Vietnam truly hopes to have vaccines against coronavirus available at the soonest possible time, Le Thi Thu Hang, spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has stated.

"Vietnam currently holds frequent exchanges and updates Covid-19 vaccine production with partners around the world. We deeply desire to see the availability of Covid-19 vaccines or other types of remedies as soon as possible to control and fight the dangerous pandemic," Hang said at a regular press conference on October 15.

Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang. Source: MOFA

She added that the Vietnamese government pays special attention to the national vaccine research and is urging competent agencies to speed up the process as well as enhance cooperation with prestigious partners worldwide to obtain Covid-19 vaccines soon. 

Additionally, Vietnam is also developing policies and regulations to support the receipt, transportation, storage, and distribution of vaccines, once the country acquires them.

According to the Ministry of Health, Vietnam has ordered vaccines from some partners such as Russia and the UK. Vaccine delivery depends on the progress of the manufacturers' clinical trials, as well as the process of vaccine testing before it is put into use, Ms. Hang added.

Currently, four vaccine manufacturers in Vietnam are gearing up research and production of coronavirus vaccine and the trial on humans is expected to be ready in 2021, Acting Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long told local media at a recent conference.

The four Covid-19 vaccine manufacturers in Vietnam include the Institute of Vaccines and Medical Biologicals (Ivac), No.1 Vaccine and Biological Company (Vabiotech), the Research Center for Vaccines and Medical Biologicals (Polyvac), and Nanogen Pharmaceutical Biotechnology Company.

Vabiotech conducted preclinical research trials on 50 mice in May, which produced positive results and good immune response. The success in producing antibody responses in mice has moved the project's first phase forward by two months.

"It is expected that there will be at least one Vietnamese manufacturer conducting clinical trials for the second and third phases in 2021," Mr. Long said, adding that he could not tell the exact time for the Vietnamese vaccine trial on humans.