Laos is to receive a shipment of some 100,620 doses of the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine through the COVAX facility.
To prepare for the arrival of the vaccine, the National Immunisation Programme has been provided with special freezers because the Pfizer vaccine requires special ultra cold chain storage conditions to preserve it and maintain its viability, according to the Center for Information and Education for Health.
The equipment was provided by the World Health Organization (WHO) with support from the German Federal Ministry of Health.
Laos will roll out vaccinations with the Pfizer vaccine to three priority groups, including medical personnel, the elderly, and people with chronic illnesses.
These include people with kidney disease, diabetes, heart disease, respiratory diseases, liver disease, obesity, cancer, people with co-morbidities, those who have had organ transplants, people with high blood pressure, and people with congenital anomalies.
Laos has provided a total of 885,694 doses of vaccine to its population, including 658,377 first doses and 227,317.
Covid-19 vaccines used in the country so far include Sputnik V, Sinopharm, and AstraZeneca.
