DEPUTY Prime Minister and Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul led a team of officials to receive the first 2,000,700 doses of Pfizer vaccine out of 30 million Thailand has ordered at Suvarnabhumi Airport this morning (Sept. 29), Matichon newspaper said.
This lot of vaccine was transported from the United States by DHL Airlines (DHL) Flight 3 L 350, which arrived in Thailand at 4.35 a.m. today.
Anutin, who was accompanied by Dr. Opas Karnkawinpong, head of the Disease Control Department, said the primary goal is to inoculate 12- to 18-year-old children with this vaccine as soon as possible. There are around 5 million children in this age group in Thailand and 10 million doses will be required for them.
The rest will be distributed to the general public.
Another 6 million doses of this vaccine is to arrive in October with a flight bringing them in every Wednesday. Pfizer will also be delivering to the destination nationwide because the price includes shipping.
Anutin confirmed that all 30 million doses of Pfizer vaccine will be delivered by year-end.
Talks are already being held with Pfizer on purchasing additional doses of this vaccine next year with Thailand having asked the company for a discount.
Meanwhile the ministry also said that there were 10,414 coronavirus cases and 122 deaths over the past 24 hours taking the cumulative confirmed total since April 1 to 1,562,966.
Of this new batch of cases 9,044 appeared in surveillance and health care systems, 1,182 were found through proactive search in communities, 178 fell sick in prisons and detention centres while 10 overseas arrivals were quarantined.
Another 11,580 patients were cured taking total recoveries since April 1 to 1,432,360 while 115,423 are still undergoing treatment.
CAPTION:
The arrival of over 2 million doses of Pfizer vaccine this morning. Photos: Matichon
