Thailand receives 200,000 Covavax doses donated by India, partners

Thailand’s health ministry has taken delivery of 200,000 protein-based Covid-19 vaccine doses and will distribute them to government hospitals around the country. The donated doses of the Covovax vaccine will be offered to the unvaccinated. According to a Bangkok Post report, the doses were donated by the Indian Embassy in Thailand, under an initiative by the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue. This is an initiative comprising India, the US, Japan, and Australia.

The Indian ambassador to Thailand says the donation is part of a commitment made by Indian PM Narendra Modi to donate 500,000 doses to countries within the Indo-Pacific region. Ambassador Suchitra Durai says the doses are being distributed under the Quad vaccine partnership, both to help Indo-Pacific countries and as part of a goal of making safe and effective vaccines available globally. The Quad partnership has previously said it plans to offer 1 billion vaccine doses to the Indo-Pacific region and already donated 325,000 to Cambodia earlier this month.

The donated doses have been manufactured by Covavax in India, with the same formula as the Novavax jab. It is therefore hoped it will be accepted by people who are still unsure about newer vaccine technologies and who remain unvaccinated.

The Bangkok Post reports that health minister Anutin Charnvirakul gave a speech during which he expressed the Thai government’s gratitude for the donation. According to Anutin, the Food and Drug Administration has already approved the vaccine for those over the age of 18, while Covavax is applying to have it approved for use in people over the age of 12.

Meanwhile, Sophon Iamsirithavorn from the Department of Disease Control says his office will distribute the donated doses to major government hospitals. Officials will also collect data on the efficacy of Covavax against the virus. Sophon says the vaccine is currently only being offered to the unvaccinated.

SOURCE: Bangkok Post