The third dose of vaccine: Ensuring safely, quickly and effectively

– In order to maintain the effectiveness of antibodies of the COVID-19 vaccine against the complicated developments of the pandemic situation in the locality, the Lang Son health sector has deployed the third dose of COVID-19 vaccine with the motto: Fast, safe, effective.

From December 25, 2021 to December 31, 2022, the Department of Health has directed its affiliated units to carry out the first round of the third dose of COVID-19 vaccine injection for those who meet the requirements such as cases of 18 years and older who have received 2 full doses of COVID-19 vaccine with 3 months or more from the 2nd dose. Priority subjects for this injection are medical staff, frontline forces participating in pandemic prevention and control; cases of 50 years or older, people with underlying diseases, and serious illness patients being treated at medical facilities.

Determining that the third dose vaccination must be done quickly, effectively and safely, the health sector has opened more than 100 injection sites. Due to the experience in handling situations and problems from the previous rounds of COVID-19 vaccination, the units have actively developed a plan to ensure successful vaccination such as arranging injection sites according to the 1 way regulation;  separating waiting area and monitoring area at the right distance…Along with that, the medical staff actively participated, so in this round, many units completed the third injection in a short time, safely, with no cases of severe reactions after injection. For example, in Huu Lung district, despite administering the 3rd dose (from December 25, 2021 to December 31, 2022) in a short time, the unit has completed all doses of the vaccine.

Staff of Van Lang district Health Center screening before inject the third dose of Covid-19 vaccine to the People of Tan Thanh commune, Van Lang district

Doctor Kim Ngoc Thuy, Deputy Director of Huu Lung District Health Center, said: “One week before the 3rd dose vaccination, the unit organized a screening and review of subjects on the National COVID-19 vaccination software system and Electronic Health Book. After reviewing, the unit coordinates with relevant forces to make a list and send notices of eligible people for vaccination according to each specific time frame. Up to now, the district has administered the third dose injection for 6,775 cases ensuring safety and compliance with regulations.

With the determination of the medical staff along with the systematic coordination of the relevant forces, the first round of the third dose vaccination for the people in the area was carried out quickly and safely, compliance with regulations. According to the Department of Health’s report, in the first round of the third dose injection, 49,975 people were vaccinated in the whole province. Thus, in just a short time, the number of cases receiving the third injection accounted for 9.87% of the total number of people aged 18 and over in the area.

Staff of the Provincial’s Center for Disease Control and Prevention injects the third dose of COVID-19 vaccine to the People

The vaccination took place quickly and smoothly, which was agreed and supported by the People. Mrs. Nguyen Thi Phuong Loan, Hoang Van Thu ward, Lang Son city said: “I received the third dose of COVID-19 vaccine at the end of December 2021. I noticed in this injection, injection stages such as announcing the injection schedule, screening, performing procedures and injections, monitoring were implemented quickly but very closely, scientifically and ensuring the pandemic prevention and control requirements.”

Mr. Ly Kim Soi, Deputy Director of the Department of Health said: “The process of the third dose injection was implemented in a short time and achieved high efficiency, the above success is the initiative, creativity and coordination of the vaccination units in classifying and providing information to the vaccinated people to ensure injecting the vaccine to the right people in the allotted time.

With close organization and initial results, in the coming time, the Department of Health will continue to deploy the third dose injection for eligible cases, with the specified time with the goal of completing the 3rd dose for all eligible people aged 18 and over in the area as soon as possible and ensuring the safest. At the same time, The Department of Health will continue to direct units to organized leftover and booster vaccination for all the cases to ensure the vaccine coverage in the area.