Not one, but two vaccine brands will arrive tomorrow: Anutin
Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has hinted that not one, but two brands of vaccine will arrive in Thailand tomorrow (Wednesday).
A shipment of 200,000 doses of China's Sinovac vaccine is set to arrive in Bangkok tomorrow. But in a surprise boost for Thailand’s battle against Covid-19, Anutin said 117,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine were also due to arrive on Thai soil on Wednesday.
Speaking on Tuesday, the health minister said the public would have to wait for official confirmation of the AstraZeneca delivery from Sophon Mekthon, chairman of the Covid-19 vaccine management subcommittee.
Thailand has procured 61 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine, but shipments have been delayed by production problems in Europe. On February 5, Anutin announced that the first 150,000 AstraZeneca doses would instead be sourced from a manufacturer in Asia.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha was due to become the first Thai to receive a Sinovac jab, but as he is over 60 years of age, the AstraZeneca vaccine is deemed to be a safer option, Anutin said.