Phuket launches drive-through vaccination centre
Phuket has opened its first drive-through vaccination centre, to serve residents who face difficulties walking to get their anti-Covid jab.
Located at the island’s main vaccination centre, the 4,000-seater Saphan Hin Gymnasium, the drive-through service opened on Monday to residents aged over 60 and those with underlying health conditions.
Staff at the vaccination centre said they came up with the idea for drive-through jabs after realising it was difficult for many elderly or infirm people to get vaccinated in the gym’s main hall. Previously, all jab recipients had to walk from the car park to the gymnasium building then climb two flights of stairs to the waiting area.
When their name was called, they had to walk down for a health check before waiting in line for their vaccination.
The new drive-through service has won praise on social media, as eligible recipients no longer need to leave their car to get a jab. The injection is administered after a temperature and health check. Drive-through recipients must then wait 30 minutes to monitor for side effects.
The island aims to vaccinate 70 per cent of its population before becoming the first place in Thailand to reopen to foreign tourists on July 1.
