Health Minister insists AstraZeneca vaccines will be delivered on time

The required doses of the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine will be ready for the government’s June 7 rollout. So says Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, in response to concerns over supply issues. A number of hospitals have already suspended use of the vaccine, due to low or no supplies.

According to a Bangkok Post report, Anutin met with representatives from AstraZeneca yesterday and says he has received updated information, following what he describes as positive talks. He says AstraZeneca will deliver doses of their vaccine every month, but has not given an exact date for when the first batch might arrive.

“What we can say right now is that the company will be able to send its vaccine continuously every month. The amount will be based on discussions between the company and the Department of Disease Control. We can’t say the exact date we will get our first delivery from the company but we are confident that it will be ready by June 7.”

So far, AstraZeneca has delivered around 100,000 doses to Thailand, following a special request from the government in February. The pharmaceutical giant has confirmed to the Bangkok Post that it will be able to deliver additional doses next month. An AstraZeneca representative says a new supply chain for the Kingdom is nearly complete and will help to deliver supplies in Southeast Asia. The company says rigorous checks, including more than 60 different tests and reviews, apply to every batch to ensure it meets the company’s standards.

“We are currently waiting for the final reviews from the first batch of our Covid-19 vaccines manufactured in Thailand. We expect to have more information this week and to update the government of Thailand on a delivery schedule immediately afterwards. Ensuring the fastest high-quality production of the vaccine is our single most critical focus.”

SOURCE: Bangkok Post