The Thai Public Health Ministry has issued updated data, on the continued use of the Chinese Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine and its efficacy, to support the decision to purchase another 12 million doses.
Department of Disease Control’s director for emergency health hazards and diseases Dr. Chawetsan Namwat said all vaccines approved by the World Health Organization (WHO), including Sinovac, are good enough to reduce critical symptoms and death, which is the prime focus of vaccines and should not be devalued.
He said the key point right now is the provision vaccines to people en masse as fast as possible, to control the disease and reduce loss of life. Using a combination of vaccines is the answer to mass inoculations and to enhancing people’s immunity faster than two doses of a single vaccine.
Dr. Chawetsan added that a study of front-line health workers showed two shots of Sinovac offered 72% protection against COVID-19 infection and 98% protection against death. The study was conducted between May and July on 3,906 medical personnel working with COVID-19 patients.
