Covid vaccination priority: Tourism industry will have to wait until there are sufficient doses
Image: Bangkok Business News
A leading figure in the fight against Covid-19 has stated where the priorities lie when it comes to vaccination.
And it is not the tourism industry, at least not yet.
Workers in the sector will have to wait their turn behind health care workers, people with chronic illness, the obese and those over 60.
It has also been announced that 10 provinces - including Bangkok, Chonburi and Rayong - will be getting some vaccine early.
But these will be people in the high risk groups, not the tourism sector.
Expats living in Thailand were not mentioned in the latest story from Bangkok Business News though migrant workers got a nod.
Dr Sophon Mekthon said that the aim of the vaccination program was to deliver a safe, efficient and quality vaccination to vulnerable groups then get the economy going - in that order.
Vaccine was limited so in the first phase health workers with direct contact to Covid patients would be prioritised along with those with chronic illnesses.
Among these were heart and later stage kidney patients, those with cancer undergoing chemotherapy or radiation, diabetics, the over 60s and obese people.
This was itemised as those weighing 100 kilos or more and having a BMI of 35.
When the country gets more vaccine then the economy and general society can be innoculated in phase two.
This will involve vaccination for health workers behind the front lines then those in the tourism industry.
Dr Sophon specifically mentioned hotel employees, those in the entertainment industry, guides, people travelling abroad like pilots and cabin crew, international businessmen, people in the public who travel, embassy staff, officials who need to travel and then workers in industry.
In the first phase of vaccination from now until April ten provinces will be prioritised with 2 million doses - enough for two shots each for just one million people.
The provinces and the number of nursing and ER locations each will have to deliver the vaccine in brackets are as follows:
Samut Sakhon (10 locations)
Bangkok (62)
Samut Prakan (30)
Nonthaburi (21)
Pathum Thani (22)
Rayong (13)
Chonburi (32)
Chanthaburi (14)
Trat (8) and
Tak (11).
Each of these will be allocated a proportion of the two million doses with Bangkok and Samut Sakhon getting by far the lion's share.
For example Bangkok will get 800,000, Samut Sakhon 820,000, Chonburi 28,000 and Rayong just 18,000.
In each of the ten areas the number of people in each vulnerable group has also been itemised so that for example in Bangkok 32,000 health care workers and 8,000 who have close contact with the sick will get a jab along with 100,000 each of the chronically sick and over 60s and the general public and workers 160,000.
The 14,000 people in Chonburi - that includes Pattaya - who will get the 28,000 initial doses will be just 10,000 medical personnel and 4,000 who come into close contact with the sick.
The figures seemed to indicate that except in Bangkok, Samut Sakhon and Tak in Thailand's north west, the aging population and the chronically sick would have to wait behind medical staff and those with close contact with the sick until they could get a jab when more vaccine becomes available.
Source: Bangkok Business News
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