A medical worker prepares a Covid-19 vaccine shot in HCMC, June 21, 2021. (Photo: VnExpress/Huu Khoa)

The decision said those who have been given their first COVID-19 vaccine shot by AstraZeneca will have priority to receive their second shot with the Pfizer vaccine about 8-12 weeks later.

The decision will only apply if vaccine recipients consent to it. For those who have yet to receive any COVID-19 vaccine, the Pfizer will be prioritized for use as well, according to the decision.

Among the 745,000 Pfizer vaccine doses to be delivered to Vietnam, the country has only received over 97,000 so far. The rest will arrive within this month, though their exact dates have yet to be confirmed.

It is the first time Vietnam is allowing a mix of different types of COVID-19 vaccines through multiple shots, though the decision has already been observed in several countries around the world.