Ministry jab plan for this year gets nod

The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) has approved the Public Health Ministry’s vaccination plan for this year which includes the inoculation of 9.3 million people this month.

The CCSA has also approved a fourth booster shot against Covid-19 for medical workers and people with underlying health conditions, according to CCSA spokesman Dr Taweesilp Visanuyothin.

Under the plan, the Public Health Ministry will provide walk-in vaccination services for people aged 12 and over who have never received a shot, give booster shots to fully vaccinated people and former patients and provide vaccines to children aged 5-12 on a voluntary basis.

As for the fourth booster shot for medical workers and people with chronic diseases, recipients of two doses of Sinovac and AstraZeneca as a third shot will receive either AstraZeneca, Pfizer or Moderna as a fourth shot, with a three-month interval.

Recipients of two doses of Sinovac and Pfizer as a third shot will receive Pfizer or Moderna as a fourth shot, with a three-month interval, according to the spokesman.

Dr Taweesilp said Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has approved the proposed purchase of 50,000 courses of the Covid-19 antiviral medicine, Paxlovid, to boost the country’s drug supplies against the virus.

The purchase scheme, which will be carried out by the Department of Medical Services, will be submitted to the cabinet for approval.

According to the January vaccine rollout plan, of the 9.3 million people set to receive vaccines, 1 million are those aged 12 and over who never had a single shot and 700,000 are medical workers and people with underlying health conditions.

The remaining are 2.1 million who are due to receive their second doses and 5.5 million who are scheduled to get a third booster shot.