Thailand will receive 61 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine this year

BANGKOK, Aug. 23 (Reuters) – Thailand will receive 61 million doses of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine (AZN.L) this year, a government spokesman said Monday as the Southeast Asian country s is eager to vaccinate its population amid an increase in coronavirus infections.

Thailand is AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine manufacturing center for the region, but it has been slow to get enough shots to inoculate its population. About 9% of Thailand’s 66 million people have been completely vaccinated.

“This is good news, it will help build herd immunity more quickly. This will remove pressure from the health system, help people return to their normal lives and accelerate economic recovery,” government spokesman Anucha Burapachaisri said. , in a statement.

Last month, health officials said AstraZeneca had requested delays in deliveries of its 61 million-dose order by May 2022. read more

The news that the doses would arrive earlier than expected followed a meeting between Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha and AstraZeneca CEO Pascal Soriot, said Anucha Burapachaisri.

The delivery would bring Thailand’s total supply of vaccines by 2021 to more than 120 million doses, of which 61 million from AstraZeneca and a combination of 30 million doses of China’s Sinovac and 30 million from Pfizer-BioNTech (PFE .N) (22UAy.DE).

Thailand will buy an additional 60 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine next year, Anucha added.

Thailand has reported 1,066,786 coronavirus infections and 9,562 deaths since the pandemic began. More than 97% of these cases and deaths have been detected since April this year.

In addition to buying more AstraZeneca vaccines, Thailand also plans to make 50 million doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine by 2022, according to the health ministry.

Reports of Panarat Thepgumpanat and Chayut Setboosarng; Edited by James Pearson

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