With few travellers, Thailand turns airport into vaccination centre

[snoop1130]

FILE PHOTO: A healthcare worker takes a nasal swab sample from a person for a coronavirus disease (COVID-19) test, as the country deals with a fresh wave of infections after tackling earlier outbreaks, in Bangkok, Thailand April 16, 2021. REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha/File Photo

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) -Long queues have returned to Thailand's unusually quiet international airport this week, after it converted its check-in area into an immunisation centre as part of efforts to speed up its COVID-19 vaccine rollout.

 

Cordons and suitcases were replaced with evenly-spaced chairs at check-in counters, where immigration and airport staff and cabin crew lined up to register for the vaccines, of which more than 1,000 will be administered each day.

 

The inoculations provided a buzz of activity seldom seen this past year at Suvarnabhumi Airport, which has been hit by a dramatic slump in passengers and air traffic from weaker demand and tighter entry curbs.

 

In 2019, before the pandemic came, Thailand welcomed nearly 40 million tourists, mostly through the main gateway. Thailand had only 6,737 visitors in March.

 

Staff member Siwaporn Singkhrut, who was among the first of more than 30,000 set to receive vaccines at the airport, said there was plenty of room to expand the service to more people.

 

"Now, only a portion of the airport is in operation, and it would be even better if it were to fully open to the public so people can come and get vaccinated," she said.

 

After a year of relatively minor outbreaks, Thailand is experiencing its biggest and fastest spread of the coronavirus, with cases more doubling since the start of April to nearly 61,699, with 178 fatalities.

 

It recorded 2,012 new cases and 15 more deaths on Wednesday.

 

Thailand's government has yet to start mass vaccinations and is rushing to secure vaccine supplies to supplement those set to be manufactured locally from June.

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2021-04-29

 

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[Justgrazing]

9 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

Cordons and suitcases were replaced with evenly-spaced chairs at check-in counters

 

You want or aisle or window seat for Vackine Sir .?

 

14 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

 

The inoculations provided a buzz of activity seldom seen this past year at Suvarnabhumi Airport, which has been hit by a dramatic slump in passengers and air traffic from weaker demand and tighter entry curbs.

 

Thai Airways should have a donut tent there as well .. make the best of a bad lot sort of thing .. and I wouldn't worry about tighter entry curve .. a lot just drive up over them anyway .. especially the car parks .. 

[mrfill]

A very good idea to use areas of the airport as a vaccination centre.

Now all they need is some vaccines, which seem to have been omitted from the plan.

[hotchilli]

15 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

BANGKOK (Reuters) -Long queues have returned to Thailand's unusually quiet international airport this week, after it converted its check-in area into an immunisation centre as part of efforts to speed up its COVID-19 vaccine rollout.

Is there anything to inject?

[khunjeff]

15 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Cordons and suitcases were replaced with evenly-spaced chairs at check-in counters, where immigration and airport staff and cabin crew lined up to register for the vaccines

 

So the airport is not being "converted...into an immunisation centre" at all - people who work at the airport are simply getting vaccinations at their workplace, just as happens at companies and businesses everywhere (when vaccine is available). Slow news day, I guess.

[VBF]

5 hours ago, khunjeff said:

 

So the airport is not being "converted...into an immunisation centre" at all - people who work at the airport are simply getting vaccinations at their workplace, just as happens at companies and businesses everywhere (when vaccine is available). Slow news day, I guess.

Yes, the headline is a little misleading isn't it?