The Department of Disease Control (DDC) signed an agreement yesterday to obtain 1.5 million doses of vaccine from the US as calls mounted for the mRNA-technology vaccine to be offered to frontline medical workers first.
The agreement came after the US released a statement through its Bangkok embassy offering some details. DDC director-general Opas Karnkawinpong said the 1.5 million doses are manufactured by Pfizer.
However, the US statement itself stopped short of spelling out what brands of vaccine will be donated or when the supply will be delivered.
In the US statement, President Joe Biden announced a plan to deliver 80 million Covid-19 vaccines to countries in need. Thailand will receive a share of those vaccines. The US plan for the 80 million donated doses includes over 23 million for Asia. These donations are in addition to the United States' US$4 billion in commitments to Covax, the Covid-19 Vaccines Global Access Initiative, including half a billion Pfizer doses over the upcoming year.
To date, the US has provided over $40 million (1.28 billion baht) in Covid-19-related assistance to Thailand. The assistance includes $28.5 million in ventilators, respirators, testing kits, surgical masks, goggles, and other protective equipment to doctors and nurses, plus support for displaced people along the border, according to the statement.
The agreement to receive donated vaccine from the US followed the cabinet's approval of the contract to buy 20 million doses from Pfizer for local mass vaccination. The contract is now being reviewed by the Office of the Attorney-General. The contract is likely to be signed this week.