Coronavirus: 150,000 Chinese in Thailand start getting vaccinated; Singapore airport cluster likely linked to infected travellers
- Thailand agreed to begin inoculating the estimated 150,000 Chinese nationals living in the country after Beijing donated 500,000 jabs
- The airport cluster, which involves about 100 cases, is part of a resurgence of infections in the city state
China recently donated 500,000 vaccine doses, and Thailand agreed in turn to inoculate Chinese nationals as it slowly rolls out shots for its own citizens to contain a coronavirus surge that has sickened tens of thousands in the past two months.
Yang Xin, minister counsellor at the Chinese embassy, said Beijing’s “Spring Sprout” programme would benefit tens of thousands of Chinese in the country. An estimated 150,000 Chinese citizens live in Thailand.
China has so far supplied 6 million vaccine doses to the country, most of which Thailand bought.
The Thai government has said it will vaccinate Thais before inoculating most other foreigners, regardless of risk factors or age.
Just over 2 per cent of Thailand’s 70 million people have received a first vaccine dose and about 1 per cent have received a second. The government hopes to inoculate 70 per cent of its people by the end of the year, but has been criticised for taking too long to start vaccinating.