Vachira suspends walk-in jabs until after Songkran

Vachira Phuket Hospital, the main government hospital on the island, provided AstraZeneca vaccination injections to walk-ins on Friday, Apr 1 and again yesterday (Friday, Apr 8).

However, the hospital will not resume its vaccination injections until Monday, Apr 18, after the Songkran holidays have concluded, a notice published by the Phuket office of the Public Relations Department announced today (Apr 9).

The hospital has been providing walk-in vaccinations with the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine for people requiring their first, second, third or fourth vaccination jabs.

When the hospital resumes its walk-in vaccination service, as with before the Songkran holidays, the number of walk-in vaccinations will be limited to 50 people per day.

The vaccine injections will be administered at the Lan Muang Khao area at Vachira Phuket Hospital, as follows:

2nd, 3rd or 4th dose:

Apr 18: AstraZeneca only

Apr 22: AstraZeneca only

Apr 29: AstraZeneca only

First dose:

Apr 19-21: Sinovac or AstraZeneca

Apr 25-28: Sinovac or AstraZeneca

The Lan Muang Khao area is near the Emergency Operation Center Building, accessed via Gate 1 to the hospital..

To receive a walk-in vaccination, Thai nationals must present their government ID card. Foreigners must present their passport or work permit.

Those who have already been assigned an appointment to receive a vaccination injection at the hospital can just present themselves at the Lan Muang Khao area at the appropriate time, the hospital announced.

According to the latest Phuket Provincial Public Health Office (PPHO) update on the mass vaccination campaign, of the target population of 539,183 to be vaccinated, 505,748 (93.8%) have received their first vaccination injection, and 475,235 people (88.14%) have received two vaccination injections.

So far 323,810 people (68.14%) have received a third-dose “booster” jab, and 122,437 people (37.81%) have received a fourth-dose vaccination injection.

Why is Vachira, that has given many of us the 1st and 2nd Pfizer jabs in Mahogany building and in Saphan Stadium,  not giving 3rd/4th Pfizer jabs to 60+ people? AstraZeneca is not a good vaccine for older people.  PPHO may say where to get 3rd Pfizer jab.