Thailand looking to speed up Covid-19 vaccination timeline
Amid a new surge in Covid-19 cases, Thai officials are planning to increase the number of vaccines available and speed up the timeline for administration. Dr. Taweesin Visanuyothin from the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration has confirmed the plan, following complaints from the country’s tourism industry when an initial statement said vaccination might not begin until as late as June.
Things have changed since then, as the Kingdom finds itself in the grip of a resurgence of Covid-19, having gone several months with only a few local transmissions reported.
The earlier date for the start of vaccination in Thailand would have meant no relaxation of entry requirements until at least the third or last quarter of 2021. Furthermore, with no confirmation yet that being vaccinated prevents someone from transmitting the virus, the Thai government has said even vaccinated tourists will be required to undergo mandatory 14 day quarantine for now.
Public Health Minister, Anutin Charnvirakul, who is currently self-isolating after coming into contact with the infected governor of Samut Sakhon province, says Thailand now expects to take delivery of 2 million doses of a Covid vaccine potentially as early as February.
Anutin has not confirmed which vaccine it is. Thailand has also signed a deal with AstraZeneca to buy another 26 million doses of its vaccine, produced in partnership with Oxford University in the UK. This means Thailand has now committed to purchasing 52 million doses of the AstraZeneca jab.
Anutin says medical workers and village health volunteers will be first in line for the first 2 million doses, and the country hopes to have vaccinated at least half the population this year. Priority will be given to high-risk individuals. Taweesin says Thailand will also produce its own version of the AstraZeneca vaccine, having signed a technology-transfer agreement with the pharmaceutical giant. Private hospitals in the Kingdom will also be given permission to buy their own vaccine supplies, provided the vaccine has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration of Thailand.
SOURCE: The Pattaya News
