HANOI (Reuters) – Vietnam has agreed to buy 30 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine produced by AstraZeneca Plc, the government said on Monday, adding that officials are also looking to buy vaccines from other sources, including Pfizer Inc.
The Southeast Asian country had previously agreed to obtain a Russian vaccine, although it also said it would not rush to secure vaccine deals, citing the potential for high financial costs and after managing to contain its coronavirus outbreaks for just 1,494 cases, with 35 deaths.
The COVID-19 vaccine from AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford is cheaper than others and can be stored at refrigerator temperature, which facilitates transport and use, especially in developing countries.
“We have already signed an agreement to guarantee the AstraZeneca vaccine for 15 million people, which is equivalent to 30 million doses,” said Deputy Minister of Health, Truong Quoc Cuong, at a government meeting.
Vietnam is also in talks to buy vaccines from Pfizer Inc, Sputnik V in Russia and China, the deputy minister said. Cuong did not name the Chinese vaccine candidate.
Cuong also said that Vietnam would be eligible to purchase vaccines from the World Health Organization’s COVAX program to cover 16%, or 15.6 million of its population of nearly 98 million, but said more information would be available in the first quarter.
Vietnam, which has not yet given formal regulatory approval to any vaccine, is also developing vaccines on the domestic market.
The country has conducted human trials of its ‘Nano Covax’ vaccine and a second home vaccine is expected to begin testing in humans this month.
In August, Vietnam said it had signed 50 million to 150 million doses of the Russian vaccine, although delivery is not yet clear.
(Reporting by Phuong Nguyen; Editing by Ed Davies)