First 3,000 get shots as vaccination underway across 13 provinces
The Department of Disease Control (DDC) reported on Tuesday that more than 3,000 people have been vaccinated since Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul got Thailand’s first Covid-19 shot on Sunday.
Of the 3,021 vaccinated up till Tuesday, most are medics and health volunteers (2,781), other staff exposed to Covid patients (133), people with underlying diseases (21), and people in at-risk areas (86).
DDC director-general Opas Karnkawinpong said 116,520 vaccine doses have been sent to the 13 prioritised provinces. So far, only five people had reported side effects from vaccination – nausea and swelling around the injection site.
“The first phase of vaccination will focus on medics. Then, other groups will be contacted by health officials. Reservations or walk-in vaccinations will not be available in this phase,” Opas said.
He also denied rumours that VIPs in Chiang Mai were being given the vaccine before medics. He said 140 people – 73 health officials and 67 others including soldiers – got shots on Monday, the first day of vaccination in Chiang Mai. Nobody had been given special treatment, he said, adding that an investigation team had been appointed to investigate the rumours and to boost morale and confidence among medics and the general public.