HCMC keeps interval of 8-12 weeks between AstraZeneca first, second dose

As the Ministry of Health has not yet given feedback on the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health’s proposal to reduce the interval between the first and second shot of AstraZeneca vaccine to six weeks, the city health sector still keeps it unchanged at 8-12 weeks following the Ministry’s guidance, said Dr. Nguyen Huu Hung, Deputy Director of Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health.

HCMC keeps interval of 8-12 weeks between AstraZeneca first, second dose ảnh 1 At the press brief (Photo: SGGP)
Speaking at the press brief yesterday afternoon, Dr. Hung said that the Department of Health has proposed to shorten the interval between two AstraZeneca injections to 6 weeks to raise the vaccine coverage rate of second shots. However, the Ministry has not approved the proposal, so the city hasn’t shortened the interval.
Deputy Head of the Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control in Ho Chi Minh City Pham Duc Hai said that as of 6 pm on September 16, approximately 321,358 Covid-19 cases have been detected in Ho Chi Minh City by the Ministry of Health including 320,882 cases in the community and 476 imported cases.
Currently, medical facilities are treating 40,888 patients comprising of 3,145 children under 16 years old, 2,514 critically ill patients on ventilators, and 23 patients requiring ECMO.
According to Dr. Nguyen Huu Hung, currently, around 515,988 people have not been inoculated with the Covid-19 vaccine while about 1,782,496 others need the second vaccine jabs.
From midnight on September 16, some activities are allowed to reopen and delivery workers can travel in different districts. Additionally, some transportation businesses and business households can deliver goods, there has no congestion at the checkpoints.
Mentioning the industry field in the first 9 months of the year, Nguyen Nguyen Phuong, Deputy Director of the Department of Industry and Trade, said that food processing activities bumped into difficulties. The Food and Food Association has asked for consultation from the City People's Committee and the Department of Industry and Trade for recovery.
The department proposed connecting localities, supply units for additional supply of raw materials. For a long-term solution, the Department proposed the establishment of a council of food processing development that will give consultations on solutions and strategies for the sector's growth.

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