Thailand Approves Astrazeneca's COVID-19 Vaccine For Emergency Use

By Linda Khoo Hui Li BANGKOK, Jan 22 (Bernama) -- Thailand’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the emergency use of COVID-19 vaccine developed by AstraZeneca Plc and University of Oxford, and its first batch of 50,000 doses are expected to arrive in February. According to the Bangkok Post, FDA secretary-general Paisarn Dunkum said the FDA approved the registration of the vaccine, produced in Italy by AstraZeneca Co, on Wednesday. The import licence and vaccine registration will be valid for a year. AstraZeneca is the first COVID-19 vaccine developer to get approval in Thailand. Earlier, FDA confirmed receiving requests for vaccine registration from AstraZeneca and China’s Sinovac Biotech Ltd. Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said Thailand expects its first batch of COVID-19 vaccine developed by AstraZeneca in the first week of February. Anutin, who is also Public Health Minister, said the first batch of 50,000 doses is part of 26 million doses secured by the government at US$5 (RM20.20) per dose. “Negotiations are ongoing to secure more supplies as the kingdom aims to vaccinate 50 per cent of the population by end of the year,” he said. Anutin said he volunteered to be the first person in Thailand to receive a COVID-19 vaccination. Thailand has also ordered 61 million doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine and another two million doses from Sinovac Biotech. Thailand signed an agreement with multinational pharmaceutical firm, AstraZeneca in November last year to secure 26 million doses of its COVID-19 vaccine which will be produced locally through Thai biopharmaceutical company, Siam Bioscience. Meanwhile, Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) will ease restrictions on 13 type of businesses, including fitness centres, Thai traditional massage and spa facilities from tomorrow, as the COVID-19 situation has improved in the Thai capital. However, 13 other businesses and premises, including schools and educational institutions, entertainment outlets including pubs and bars, recreational venues such as water parks, amusement parks, playgrounds and gambling outlets will remain closed. To date, Thailand has recorded a total of 12,795 COVID-19 cases and 71 fatalities. -- BERNAMA