Official Dispatch 3968/TTKSBT-PCBTN Ho Chi Minh City 2021 reminding the assurance of safety during a COVID-19 vaccination session

Currently, Ho Chi Minh City is organizing a vaccination campaign to increase vaccine coverage against COVID-19. Several safety-related issues have been reported through surveillance of COVID-19 vaccination sites. Ho Chi Minh City Center for Disease Control hereby reminds and recommends units as follows:

1. COVID-19 vaccination units shall comply with regulations on vaccination safety under the Ministry of Health’s Decision No. 3588/QD-BYT dated July 26, 2021, guiding the organization of a COVID-19 vaccination session.

2. For each type of vaccine, it should arrange a separate injection table to ensure the vaccination techniques as well as avoid injecting the wrong vaccine.

3. Staff giving injections must always check to ensure the 5 corrects, including correct subjects, correct vaccination schedule, correct vaccines (in terms of types and validity), correct dose (correct dose withdrawal), and route of administration before administering each injection.

4. Preserving vaccines in the vaccine carriers as prescribed. To be specific: having a thermometer to monitor the temperature; properly defrosting the cold storage tank, with an insulation layer so that the vaccine does not come into direct contact with the ice packs; placing the opened multi-dose vaccine vial on the sponge supplied with the carrier, do not leave the vaccine vial in use on the table. The pre-drawing vaccine is not allowed.

5. Shock prevention: To equip a valid shockproof box with sufficient components according to the Circular No. 51/2017/TT-BYT dated December 29, 2017. To prepare 01 Syringe containing Adrenalin solution 1mg/1ml (withdraw 1ml of Adrenalin 1mg/1ml into the pre-filled syringe, cover needle with cap) at the injection table and post-injection monitoring area. To assign a treatment facility/mobile emergency team to support each vaccination site. To provide the emergency team's hotline for rapid response at the vaccination site when there is a case to be handled.

Leaders of units are requested to strengthen the inspection and supervision of the vaccination at units/in localities and seriously implement this Official Dispatch for timely detection and settlement according to regulations on vaccination safety.

Ho Chi Minh City Center for Disease Control shall monitor the COVID-19 vaccination at units, especially those that had violated regulations on vaccination safety, and report Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health./.