Nearly 130,000 doses of Pfizer vaccine have been administered

“The allotment of Pfizer vaccine will be prioritised for frontline medics as a booster shot to improve the immunity of those who have already received two jabs of Sinovac,” said Dr Chawetsan Namwat, director of the DDC’s emergency disease and health hazards control division.

“We have been delivering the vaccine to target hospitals in dark red provinces since September 3.”

Chawetsan said the number of Pfizer vaccines to be delivered to each hospital will be based on the vaccination rate and the number of frontline medics on duty.

“If a hospital requests the vaccine for less than 50 per cent of their medical staff, the DDC will still provide them with 50 per cent in case more people need jabs. However, if a hospital requests vaccines for more than 75 per cent of their staff, we will provide them with exactly 75 per cent first to prevent the vaccine going to waste due to inadequate storage space. Once the hospital uses up the delivered vaccines, the DDC will send another lot to meet demand,” Chawetsan said.

“The DDC insists that all medical professionals who fit the criteria will receive Pfizer as a booster shot. The allotment and delivery of the vaccine are all documented and verifiable,” he said.

The Pfizer vaccine can be stored in a normal refrigerator for up to a month. After it is taken out of the refrigerator and mixed with saline for use, it must be administered within six hours or it will expire, Chawetsan explained.

“One vial of vaccine can provide jabs to six people. If there are less than six people coming in to get the jab in six hours, the vaccine will go to waste. This is why we need to consider each hospital’s vaccination rate,” he pointed out.