PHUKET: Mass vaccinations against COVID-19 have begun in Phuket, with some 3,000 people expected to have received their first injection of the Chinese-made Sinovac vaccine "CoronaVac" at the Indoor Sports Stadium at Saphan Hin today (Apr 1).
The mass-vaccination launch today came less than 24 hours after 50,000 doses of the CoronaVac vaccine arrived on the islandyesterday.
Present at Saphan Hin this morning to oversee the launch of the mass-vaccination campaign were Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew, along with Vice Governors Pichet Panapong and Piyapong Choowong, and Phuket Tourist Association President Bhummikitti Ruktaengam.
All people arriving to receive their first vaccination injection were required to wear face masks and had their body temperatures checked before being allowed into the main area of the facility.
Those vaccinated today were from five main target groups: medical personnel, risk group staff, people who work with direct interaction with the public, chronic disease patients and rescue workers.
Governor Narong repeated that the goal was to administer the first vaccine injection to 50,000 people within the next seven days, "before Songkran".
"I expect that today we will be able to vaccinate about 3,000 people in the key target groups at the stadium. If we combined the numbers of vaccinated people from the other four venues, the total number will be about 7,000 people per day," he said.
The second injection will be provided after the next mass delivery of vaccine doses arrive, he added.
This was required "because if you are going to vaccinate to build a group immunity, Phuket Province must vaccinate 70% of the population, or about 460,000 people, which requires approximately 920,000 to 930,000 doses of the vaccine, before we can open to receive fully vaccinated tourists," he said.
"It is a very big challenge, but the government is ready to support Phuket as a pilot province," he added.
To roll out the mass-vaccination campaign, five "vaccination service centres" have been set up across the island. The five locations are located at:
- Phuket International Airport, the new extension building
- Jungceylon shopping center, Patong
- Angsana Laguna Phuket resort in Bang Tao, Cherng Talay
- The Indoor Sports Centre at Saphan Hin
- Phuket Orchid Resort and Spa Hotel in Karon
The vaccination centres are open each day from 8:30am to 4pm.
People arriving to be vaccinated must proceed through eight steps:
- Weight, height and blood pressure is measured
- Confirmation that the person is eligible for vaccination.
- Registration, screening
- Recording of medical history
- Waiting for the vaccination injection
- Receiving the vaccination injection
- Update the recipient's hospital records
- Wait 30 minutes to observe for any reaction to the vaccine.
If no adverse reactions are found, the recipient will be allowed to go home by permission of a doctor and an appointment will be made to receive the second "booster" injection.
Those who received injections today will be required to receive their second injection some time from April 22-30, officials at the centre explained.
Governor Narong urged people to register to receive vaccinations through the online form posted here.
Despite the explanation yesterday that no walk-in registrations are being accepted at this time, Governor Narong today clearly said, "Or do not have [access to the] internet, you can walk in to register at the district health promotion hospital near you, or contact the village headman in your area."
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