The Ministry of Public Health is inviting parents to inoculate their young children in the first country-wide Covid-19 vaccination campaign for toddlers in the next two weeks.
Dr Sophon Iamsirithaworn, deputy chief of the Department of Disease Control, recently said the country’s Covid-19 situation has improved well, judging from a declining number of severe cases.
He said the number of cases involving lung infection was down to 480 cases, compared with 650 two weeks ago. Moreover, the kingdom recently only recorded nine daily cases, he said.
Dr Sophon said that despite Covid-19 being placed under the diseases under surveillance category, the ministry is still concerned about transmission, especially among senior citizens whose fatality rate is higher when compared to others.
According to ministry data, a third vaccine shot can reduce the chance of death by 41 times, he said.
“We want all to get the vaccine, especially the booster dose to reduce severe symptoms and death,” he said. “In the next two weeks, we also would like parents to take a child to get the first jab of the vaccine.”
“We are ready to provide the vaccine for the toddlers above six months to four years old,” he said.
The ministry has placed an order for 3 million Pfizer vaccine doses for toddlers aged six months to four years, with the first lot expected to arrive by this month, he said.
Dr Narong Aphikulvanich, the ministry’s inspector, said toddlers of all nationalities living in the country can receive the vaccine free of charge.
Vaccine doses are stocked in every province, he said, noting the inoculation service is available with or without an appointment.
He said the vaccine for toddlers will arrive in all provinces by the middle of this month.
