Hanoi (VNA) – A virtual race is underway to raise money for Vietnam’s COVID-19 vaccine fund, with the message “Steps for Solidarity”,according to the Vietnam Sports Administration.

Launched by the e-newspaper VnExpress on June 2, “Run for Vaccine” aims tojoin the Government and Ministry of Health’s drive to call for donations to theCOVID-19 vaccine fund.

Each participant will make a contribution of100,000 VND (4.36 USD) to the fund. The race is expected to attract about10,000 runners. As of noon June 5, four days after registration started, more than 3,200 people had registered to join the virtualcompetition.

After registration, runners can start running from the nextday. The race has four distances – 10 km, 21 km, 42 km, and 100 km – and eachrunner has 21 days to complete the distance they have registered.

There is no limit on the number of runs as long as therunner complete the distance with a speed of three to 12 minutes per km.

The registration will open until July 18.

After completing the challenge, the runner will receive avirtual certificate and a virtual medal to celebrate a meaningful journey.

The COVID-19 vaccine fund has been set up to receivevoluntary financial and vaccine donations and assistance from organisations andindividuals for the procurement and import, doemstic research and production,and provision of COVID-19 vaccine.

According to the Ministry of Health, Vietnam needs 150million doses of COVID-19 vaccine costing 25.2 trillion VND (1.1 billion USD)to inoculate the roughly 75 million people needed to reach herd immunity.

On June 5, the State-run Vietnam Electricity (EVN) announcedit will donate 400 billion VND to the fund. The corporation and its membershave contributed more than 408 billion VND to the national COVID-19 fight sincelate April./.