Vaccinating the 11 million on the fence will help Thailand achieve 100% jab rate: Anutin
Of Thailand’s over 70 million people, only some 11 million have not received a Covid-19 jab, Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said on Friday.
“Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has tasked the Department of Disease Control to find these people and have them vaccinated as soon as possible, ideally before December 15, to help achieve herd immunity,” he said. “This timeframe is not difficult as the current vaccination rate stands at around 700,000-800,000 doses daily. Covering 11 million people in 30 days will require us to average slightly more than 300,000 recipients per day.”
The minister said vaccination venues or doses available are not the only things that ensure a 100-per-cent vaccination rate. It also requires persuading those who are on the fence to get vaccinated.
“Public health volunteers are advised to go door to door to convince those who have not received a jab, especially the elderly who don’t go outdoors and believe they don’t need to be vaccinated because they have little contact with outsiders. It is these people who are most vulnerable, as they can be infected by family members.
“Convincing these people to get vaccinated is the only way to make everybody safe,” Anutin added.
The minister said more than 86 million doses have been administered since the vaccine rollout was launched in February, and the government will procure at least 90 million doses next year to ensure everybody gets a booster shot.
“AstraZeneca will deliver 60 million doses next year, while Pfizer will deliver 30 million doses,” he said. “We will also have access to other types of vaccines, including the one produced by Novavax and the one being developed by the Government Pharmaceutical Organisation.
“Achieving a 100-per-cent vaccination rate is a huge milestone and will prove to the global community that Thailand has an efficient public health system and that the government is serious about taking care of its citizens,” Anutin said. “This is the target we should all aim to achieve.”
