Ministry of Public Health insist there is no plan to roll out fifth Covid vaccine

The Department of Disease Control yesterday announced Thailand has no plans to roll out a fifth Covid-19 vaccine.

The Ministry of Public Health has yet to decide whether a fifth shot would be needed and whether it would even be safe and effective to do so.

DDC director-general Opas Karnkawinpong says concerned members of the public should discuss the matter with their doctors, including those who need to travel to China or Japan. China requires foreign visitors to have 2 Sinovac or Sinopharm jabs, while Japan insist on 3 shots, 1 one of which should be an mRNA vaccine.

It may be recommended that people, who have had four shots and suffer from low immunity against coronavirus because of personal health conditions, should get a fifth shot, but that needs to be discussed with a doctor.

Claims that the government plans to roll out a fifth shot because the stock is about to expire has been dismissed.

Supoj Malaniyom, chief of the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, asked people not to worry about expiration dates because they will not distribute expired vaccines.

Those who require a fifth shot can visit the Central Vaccination Centre at Bang Sue Grand Station. The facility provides vaccines for anyone aged 5 years old and older. The service is available daily from 9am to 4pm.