Thailand’s aviation authority requests 40,000 vaccine doses to cover airline workers

Airline operators in Thailand are calling for 40,000 doses of the Covid-19 vaccine to cover staff and crew members before July, in time for the reopening plans in Phuket and Koh Samui.

The 40,000 doses would cover 20,000 people in the airline industry who will come in close contact with foreign tourists when they start arriving in July, or whenever the tourists start coming back. The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand recently made a request for the Covid-19 vaccine doses with the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. CCAT chairperson Suttipong Kongpool says they aim to vaccinate pilots, flight crews and ground service staff.

“The vaccinations will help reduce the risk of our staff contracting Covid-19, and also strengthen tourists’ confidence in safety from the virus while they travel in Thailand,” according to Nation Thailand.

Under the new “sandbox” travel scheme which allows foreign visitors who are vaccinated against the coronavirus to travel to selected areas in Thailand without quarantine. Phuket officials plan to roll out the scheme in July and are working to vaccinate 70% of the island’s population to reach herd immunity within the next few months.

Quarantine is waived for the foreign tourists arriving to Phuket under the sandbox model, but they must stay in the province for at least 7 days before leaving the island. They must also use a mobile phone application to track their location.

SOURCE: Nation Thailand