of children.

Duc noted that so far, the city has administered nearly 13 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines to locals with utmost safety. The city has also made careful preparations to give the vaccines to children, he said, adding that the city will be the first locality in the country to conduct a massive vaccination campaign on children starting from November. 

On October 27 afternoon, about 300 students in District 1 will be vaccinated against COVID-19.

Earlier on October 22, the city Steering Committee on COVID-19 Prevention and Control issued a plan on vaccinating children aging from 12-17 against COVID-19, targeting about 780,000 children.