Phuket to get 60,000 Moderna vaccines for 4th boosters

Phuket is lined up to get some of the millions of Moderna vaccines arriving in Thailand now with plans to begin administering fourth vaccines – second booster shots – beginning later this month. The Phuket Provincial Administration Organisation has allocated budget money to procure 60,000 Moderna vaccines for residents of the province.

Phuket has been among the most successful regions for tourism regrowth, as its Sandbox was the first location in Thailand to reopen at the beginning of July, 4 months before the rest of the country attempted to relaunch in November. But the increase in tourists and workers returning to hospitality jobs means an increase in Covid-19 virus floating around the province as well.

Booster vaccines have been proven to be vastly more effective than the first 2 doses of the Covid-19 vaccine, so PPAO officials are focusing on booster vaccines for the residents of Phuket in hopes of avoiding snags in the economic recovery. The president of the PPAO reiterated the plan to keep people immunised as much as possible.

“PPAO has approved the budget for the purchase of 60,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine, which is expected to be available in Jan this year. The vaccine will be utilised as a fourth booster jab to Phuket people which will be administered via hospitals across the island. The fourth vaccine injection this time will increase immunity for Phuket people to be able to revitalise the economy and enable tourism which can generate income for the country.”

Covid-19 cases are on the rise with the Omicron spreads across the country as people return from New Year’s celebrations and holidays where parties and events with people in close proximity were expected to boost the daily infections numbers. Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew reaffirmed his commitment to not shut Phuket and the Sandbox programme down stating that there is no closing plan being discussed.

Moderna vaccination will add an extra layer of safety and protection for the island, though the details of when the 60,000 vaccines will be received, how they will be administered, and who will be prioritised in the order of injection.

SOURCE: The Phuket News