200,000-400,000 teachers have yet to be vaccinated: OBEC
About 70 per cent of teachers nationwide have already been vaccinated against Covid-19, while 200,000-400,000 have yet to be inoculated, the Office of the Basic Education Commission (OBEC) revealed on Wednesday.
“The office estimates that all teachers could be inoculated before schools reopen on November 1,” said OBEC secretary-general Amphon Phinasa.
“Not all students will be forced to go to school on the reopening date. If parents are concerned about their children’s safety they can still continue the learn-from-home measure,” he said.
“Furthermore, schools in red zone provinces may consider opening every other day to reduce the risk of the virus spreading, as well as consider implementing other disease control measures as suggested by the provincial public health office,” Amphon said.
He added that the Public Health Ministry has informed OBEC that more Pfizer vaccines, which have been approved for children aged over 12 in Thailand, will arrive in late September and that it aims to vaccinate students in risky areas from October 4.
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Meanwhile, Department of Health deputy director-general Dr Sarawut Boonsuk said some countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom and a handful of European nations have approved the use of mRNA vaccines in children aged over 12.
“Statistics from these countries show that those aged 12-19 have only a 10 per cent chance of contracting the virus compared to adults,” Sarawut said.
“The chance of developing severe symptoms or death among children is only 0.03 per cent, but severe cases have been found among children with underlying health problems.”
Sarawut said the Pfizer vaccine was reported to cause myocarditis, but this was at a very low rate and was therefore safe.
“Statistics show that myocarditis caused by the vaccine was found more often in male patients who receive second doses,” he said.
“In Thailand such cases have been found at a ratio of one in a million, in which the patients have displayed non-severe symptoms that are treatable,” he added.
