Germany’s vaccine donation: A million Pfizer doses to strengthen Thai Health Ministry

Germany has made a vaccine donation of almost one million doses of the bivalent Covid-19 vaccine to the Thai Ministry of Public Health, planning to distribute this significant stockpile to Thai hospitals in the forthcoming weeks.

This considerable vaccine donation was welcomed by Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul during an official handover ceremony at the German embassy yesterday. The ceremony was conducted by Germany’s ambassador to Thailand, Georg Schmidt. Precisely 999,360 doses of the bivalent Pfizer-manufactured Covid vaccine were given to the Thai Ministry.

The gesture was warmly appreciated by Charnvirakul. He expressed his gratitude to the German government, emphasizing that the generous vaccine donation mirrors over a century and a half of friendly relations between the two nations.

Germany has continually extended its hand in aid towards Thailand during the pandemic. Beyond contributing to reducing Covid cases in Thailand, Germany has also supported wider Asean region efforts. This support includes a donation of 2,000 courses of the drugs casirivimab/imdevimab, 346,100 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine, and four freezing containers alongside 51,000 injection needles, reported Bangkok Post.

Charnvirakul appreciated the vaccine donation aid as extremely generous, adding that this robust support bolsters vaccine security in Thailand.

“The next step involves the government completing a thorough quality check of the vaccines in line with our regulations before distributing them to hospitals later this month.”

Although Covid is no longer regarded as a public health emergency, it continues to remain a global concern with vaccine donations playing a crucial role in tackling the virus. Charnvirakul echoed the World Health Organization’s continuing recommendation for repeated vaccinations to maintain a high level of immunity, principally focusing on individuals aged over 60 and those living with chronic disease.

Moreover, the Health Ministry, supported by generous vaccine donations, is also endorsing the public to receive a Covid booster shot annually, together with the flu vaccine for the usual flu season. This booster shot not only stimulates the immune system but also reduces the possibility of developing severe symptoms, Charnvirakul highlighted.