The coronavirus shot developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University will be Thailand’s “main vaccine” as the country seeks to revive its crucial tourism sector, the Thai public health minister told CNBC on Monday.
Renewed safety concerns surrounding the AstraZeneca-Oxford shooting caused countries such as Germany and the Netherlands to stop using the vaccine for children under 60.
Prior to these latest moves, several countries, including Thailand, suspended the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine after notification of blood clots in some people who received the shot. But many withdrew their suspensions after the World Health Organization said the review of available data showed the benefits of the vaccine outweighed the risks.
A health worker has a box of the AstraZeneneca vaccine at the Bamrasnaradura Infectious Diseases Institute in Nonthaburi province, on the outskirts of Bangkok.
Chaiwat Subprasom | SOUP Pictures | LightRocket using Getty Images
In Thailand, more than 150,000 people have been inoculated with the AstraZeneca vaccine and the percentage of people who developed side effects “is considered very low,” said Anutin Charnvirakul, the country’s deputy prime minister and public health minister.
Anutin told CNBC’s “Street Signs Asia” that Thailand expects new deliveries of the AstraZeneca vaccine, which is expected by June. In addition to the AstraZeneca vaccine, Thailand also uses one developed by China’s Sinovac Biotech, the minister said.
Since the end of February, about 250,000 people in Thailand have received Covid vaccines, Anutin said.
Attraction of foreign visitors
Compared to many countries around the world, Thailand has reported relatively few cases and Covid deaths. Official data showed that as of Sunday the country has confirmed more than 29,000 infections and 95 deaths.
But its tourism-dependent economy has been hit hard, falling 6.1% in 2020 compared to a year ago, as countries restricted travel to curb the spread of Covid-19, according to data from the ‘Office of the National Council for Economic and Social Development.
Thailand is stepping up efforts to restart its tourism industry, including the deployment of vaccines in a “significant” number in popular tourist destinations such as Phuket and Koh Samui, Anutin said.
“We want to make sure that our people are safe, this is our first priority. Therefore, once our people are safe, we believe that our guests, that is, tourists or business people, would definitely come to visit the our country, ”the minister said.
To attract visitors, Thailand has reduced the quarantine period for foreigners arriving in the country from this month. The country also intends to waive quarantine requirements for vaccinated foreign visitors to its largest holiday island in Phuket.