The Cabinet set aside the six- billion-baht budget for reservation and procurement of the prospective Covid -19 vaccine, according to the government’s Thaikoofah Facebook page.

Thailand reserves 26 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines from AstraZeneca to ensure the country will be one of the first countries to have access to the vaccine when it is available after the safety approval.

It will also be allowed to use the technology for vaccine production in the country.

If Thailand fails to reserve the vaccine, it will have to buy it at higher prices when it is complete.

Out of all budget approved, 2.3 billion baht will be used for vaccine development and 3.5 billion baht will be spent on vaccine procurement and management.

The government initially targets to make Covid-19 vaccine available for 13 million people or about 20 per cent of its population.

Source: TNA