Official Dispatch 10722/BYT-DP 2021 regarding COVID-19 primary and booster vaccination

To:

- Departments of Health of provinces and centrally run cities;

- Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Pasteur Institute;

- Department of Health under the Ministry of Public Security;

- Army Medical Department under the General Department of Logistics, the Ministry of Defense; (hereinafter referred to as units)

In order to improve the immunity against COVID-19 pandemic for those who have been given primary shots of COVID-19 vaccines, and according to the recommendation of the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization of the World Health Organization, and other countries’ experience on using COVID-19 vaccines, the Ministry of Health requests as follows:

1. Departments of Health of provinces and centrally run cities shall:

a) Urgently accelerate the COVID-19 vaccination, ensuring that 100% of persons aged 12 and older shall be given the first shot of COVID-19 vaccines in 2021, and those who have received the first shot shall be given the second shots after the prescribed period. For localities where the high vaccination coverage is reached, it is required to review and organize to administer unvaccinated persons, ensuring that all qualified persons shall receive full doses of COVID-19 vaccines.

b) COVID-19 additional primary shots:

- Persons aged 18 and older shall be given the additional primary shots, provided that all persons aged 50 and older who have received the primary shots of COVID-19 vaccines (one, two or three shots, depending on the vaccine type) shall be given the additional primary shots, including:

+ People who are moderately or severely immunocompromised, such as those who have received an organ transplant, those who are suffering cancer, HIV, are taking medicine to suppress the immune system or have been received treatment within 6 months, etc.

+ People who have received full primary doses of Sinopharm or Sputnik V vaccine.

- Vaccine type to be administered: Same as that of the primary dose or mRNA vaccine.

- Interval: One additional primary shot shall be given 28 days - 3 months after the last primary shot.

For persons indicated to receive the additional primary shot, they shall be considered as completing the primary shot after being given the additional primary shot.

c) COVID-19 booster shots:

- Persons aged 18 and older who have been administered with full primary shots or additional primary shots, shall be given the booster shots, provided that all people with underlying medical conditions, people in need of long-term care at medical establishments, people aged 50 and older, and people directly conducting tests, providing care and treatment for COVID-19 patients, health care workers shall be given the booster shots.

- Vaccine type to be administered: In case a person has been administered with one type of vaccine for the primary or additional primary shots, then, such vaccine type or mRNA vaccine shall be used. If a person has been administered different types of vaccines, the booster shot shall be given with an mRNA vaccine. If he/she has been administered with Sinopharm vaccine for the primary or additional primary shots, the vaccine type to be used shall be Sinopharm or mRNA or AstraZeneca vaccine

- Interval: One booster shot shall be given at least 3 months after the last primary shot.

d) Vaccines used for additional primary and booster shots: Those that are approved by the Ministry of Health.

d) Dose: In accordance with instructions of manufactures permitted by the Ministry of Health.

e) Those who have been infected with COVID-19 shall be administered immediately after recovering and completing their medical quarantine period as prescribed.

2. Implementation organization:

- The Departments of Health shall consult provincial-level People’s Committees to decide on subjects of vaccination in accordance with practical situation and requirements for pandemic prevention and control in localities, develop plans and prepare conditions necessary to give additional primary and booster shots from December 2021, depending on the vaccination supply progress.

- The Department of Health under the Ministry of Public Security and the Army Medical Department under the General Department of Logistics, the Ministry of Defense shall consult ministerial leaders of their units to decide on subjects of vaccination and develop plans and prepare conditions necessary to give additional primary and booster shots from December 2021, depending on the vaccination supply progress.

- Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Pasteur Institute shall provide professional and technical guidance and support for localities in vaccination implementation.

This Official Dispatch replaces the Ministry of Health's Official Dispatch No. 10225/BYT-DP dated December 01, 2021, regarding COVID-19 primary and booster vaccination.

The Ministry of Health hereby informs concerned units for urgent plan-making and implementation.