Bangkok, Thailand-
The Spokesperson for the Center for Covid-19 Situation Administration, Dr. Taweesin Visanuyothin, spoke with the press today and acknowledged that the timetable for securing more vaccines for Thailand was moving forward.
This comes after a second cluster of infections around the country has grown, as well as significant pushback from the hospitality and tourism industry in regards to previously starting to vaccinate Thailand as late as June of this year, which would mean border restrictions likely not being relaxed until the third or fourth quarter of the year. Thailand currently restricts foreign tourists due to the Covid-19 pandemic without going through a fourteen day quarantine and other paperwork and tests.
We reported last night that Anutin Charnvirakul, the Public Health Minister, had secured two million more doses to arrive as early as February. You can read about that here.
Dr. Taweesin also said that Thailand is/has contacted Astrazeneca to purchase another 26 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines, bringing Thailand’s total to 52 million doses from that company.
Anutin Charnvirakul has also stated that the first two million doses of the Covid-19 vaccine will go to medical workers and village health volunteers. Thailand is aiming to be able to vaccinate at least half of their population this year with a focus on those who are at risk and vulnerable after health care workers.
Finally, Dr. Taweesin said this is only part of the overall plan to obtain more vaccines and speed up the process. This includes Thailand producing their own vaccine, likely later this year and allowing private hospitals to import vaccines at their choice if they are certified by the Food and Drug Administration by Thailand. The overall plan is to quickly expediate the plan with getting vaccinations rolling out throughout Thailand.
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