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Thailand next to give "mostly" free coronavirus vaccinations to its people
by Arno Maierbrugger - Dec 5, 2020
"Some" Codiv-19 jabs could cost money, Thai health minister says
Thailand is the next Southeast Asian country following Malaysia that will provide free Covid-19 vaccinations for its people.
The public health ministry said on December 3 that 13 million Thais will be vaccinated to prevent coronavirus infections by the middle of 2021.
Kiattiphum Wongrajit, permanent secretary for the public health ministry, said that the ministry has pre-ordered 26 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines from AstraZeneca. The vaccine requires two shots a month apart.
He added the vaccines, at least those administered by the government, will "mostly" come free of charge but some, sold by private suppliers, "could" cost some money.
AstraZeneca has said it will provide vaccines "at cost price" to low- and middle-income countries in the developing world for no more than $3 a dose. As such, its vaccine is much cheaper than Pfizer's, which will cost around $20 per dose, and Moderna's, which has said it will charge governments between $10 and $50 per dose.
In Thailand, the vaccine will first have to pass safety and quality checks applied, according to the country's department of disease control (DDC).
Medical staff, the elderly, risk groups and children the first to receive jabs
The DDC will prepare vaccination centers at more than 10,000 subdistrict health promotion hospitals nationwide to reach communities quickly and prevent crowding in large hospitals. A cold-chain transport system to maintain vaccine quality is now being prepared, and officials are being trained for the mass vaccination programme.
The first to be called for registration will be medical staff, young children, the elderly, as well as vulnerable groups, according to DDC director-general Opas Karnkawinpong. The primary group to receive the jabs will be determined at the discretion of physicians, he said.
The vaccinations will begin in May 2021, according the DDC action plan.
"If things go as planned, the preparation period will start this month until May 2021, and campaigning for people to get vaccinated will be between June 2021 and March 2022," Opas said.
"I can assure that Thais will get free vaccinations [from the government] without any fake vaccines or profit-making," he added.
"Some" Codiv-19 jabs could cost money, Thai health minister says Thailand is the next Southeast Asian country following Malaysia that will provide free Covid-19 vaccinations for its people. The public health ministry said on December 3 that 13 million Thais will be vaccinated to prevent coronavirus infections by the middle of 2021. Kiattiphum Wongrajit, permanent secretary for the public health ministry, said that the ministry has pre-ordered 26 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines from AstraZeneca. The vaccine requires two shots a month apart. He added the vaccines, at least those administered by the government, will "mostly" come free of charge...
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