This is the statement of the Deputy Prime Minister of Vietnam, Vu Duc Dam, at a meeting of National Steering Committee on COVID-19 Prevention and Control on March 5. The Deputy Prime Minister emphasizes that vaccine is "the fundamental and long-term solution" to pandemic control on a global scale, but in a short time (6 months to 1 year), vaccine is not enough.

I previously cited judgments by experts around the world saying that COVID-19 vaccine would have to be injected EVERY year, just like seasonal flu vaccine. In the meeting, the Deputy Prime Minister also affirms that "Initial information shows that COVID-19 vaccines only produce antibodies for a certain time, which means that vaccination is likely to have to be repeated every year ".

As far as I know, the World Health Organization (WHO) also emphasized vaccines only helped save lives, countries’ depending on VACCINES for prevention of the pandemic is a mistake. The foundation for the response to the pandemic was the basic preventive medical measures.

Besides, according to the Deputy Prime Minister, we must be vigilant and carefully prepared. All vaccines previously injected in Vietnam are developed according to normal procedures, with an average time of 7-8 years, even up to 12 years. Meanwhile, COVID-19 vaccines are researched and developed in an emergency situation, the licensing for usage in Vietnam is the same.

So vaccine is just a supportive measure. We still have to implement THOROUGH TRADITIONAL AND TECHNICAL SOLUTIONS as I mentioned in the previous post and will continue detailing in the next ones, with the aim of preventing COVID-19 and enabling socio-economic development in this new normal.

CEO Nguyen Tu Quang