Bangkok Rolls Out Mass Vaccination Drive to Beat the Latest COVID Surge
On May 4, Thai officials launched a massive vaccination blitz in the bustling riverside neighbourhood of Khlong Toei to curb a fresh wave of coronavirus cases. The plan is to deliver shots to 50,000 residents—roughly 70% of the population living there—over a two‑week sprint.
Why Khlong Toei?
That district, home to about 80,000 people, suffered more than 300 infections in the early‑April outbreak. Health workers will also test up to 1,000 folks each day to catch any hidden spread.
Burden of the B117 Variant
Thailand’s been keeping the virus in check for almost a year, but the highly contagious B117 strain has recently spiked cases—making up over half of total infections and deaths. A murky third of new cases since April stick to Bangkok and its surrounding provinces, while the remaining 77 provinces are largely under control.
Official Voices
Dr. Opas Karnkawinpong, Director‑General of the Disease Control Department, shrugged: “Outbreaks in other regions are shrinking. Bangkok and the adjoining provinces still show a slow uptick.”
Testing Across Other Hot Spots
Lab teams will also up test numbers in seven additional dense Bangkok communities and even a factory in Samut Prakan province, where 160 workers fell ill.
Current Numbers
- New infections (today): 1,763
- New deaths (today): 27
- Overall cases: 72,788
- Total deaths: 303
The local vaccination push precedes a nationwide rollout in June, when a cache of 61 million AstraZeneca doses—manufactured locally—will be ready to deploy. Thailand’s goal is a 70% coverage rate by year’s end, though the rollout has lagged behind some neighbours.
