HCMC Approves Foreign Affairs Department’s Proposal To Vaccinate Over 210,000 Foreigners
Inoculating the expat community remains one of the city’s priorities in its current vaccination drive.
The Vietnamese government has said there will be no discrimination when it comes to COVID-19 vaccination. | Source: Shutterstock
The People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City has approved a proposal by the Department of Foreign Affairs to vaccinate the southern metropolis’ foreign residents immediately when supplies allow.
The proposal was submitted earlier this month on August 6, compiling 216,006 foreign nationals in HCMC that wish to be inoculated against COVID-19, as listed by their embassies and consulates.
The city’s Department of Health has been tasked with allocating and administering vaccines for this demographic as soon as possible.
The ravaging new COVID-19 Delta variant, coupled with a shortage of vaccine supply, has been a great cause of concern for the city’s expat community, having put many out of work and cast doubts over a future in Vietnam for others.
Since the start of Vietnam’s fourth wave on April 27, the Southeast Asian nation has been supported with millions of doses and medical equipment from international communities from east to west, mostly through the COVAX program, namely Japan, Poland, Australia, Russia and the US.
While certain countries like France have organized inoculation campaigns for their own citizens in Vietnam, the majority of expats here depend on the local vaccination drive. Earlier in August, District 2 and 7 reported administering first doses to a number of their foreign residents.
Meanwhile, many Vietnamese nationals living and working abroad are thankful for having been granted equal access to their host country’s vaccine supply.
The Department of Foreign Affairs emphasizes the significance of inoculating HCMC’s foreign population as a gesture of gratitude and appreciation, so that they can have the security to continue contributing to the city’s socioeconomic development.
Expats in the country can currently sign up to be vaccinated either with the local authorities in their communities, or through Vietnam’s COVID-19 vaccination portal and e-health app. Both English and Vietnamese versions are available.
As of August 18, 52% of the southern metropolis’ population have received at least one dose, with just over 1% fully vaccinated.
COVID-19 patient tally crosses 300,000
The Ministry of Health announced 8,800 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, raising the national tally to 302,101. A total of 297,920 cases have been confirmed since April 27.
The new COVID-19 infections were found in: HCMC (3,731), Binh Duong (2,513), Dong Nai (443), Long An (428), Tien Giang (282), Da Nang (278), Kien Giang (169), An Giang (105), Tay Ninh (104), Can Tho (91), Khanh Hoa (86), Ben Tre (72), Phu Yen (65), Vinh Long (61), Nghe An (59), Quang Nam (53), Ha Noi (46), Dong Thap (31), Binh Thuan (20), Thua Thien-Hue (17), Hau Giang (16), Binh Dinh (15), Dak Nong (13), Quang Tri (12), Quang Ngai (9), Ninh Thuan (8), Quang Binh (8), Ha Tinh (8), Gia Lai (7), Bac Ninh (7), Lam Dong (6), Thanh Hoa (6), Dak Lak (5), Lao Cai (4), Son La (2), Ca Mau (2), Ninh Binh (1), Thai Binh (1), Vinh Phuc (1), Lang Son (1), Dien Bien (1), Bac Lieu (1).
Out of all 62 cities and provinces, six have gone at least 14 days without new domestic infections: Quảng Ninh, Bắc Kạn, Tuyên Quang, Lai Châu, Hoà Bình, Hải Phòng.
Vietnam’s death toll is currently at 6,770.