Another 50,000 Covid-19 vaccines arrive in Phuket

50,000 more doses of the Chinese Covid-19 vaccine are now in Phuket, arriving yesterday, bringing the total number of Sinovac jabs received to 100,000. This amount had been promised by Bangkok officials as part of the Thailand reopening plan that begins with Phuket reopening to international travellers on July 1st. In order to do this, 70% vaccination needs to be achieved in the local residence of the province. Phuket began vaccinating people last week on April 1st, and are achieving a rate of about 7,000 jabs per day of the first round of vaccinations. Officials expect to get up to 10,000 vaccinations a day soon.

The vaccine delivery arrived at Vachira Hospital in Phuket Town where it was moved to the temperature-controlled medical supply storage facility after staff thoroughly inspected the doses. 30,000 of the vaccines will stay at that hospital while 20,000 will be moved to Thalang Hospital. From there, the jabs will be further distributed to five service points the Phuket Provincial Public Health Office have set up for the inoculation push.

It is believed that with the progress being made against Covid-19 in Phuket, the vaccination campaign will meet the required 70% in time for the July 1st opening without quarantine. There’s an expectation that in both May and June 300,000 doses of the Covid-19 vaccine will be received in Phuket where an estimated 466,000 people reside. Authorities have requested more than 930,000 doses to ensure that all residents get their first and second jabs in time for quarantine-free global tourism to be restarted. Officials request that people who are waiting to receive vaccination from the Thai government register online. A form is available here. They also confirmed that people without internet access can walk in to local hospitals or healthcare facilities to register and request an appointment.

SOURCE: The Phuket News