WITH Thailand still logging a high daily total of 19,603 Covid-19 cases and 149 deaths today (August 9) Nakhon Ratchasima (Korat) province revealed that it has only been allotted 15,800 out of 1.5 million doses of Pfizer vaccine donated by the US, Thai Rath newspaper said.
Of today’s large batch of cases, 19,290 were among the general public and 313 in prisons and detention centres.
Another 19,819 patients were cured while 214,421 are still undergoing treatment. Total recoveries in the current wave that began in April has climbed to 527,908.
The cumulative confirmed total in the current wave has now reached 747,245.
Meanwhile Dr. Jet Bunyawongwirot, assistant director of Maharaj Nakhon Ratchasima Hospital, said the Public Health Ministry started distributing the Pfizer vaccine US donated to various Northeastern provinces for frontline health workers on August 7.
However his province has only been alloted 15,800 doses of this vaccine with this pending delivery even though the provincial healthcare staff totals over 100,000.
Maharaj Nakhon Ratchasima Hospital alone has over 4,000 medical staff and the amount given is very low, he pointed out.
The Pfizer vaccine is going to be used as a third booster jab for those health workers who had received two Sinovac jabs. Around 14,000 had already been given AstraZeneca as a third booster shot.
Nakhon Ratchasima received 30,000 doses of Sinopharm vaccine from the Chulabhorn Royal Academy with this hospital and city hall having already obtained 7,500 doses each and have started vaccinating people who signed up for it. The hospital is due to receive another 3,000 doses of this vaccine.
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Top: Pfizer vaccine with medical supplies. Photo: Marco Verch, professional photographer (CC BY 2.0)
Home Page: A vaccination station in Korat. Photo: Thai Rath
