Thai PM wants faster vaccines for kids 5 and older

Photo by UN News.

Thai PM Prayut wants health authorities to move faster to vaccinate kids 5 years old and older, as infection rates have gone up for children in the age group 5-11 years of age.

From January 1 to February 2, 2022, there were 10,266 Covid-19 cases for kids in this age group, a 5.6% increase from April to December 2021, government figures say. The vaccination rate for children is still low, though. Out of Thailand’s five million children, only about 41,000, 0.8%, have even received their first shot.

Pfizer vaccines for kids 5-11 just started on January 31, and they are still optional. Kids aged 6 and older will be allowed to get Sinovac and Sinopharm vaccines soon, after the Thai Food and Drug Administration (TFDA) approves it.

A government spokesperson said today that PM Prayut is concerned about the Covid-19 situation for 5-11 year olds. The second voluntary Pfizer jab for this age group is February 26.

Thailand hit another high today as the numbers have been trending upwards for the past 6 days. Read more about the latest increase in Covid numbers in Thailand HERE.

SOURCE: Bangkok Post

Covid-19 NewsThailand News

Join the conversation and have your say on Thailand news published on The Thaiger.

Thaiger Talk is our new Thaiger Community where you can join the discussion on everything happening in Thailand right now.

Please note that articles are not posted to the forum instantly and can take up to 20 min before being visible. Click for more information and the Thaiger Talk Guidelines.

Tara Abhasakun

A Thai-American dual citizen, Tara has reported news and spoken on a number of human rights and cultural news issues in Thailand. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in history from The College of Wooster. She interned at Southeast Asia Globe, and has written for a number of outlets. Tara reports on a range of Thailand news issues.