Thai government signs contract for 20 million Pfizer doses

The government has approved the order of 20 million doses of the Covid-19 vaccine from US manufacturer, Pfizer. The Bangkok Post reports that the head of the Department of Disease Control signed the contract yesterday. Delivery will be some time this year, but when exactly is unclear, as the vaccine has yet to be approved by Thailand’s Food and Drug Administration.

Pfizer must now submit registration documents to the FDA, while Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul says the DDC has a month to negotiate pricing and other conditions with the manufacturer. Speaking at a media briefing yesterday, Anutin said the government has also received approval from the Office of the Attorney-General to purchase supplies of the Johnson & Johnson single-dose vaccine. However, that contract is yet to be signed as the manufacturer, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, needs to accept the deal.

“The government has contacted all vaccine makers to seek more vaccine doses as the pandemic does not seem to have stopped spreading. Plus, no research is certain about the efficacy period so people who were vaccinated in February are advised to get more doses to stimulate immunity.”

A deal is also in place with AstraZeneca whereby new batches will be delivered every week. In addition, Kiattiphum Wongrajit from the Health Ministry says a total of 7.5 million Sinovac doses have now been delivered, after another 1 million arrived in the Kingdom yesterday.

“As at the current rate, we can vaccinate at a rate of 400,000 doses per day, so all 1 million doses will be used up in 3 days. So, the government needs to seek 3 million more doses of Sinovac and sign other contracts for more doses.”

SOURCE: Bangkok Post