First vaccine dose administered to nearly 90% of Bangkok residents

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration says nearly 90% of the capital’s residents have received their first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine. Pongsakorn Kwanmuang from the BMA says 6,717,824 people, or 87% of residents, have now been given the first dose. According to a Bangkok Post report, he says 27% of Bangkok residents are fully vaccinated.

Pongsakorn says the BMA still plans to procure alternative vaccines for Bangkok residents, but is currently also receiving some Pfizer doses from the government. Thailand recently took delivery of over 1.5 million doses of the mRNA vaccine, courtesy of the US government. Most of those are being administered as booster shots to frontline healthcare workers, along with the elderly, people with underlying health conditions, and women who are over 12 weeks pregnant. Meanwhile, acccording to Pongsakorn, people who registered under the Thai Ruam Jai programme should receive a second dose of AstraZeneca next month.

The BMA spokesman says the Covid-19 crisis in the capital is improving as a result of the vaccine rollout, proactive screening, and the isolation of those who test positive. He says people now understand how the community/home isolation system works and have quicker access to treatment through the programme. He is hopeful some restrictions could soon be eased in the capital.

“There are 2 factors, which are the number of infections and vaccinations. Bangkok has a steady infection rate at 4,000 a day while vaccination is picking up.”

Meanwhile, Suksan Kittisupakorn from the BMA’s medical office says it’s procuring Moderna and Sinopharm doses for distribution in the capital and will increase the vaccination rate when these become available.

SOURCE: Bangkok Post