Laos to begin second round of Covid-19 vaccinations this month

VIENTIANE (Vientiane Times/ANN): Some 150,000 medical workers around the country will be vaccinated against Covid-19 this month and next following China’s donation of 300,000 doses of vaccine.

The vaccine was developed by Sinopharm (China National Pharmaceutical Group Co, Ltd), which previously provided 2,000 doses to Laos.

People in at-risk groups between the ages of 18 and 60 will also be given priority in receiving vaccinations. They include medical staff, elderly people, those with a chronic illness, and migrant workers.

Medical workers and staff continue to face challenges in monitoring people at border crossings and providing assistance to returning workers affected by the pandemic.

The second round of vaccinations will take place from mid March to early April. The first vaccinations were given to volunteer medical staff at the end of last year.

Director General of the Department of Hygiene and Health Promotion under the Ministry of Health, Dr Phonepaseuth Ounaphom, on Tuesday updated reporters on the situation.

He said the vaccination drive follows the Covid-19 prevention and control plans which health authorities are now going all out to implement in a bid to keep the virus in check.

He believed the high quality of the vaccine would help protect health workers and public officials in the event of a further outbreak.

The government has been accepted by Laos’ development partners for the supply of vaccines according to the country’s needs, he added.

Chinese vaccines are considered to be safe and reliable and the Lao people are eagerly looking forward to being vaccinated, Dr Phonepaseuth said.

It is anticipated that about 20 per cent of the Lao population, or about 1.6 million people, will be vaccinated this year.

Vaccination coverage is expected to rise to 50 per cent of the population by 2022 and to 70 per cent in 2023, with more people to be vaccinated in the following years, according to the National Taskforce Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control.

All vaccines take time to provide immunity and no vaccine can be guaranteed to provide total immunity in every individual, the Minister of Heath has said.

This means it is possible for someone to fall ill even after being vaccinated.

Authorities are also considering acquiring Covid-19 vaccines produced in Germany, Japan, and other countries after they have been approved by regulators.

Laos also expects to receive Covid-19 vaccines from the Gavi Covax Facility, which has been set up by the United Nations to ensure global equitable access to vaccines.

Laos is one of 92 countries that will be given vaccines in the form of a grant from the Gavi Covax Facility.