BANGKOK, Aug 24 (TNA) – AstraZeneca has confirmed with Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha that it will deliver 61 million more doses of its COVID-19 vaccine by this December.
Government spokesman Anucha Burapachaisri said Pascal Claude Roland Soriot, chief executive officer of AstraZeneca, made the confirmation during his teleconference with the prime minister on health cooperation to cope with the rapid mutation of COVID-19.
“That will raise the country’s procurement of all COVID-19 vaccines this year to over 120 million doses which will cover more than 60 million people. It is better than an earlier plan to acquire 100 million doses for 50 million people. It is good news because herd immunity will happen sooner,” the government spokesman said.
The government planned to order 60 million more doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine next year and the deal should be concluded in September. AstraZeneca was developing a new version of its COVID-19 vaccine to better deal with viral mutation, Mr. Anucha said.
Thailand reported on Tuesday 17,165 new coronavirus cases and 226 more deaths over the past 24 hours. The total cases rose to 1,083,951 and the death toll in the country reached 9,788. (TNA)
