A woman gets vaccinated against COVID-19 in Bangkok, Thailand, on April 7, 2021 (Photo: Xinhua/VNA) Local mediacited the official as saying on April 15 that Thailand has the expertise to closely monitorvaccine information, and the decision is made basing on scientific knowledge.
Thailandkicked off its COVID-19 inoculationcampaign on February 28, with people of high-risk groups like medicalprofessionals and those with close contact with patients among the first in thequeue to receive vaccinations.
Thailand plans to use the AstraZeneca vaccine and the CoronaVac developed byChina-based Sinovac Biotech to inoculate about 35 million people or 50 percentof the population – the target it aims to achieve by the end of this year.
Since April1, the third wave of coronavirus infections has spread to 75 of the 77provinces in Thailand, and only the southern provinces of Ranong and Satun haveyet to record any cases in this latest outbreak.
Speaking after a meeting of the national committee on communicable diseases onApril 15, Minister Charnvirakul saidThailand can overcome the current COVID-19 crisis without imposing anationwide lockdown.
Henoted the cycle of disease has only been two weeks, and the government has hadgood cooperation from all stakeholders.
The committee decided to suggest the government ban thedrinking of alcohol in restaurants nationwide and forbid mass gatherings,including asking schools and universities nationwide to conduct all theircourses online. It also concluded that Bangkok capital and 17 otherprovinces should be classified as ultimate control (red zone) areas.
On April 16,the country reported 1,582 new COVID-19 cases, the highest daily number sincethe pandemic began. That brought the total so far to 39,038, with 97 fatalities./.
VNA
