Hundreds of Thai medical workers infected despite Sinovac vaccinations

BANGKOK, July 11 (Reuters) – Thailand’s Ministry of Health said on Sunday that more than 600 medical workers who received two doses of Chinese Sinovac vaccine (SVA.O) have been infected with COVID-19, as authorities evaluate the administration of booster doses to increase immunity.

Of the 677,348 medical staff who received two doses of Sinovac, 618 were infected, according to health ministry data from April to July. A nurse has died and another member of the medical staff is in critical condition.

A group of experts has recommended a third dose to trigger immunity for at-risk medical workers, senior health official Sopon Iamsirithawon told a press conference on Sunday.

“It will be a different vaccine, either the AstraZeneca viral vector or an mRNA vaccine, which Thailand will receive in the short term,” he said, adding that the recommendation would be considered on Monday.

The announcement comes as the Southeast Asian country reported a record 9,418 community infections on Sunday. Authorities reported a record 91 new daily coronavirus deaths on Saturday.

Thailand has reported a total of 336,371 confirmed infections and 2,711 deaths since the pandemic began last year.

The majority of medical and frontline workers in Thailand received the Sinovac vaccines after February with the AstraZeneca viral vector vaccine (AZN.L) arriving in June.

Thailand expects a donation of 1.5 million Pfizer-BioNTech (PFE.N) (22UAy.DE) vaccines from the United States later this month and has ordered 20 million doses for delivery after October.

Neighboring Indonesia, which has also relied heavily on Sinovac, said on Friday it would give the Moderna vaccine (MRNA.O) as a reminder to medical workers. Read more

Reporting by Chayut Setboonsarng; Editing by Jacqueline Wong

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.