The government has prepared doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine for children between the ages of five and 11, deputy government spokeswoman Rachada Dhnadirek said on Saturday.
The vaccination drive for those aged five to 11 is expected to begin next month, according to the Public Health Ministry. It is entirely voluntary to them and their parents, and the Education Ministry is taking a voluntary survey to gauge the demand, Ms Rachada said.
Schools and hospitals will serve as vaccination sites. Children over 12 who have not been vaccinated can walk-in to any hospital or clinic, as notified by provincial communicable disease committees or Bangkok Communicable Disease Committee, to receive the shot.
The spokeswoman added that the government last year had targeted to vaccinate 50 million of 70 million people, or 70% of total population, using 100 million doses. It had administered 104.4 million doses and acquired 130.6 million doses until Dec 31.
This year, it is ready to acquire 120 million doses to be used as a booster shot as well as doses for children.
To cope with a surge in Covid-19 cases, hospitals run by the Public Health Ministry is coordinating with medical schools and private hospitals to prepare hospital beds, medicines and equipment to accommodate pediatric patients, she added.