PHUKET: Vachira Phuket Hospital is offering walk-in first-, second- and third-dose ‘booster’ vaccination injections throughout January, but vaccination sessions are limited to 50 people a day.
Those who are interested can receive the vaccine at the “Lan Muang Khao” area set up at the hospital, Vachira Phuket explained in a notice posted earlier this week.
People still waiting to receive their first vaccination injection can receive a Sinovac jab Monday-Thursday each week through the month: on Jan 10-13, Jan 17-20, and Jan 24- 27.
Another session of Sinovac vaccine first injections will be held on Friday, Jan 28.
Each session each day is available only for 50 people, the hospital explained clearly.
No explanation was given as to why the number of vaccinations are being limited to such a small number.
Vachira Phuket will also be providing AstraZeneca vaccinations for people needing a second or third-dose ‘booster’ injection on Friday, Jan 14 and Friday Jan 21.
Again, each session is limited to 50 people.
To receive the injections Thais need to show only their government-issued ID card, while foreigners need to present only their passport or work permit.
ASTRAZENECA + PFIZER
In a separate notice, Vachira Phuket Hospital announced that it is providing first injections of AstraZeneca for people looking to have the AstraZeneca vaccine for their first injection and Pfizer as their second injection (the “AZ+Pfizer” combo).
The vaccinations are open to Thais and foreigners, but only people aged 18 or older.
Walk-ins for first injections of the AZ+Pfizer combo will not be accepted.
People wanting to receive the AZ+Pfizer combo must register through the PhuketMustWin.com website.
To register for the AZ+Pfizer injections, Thais will need to submit a copy of their government-issued ID card, while foreigners will need to submit a copy of their passport or work permit.
Those who successfully register and are approved a vaccination time will be allowed to receive their first injection at the Lan Muang Khao area at the hospital.
The vaccination sessions will be from 9am to 3pm on Jan 10-13, Jan 17-20 and Jan 24-28.
PFIZER BOOSTER JABS
Meanwhile, Thalang Hospital has announced that it is providing the Pfizer vaccine as a third-dose ‘booster’ jab.
The jabs are available only to people who have received AstraZeneca+AstraZeneca or Sinovac+AstraZeneca (AA or SA) as their first and second injections.
Recipients also must have received their second-dose injection before Sept 30, 2021.
The hospital started providing the Pfizer booster jabs at the X-Terminal, at Phuket International Airport, on Monday (Jan 10).
The announcement by Thalang Hospital gave no end date to the campaign to provide the PFizer booster shots.
However, people must register and make an appointment to receive the Pfizer injection via the PhuketMustWin.com website.
Of note, all notices announcing the ongoing vaccination rollout were issued in Thai language only.
Also, according to the PhuketMustWin website, all expats must have received their second Sinovac injection in order to currently receive any third-dose booster jab.
Under the “Third dose vaccination for foreigners” section posted on the website is the message, “Check for the eligibility for the 3rd dose for expats and migrant workers who received their 2nd dose Sinovac vacination already in Phuket.”
HIT & MISS
The Phuket News has sporadically received several messages over recent weeks from foreigners who have been unable to successfully register to receive a third-dose booster injection.
However, The Phuket News also notes that many, if not most, expats with work permits already received their booster vaccinations last year.
Phuket officials have issued no statements to clarify the situation for foreigners on the island who have continued to be denied a third-dose booster jab.
FOURTH JABS UNDERWAY
According to the mass-vaccination daily update report issued by Phuket Provincial Public Health Office (PPHO) today (Jan 12), of the 547,584 target population to be vaccinated, so far the following number of people have been vaccinated:
1st injection – 481,250 (87.89%)
2nd injection – 467,480 (85.37%)
3rd injection – 286,887 (52.39%)
A further 5,059 (1.76%) have already received their fourth vaccine injection, noted the report.
Source: The Phuket News
