Thailand hopes to have 70% of population jabbed with Covid-19 booster soon

Meanwhile, the Public Health Ministry is accelerating its vaccine rollout for the elderly across the country to protect them from the virus ahead of the Songkran festival in mid-April.

Thanakorn said booster shots are necessary if people want to coexist safely with Covid-19. Not many people in Thailand have taken booster shots.

He said Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has expressed concern for the elderly, children and those with chronic conditions who can develop severe symptoms if infected.

Prayut has suggested that village health volunteers across the country find a way of actively encouraging local residents, particularly those at high risk, to get booster shots so the 70-per-cent target can be met, Thanakorn said.

More than 126.9 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines have been administered from February 2021 to March 17, and of those, 20.2 million were booster shots.

Of the total doses administered, 54.7 million were first shots, 50 million second shots and 1.9 million fourth shots.

Since January 1, Thailand has recorded 1,079,734 cumulative Covid cases and 2,377 deaths.

Separately, the Public Health Minister will kick off its project to deliver booster shots to the elderly and other high-risk individuals from March 21 to 31 in a bid to prevent a possible outbreak after Songkran.

Millions of people are expected to head to their hometowns during the April 13-17 holiday to visit their elderly relatives – an exodus that sparked a severe outbreak during the same period last year.

In a related development, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) is also launching a vaccination rollout for the elderly from March 21-31. Those interested in getting a Covid-19 jab can contact the closest public health centre or any of the 11 BMA-run hospitals in the city or make a reservation via the QueQ mobile application.