Vaccine production must be sped up: Vietnam Deputy PM

Vietnam’s Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam has asked local authorities to hasten the production of domestic vaccine amid the fresh Covid-19 outbreak in the country.

Vietnam’s Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam at a meeting on March 5. Photo: VGP

The production must follow all required steps but as quick as possible, Dam, who is also head of the National Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control, urged authorized people at a government meeting on March 5.

“Vaccine is a long-term effective measure to cope with the pandemic globally,” Dam said, adding that Vietnam needs to conduct together two missions in the Covid-19 fight including preventive measures and vaccination.

Echoing Dam, Health Minister Nguyen Thanh Long said it’s necessary to make domestic vaccine to be active in the inoculation as the sources for import are in scarcity.

Vietnam has been developing four Covid vaccines by Nanogen Pharmaceutical Biotechnology JSC (NANOGEN), the Institute of Vaccines and Medical Biologicals (IVAC), the Vaccine and Biological Production Company No.1 (VABIOTECH), and the Center for Research and Production of Vaccines and Biologicals (POLYVAC).

Nano Covax, produced by NANOGEN, has finished its first phase of human trial in December 2020 and second phase in late February. COVIVAC developed by IVAC is expected to commence human trial in mid-March while VABIOTECH prepares for clinical trial submission.

Prof. Hoang Van Luong, deputy director of Military Medical University, said Nanocovax’s first stage shows good results for all 25mcg, 50mcg and 75mcg, equal to overseas vaccines.  

Vietnam has imported 117,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine and planned to take the first shots on March 8.