Health Minister says Pfizer doses for children ages 5 to 11 will arrive next week

Thailand’s Health Minister has confirmed that 3 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine will arrive on January 26. Anutin Charnvirakul says the doses will be administered to children between the ages of 5 and 11. The Bangkok Post reports that the vaccines are from an order of 10 million doses placed by the government. Once they arrive in the kingdom, they will undergo the usual safety checks before being distributed.

According to the report, vaccination for children between the ages of 5 and 11 will begin at the Queen Sirikit National Institute of Child Health, with children with underlying conditions first in line. Dr Sophon Iamsirithavorn from the Department of Disease Control says children with asthma and those classified as obese will be vaccinated first. The vaccine rollout will then move to other hospitals. Sophon says officials will work to ensure all children with underlying health conditions are prioritised.

Meanwhile, the Bangkok Post reports that Dr Sarawut Boonsuk from the DDC has expressed concern about rising infections in students. He says infection rates are high among young people between the ages of 13 and 19, adding that at least one student under the age of 18 has died since November.

To date, 4.5 million students aged 12 – 18, out of a total of 5 million, have received their first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine. Over 4 million have received a second dose. The Public Health Ministry has already stated that it will not close schools unless there is a cluster of infections.

The return of on-site learning has been given the go-ahead from the CCSA, with strict conditions attached. In the event of 1 or 2 children in a classroom testing positive, the room must be closed for 3 days and disinfected. Students who are considered high-risk should continue with home learning, while group activities are still banned.

SOURCE: Bangkok Post