Thailand aims for 30 million vaccines by August

Thailand is aiming for 30 million vaccines throughout the country by August in a new plan announced by the Public Health Ministry. The vaccinations will take place across all 77 provinces (76 plus Bangkok) in a progressive rollout. 100,000 people have received injections already in the national vaccination schedule, with 300,000 more set to be vaccinated in the next phase beginning before the end of March.

10.4 million at-risk people will be first in line for jabs, with 28.1 million people scheduled to be vaccinated as part of the programme. 4,000 medical facilities and clinics will be designated as official vaccination centres across all 77 provinces, increasing from the 13 provinces currently doing a co-ordinated injection roll out. Full Covid-19 coverage can be found here.

Over 136,000 vaccines have been given in Thailand so far since February 28, about 15,000 of which are second of the two required doses. The Department of Disease Control is committed to steadily increasing the facilities and available vaccines in the coming months as quickly as possible.

With this rollout, the Department of Health Service Support is warning against scam vaccine offers being sent via social media. One of them on the Line application, uses the name “Qinsong Group”. They are charging a fee for a fake vaccine they are claiming is 100% effective. The DHSS is urging people not to fall for any scams offering any vaccines for a fee or with fraudulent claims.

As vaccination increase, the DDC reminds people that the danger “isn’t over yet” and caution is still necessary. New Covid-19 variants, “such as the South African strain are highly contagious and currently rampaging through African countries”. And with over 500 million vaccinations worldwide already given, Covid-19 is still spreading quickly in some areas. Despite 17 million vaccinations in Brazil, they still had 100,000 infections in a single day recently.

“Even with vaccinations, the health and safety measures we have become accustomed to, such as wearing face masks, social distancing, and frequent hand washing, are encouraged.”

Quarantine in Thailand is set to reduce from 14 to 10 days in April, for some travellers, with the exception of visitors from countries with large Covid-19 infection rates, “but vigilance is still necessary to keep Thailand’s infection rates low”.

SOURCE: Bangkok Post