Thailand to administer AstraZeneca vaccine after delay over safety

BANGKOK: Thailand will start using the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine on Tuesday after a brief delay due to concerns over its safety, officials said, with the prime minister and his cabinet due to be the first to receive it.

Thailand was on Friday the first country outside of Europe to suspend use of the AstraZeneca shot. Authorities in Ireland, Denmark, Norway, Iceland and the Netherlands suspended their use of the vaccine over blood clotting issues. Natreeya Thaweewong of the spokesperson's office of government house told reporters in a text message that the delayed inoculations of Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha and his ministers would take place on Tuesday morning.