Government plans 10 million vaccines for July

As vaccinations are finally picking up around much of Thailand, some areas are reporting shortages of vaccines, but the government announced plans to administer 10 million vaccines in July and every month thereafter. A senior spokesperson for the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration said that the vaccines will be distributed with a priority focus on Bangkok and making sure 70% of people in Phuket get both vaccines and are fully inoculated.

The CCSA said that the first people who will receive shots from the 10 vaccines are those registered already on Mor Prom and are elderly or with chronic illnesses. Bangkok vaccinations will be the next priority, with 2.5 million shots being earmarked for the capital. Several provinces surrounding Bangkok will also receive vaccines; Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, and Samut Prakan will get 600,000 vaccines total.

Phuket is another high-priority vaccine target, as they barrel towards their sandbox reopening July 1, inoculating as quickly as possible to reach 70%. The CCSA has earmarked 200,000 of the 10 million vaccines for Phuket.

23 more provinces are the 4th priority – provinces that border the neighbouring countries, provinces that are labelled as maximum control zones for Covid-19 outbreaks, and provinces that are dealing with situations stemming from earlier outbreaks. Those provinces will receive 25% of the vaccines next month, 2.5 million shots.

1 million more vaccines are scheduled to be set aside for emergency outbreaks, government organisations, and central vaccine centres. The remaining 3.5 million (though that totals 10.3 million vaccines) would be spread throughout the remaining 49 provinces, with each getting an average of 70,000 vaccines.

The distribution of 10 million vaccines should continue each month, as Thailand has secured 105.5 million doses already. AstraZeneca, mostly produced in Thailand by Siam Biotech, will account for 61 million vaccines, while Sinovac will total 19.5 million shots, supplemented by 20 million Pfizer shots and 5 million Johnson & Johnson jabs.

Thailand is increasing their target from 105.5 million already secured to 150 million vaccines, to be acquired by the end of next year. 28 million of those additional vaccines would be from Sinovac, and the remaining 22 million are from a brand as yet undetermined. The extra 50 million vaccines would give some wiggle room to be prepared for the possibility of a third booster shot or Covid-19 mutations that require more vaccination.

SOURCE: Bangkok Post