Covid Taskforce Names Priority Provinces For Vaccinations

Source: Vientiane Times

The National Taskforce for Covid-19 Prevention and Control is prioritising the rollout of Covid-19 vaccinations in Champassak, Savannakhet, Khammuan and Saravan provinces.

These provinces have been prioritised because infection rates are relatively high but there has been a low vaccine uptake. The government is aiming to vaccinate 50 percent of the total population by the end of this year. To date, 1,059,960 people have had a first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine, equalling 14.45 percent of the population, while 769,975 people have had two doses, amounting to 10.49 percent of the population.

In Vientiane, 43.5 percent of the population have had a first dose and 31.3 percent have had two doses. In Bokeo province, 39.9 percent of the population have had a first dose and 33.3 percent have had both doses.

Provinces recording low vaccination rates include Huaphan, where only 5.3 percent of people have had one injection and 3.9 percent have had two, while in Champassak 8 percent of people have had a first dose and 5.6 percent have had two doses. In Savannakhet province, 7.2 percent of people have had their first vaccination and 4.6 percent have had two, while in Xaysomboun province only 5.7 have had one vaccination and 3.4 percent have had two.

In Khammuan province, 10 percent of the population has had one dose of a Covid vaccine and 7 percent have had two, while in Saravan province 7.6 percent of people have had a first dose and 5.1 percent have had two doses.

It has been found that a large number of people not included in the priority vaccination groups have been immunised, so local authorities should ensure that the agreed target groups are vaccinated first.

The Covid-19 taskforce said coverage of priority groups was very low, so priority should be given to these groups in the coming weeks, while greater emphasis should be placed on the timely administration of second doses.

Provincial Health Departments were instructed to complete the rollout of second doses of the Sinopharm vaccine by the end of July, and identify target groups for the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

The 1,008,000 doses of Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine will provide protection against Covid-19 to more than one million people, representing about 14 percent of the total population, as only a single dose is required.