BANGKOK, Sept 29 (TNA) – The Public Health Ministry signed an agreement with AstraZeneca to acquire 60 million doses of the company’s COVID-19 vaccine next year to be administered as booster shots.
Deputy Prime Minister and Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and Dr. Opas Karnkawinpong, director-general of the Department of Disease Control, attended a ceremony together with representatives of AstraZeneca (Thailand) for the signing of the contract to acquire the 60 million doses of the vaccine to be used as the third and booster shots for people next year.
Under the contract, the company must deliver 15 million doses in the first quarter of next year, 30 million doses in the second quarter and 15 million doses in the third quarter.
Pending the contracted delivery, if AstraZeneca successfully develops the second generation of its COVID-19 vaccine, it must allow Thailand to switch to the new vaccine.
The contracted acquisition costs Thailand about 18 billion baht. (TNA)