Pfizer jabs donated to Thailand with no strings attached, says US govt

The batch of 1.5 million doses of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine donated by the US government arrived at Suvarnabhumi Airport at 4am on Friday morning, according to US Chargé d'Affaires Michael Heath.

The Pfizer mRNA vaccine is considered more effective than the AstraZeneca and Sinovac vaccines currently being offered by the Thai government.

"Our vaccines do not come with strings attached," Heath said in a Facebook statement. "We have the singular objective of saving lives and we know that none of us is safe until all of us are safe. As such, we are happy to hear that the Royal Thai Government has committed to distributing these vaccines equitably to all residents of Thailand and to prioritising those most at risk."

Heath also confirmed that the US will donate another 1 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine to Thailand as part of its commitment to share 80 million vaccine doses to combat the global pandemic.

“The amount includes 23 million doses for Asia,” said Heath, adding that the donations will help Thailand and the region accelerate their vaccination campaigns, keep their populations safe, and ensure that their economies can recover quickly.

The Thai government has pledged to use the donated vaccines to inoculate 700,000 front-line medical workers and 645,000 vulnerable people – those over 60, pregnant in high-risk zones, or with any of seven chronic health conditions. Another 150,000 doses are reserved for vulnerable expats, with the remainder allocated for research and emergencies.

The Public Health Ministry has also procured 20 million doses of Pfizer-BioNTech, which are due to arrive in the fourth quarter this year.