Open AccessCan Thailand achieve COVID‐19 herd immunity?
Author(s) -
Jitanan Manatee,
Chirasatienpon Tharisara,
Tiamjan Rapeeporn,
Amnatsatsue Kwanjai,
Nguanjairak Racha,
Miranda Adriana Viola,
Lin Xu,
Gyeltshen Dawa,
Vicerra Paolo Miguel Manalang,
Kouwenhoven M. B. N.
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
public health challenges
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2769-2450
DOI - 10.1002/puh2.7
Subject(s) - herd immunity , pandemic , population , vaccination , booster (rocketry) , environmental health , outbreak , immunity , business , medicine , economic growth , covid-19 , disease , immunology , infectious disease (medical specialty) , virology , economics , immune system , physics , pathology , astronomy
The COVID‐19 outbreak has had a great impact on the social, economic, and health systems of Thailand. A variety of measures to curb the spread of the disease were implemented since the beginning of the pandemic, including a strict national lockdown protocol. The Thai government aimed to achieve herd immunity through an efficient vaccination programme. Initially, vaccine supply shortage and a lack of vaccine options plagued the health system, but this has since been improved. Continuous monitoring of the situation through research is being carried out to assess the level of immunity among the population whereby the current general recommendation is presently a fourth booster dose for adults. Hurdles towards achieving herd immunity remain. One such issue is the low level of vaccine literacy among those that are unvaccinated or inadequately vaccinated. Another obstacle is the sizeable rate of hesitancy towards getting booster doses. Achieving herd immunity in the Thai population would require multilateral cooperation, improved health promotion to target population groups, such as older adults, and a developed distribution system for those with limited access, such as those in the rural areas.