Chinese vaccine being distributed to all provinces this month

The government has confirmed that all provinces will receive the Chinese Sinovac jab this month – some in larger quantities than others. Kiattiphum Wongrajit from the Public Health Ministry says 800,000 doses will be distributed across the country from today. 22 provinces are being prioritised, based on their status as either high-risk areas, border provinces, or tourist destinations. 6 high-risk provinces will receive 350,000 doses, 8 tourist areas will get 240,000, while 8 border provinces will receive 50,000 doses.

The 6 high-risk provinces are the central provinces of Samut Sakhon, Nonthaburi, Bangkok, Pathum Thani, and Samut Prakan, as well as the northern province of Tak (Mae Sot). The 8 tourist destinations are Chon Buri, Rayong, Chiang Mai, Khon Kaen, Krabi, Phang Nga, Phuket, and Surat Thani (Koh Samui). The 8 border provinces are Songkhla, Sa Kaeo, Chiang Rai, Mukdahan, Narathiwat, Ranong, Nong Khai, and Chanthaburi.

Kiattiphum says the rest of the country will receive 160,000. Provinces with fewer than a million people will get 800 doses, those with a population of between 1 and 1.5 million will get 1,000 doses, while those larger than that will receive 1,200 doses. Priority will be given to medical staff and frontline workers.

Meanwhile, the Bangkok Post reports that 3 staff members at immigration detention centres have tested positive for the virus, after the centres reported a cluster of 395 infections. 24 new cases were reported yesterday, 11 in Samut Sakhon, 10 in Bangkok, and 3 in Samut Prakan. The Bangkok Post reports that 1 of the infections in Samut Prakan is in a 28 year old woman who works in the kitchen of a quarantine facility.

Apisamai Srirangson from the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration says the woman did not wear gloves or wash her hands while working. 5 people have had close contact with her, including a colleague who later tested positive and spread Covid-19 to her baby and nanny.

SOURCE: Bangkok Post