Schools will re-open with on-site learning in November, with the expectation that students will be vaccinated in October, the Education Ministry has said.
The Education Minister Trinuch stated that the government will provide vaccination of two doses of Pfizer vaccine for students aged 12 to 17 years at the date of injection. Ms Treenuch said the ministry consulted with the public health and the interior ministries in order to determine the date of Nov 1 for re-opening school, although this still depends on a successful rollout of the vaccine.
The vaccine rollout is not being limited to the traditional school systems, also included are religious, science and border police schools and educational establishments not run by the Education Ministry. The priority will be schools within the dark red provinces, with the remaining schools following.
The Education Ministry also stated that inoculations will be provided only if parents give their consent. Deputy Permanent Secretary for Public Health Dr. Opas Karnkawinpong further stated that Bangkok public health will start Pfizer vaccine allocation for students between 12 and 17 years old in the capital on September 21st.
“According to the schedule, an additional 2 million doses of Pfizer vaccine will arrive at the end of September and another 2 million doses will gradually arrive every week in October. The Ministry of Health expects that the first dose will be injected into required students by October before proceeding with the second dose as quickly as possible,” he added.