AstraZeneca vaccination to launch March 11 with jab for Prayut
The Department of Disease Control (DDC) will release Thailand’s first batch of AstraZeneca vaccine for use in the next two to three days, Public Health Anutin Charnvirakul said on Monday.
Health officials will then start administering the AstraZeneca shots immediately, with Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha likely to be the first to receive the vaccine on Thursday (March 11). Thailand has authorised the AstraZeneca vaccine for use in people aged over 60, while the Sinovac shot is being used for younger people.
Anutin, 54, became the first person in Thailand to be injected with Sinovac vaccine on February 28.
Prayut, who is 66, is due to get his AstraZeneca shot at the Bamrasnaradura Infectious Diseases Institute in Nonthaburi.
Meanwhile, Anutin denied the government was blocking importation of Covid-19 vaccine by the private sector. He said private procurement of vaccine was a good idea, but companies would need to apply for permission and follow the vaccination-monitoring system, including monitoring for side effects for the first 30 minutes after vaccination.