BANGKOK — Iceland and Germany have agreed to a donation of COVID-19 vaccines to Thailand, a government spokesman said.
Iceland has offered 100,000 Pfizer vaccines, while Germany pledged 346,100 doses of AstraZeneca vaccines, said government spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana, who expressed his gratitude for the two donor nations.
The German vaccine donation will help augment the efficacy of the distribution of vaccines throughout Thailand, Thanakorn added. People who have received two shots of Sinovac prior to July are being told to get their booster shots made by AstraZeneca this month.
Both the donation of 100,000 Pfizer vaccines from Iceland and 346,100 AstraZeneca vaccines are expected to arrive in Thailand this month, around the same time as Hungary is set to fill an order of 400,000 AstraZeneca vaccines the Thai government had previously ordered.
Thailand has recently stepped up its procurement of several different vaccine brands, including the delayed shipment of 1 million Pfizer vaccines from the United States, which is said to be waiting on the Thai government completing the proper paperwork through the correct channels.
The Public Health Ministry also said a contract to buy supplies of the first oral treatment for COVID-19 will be completed in the next 2 weeks. The first batch of pills could arrive as soon as November, Somsak Akkasilp from the Department of Medical Services said.
He said the government has ordered enough to treat 200,000 people, adding that patients with mild symptoms will be given 40 pills over the course of 5 days. However, Somsak declined to disclose the value of the contract, declaring it as confidential information.
