A Buddhist monk receives coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccination at a hospital in Bangkok, Thailand May 19, 2021. REUTERS/Soe Zeya Tun

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand began vaccinating Buddhist monks against the coronavirus this week, hoping to build up their protection to enable them to safely perform their spiritual duties.

 

About 500 monks were inoculated in the capital, Bangkok, on Tuesday and Wednesday, to allow them to receive daily alms and do merit-making activities, as Thailand battles its third and most potent wave of infections.

 

“These activities are putting them at risk where they can come into contact with an infected person,” said Montchai Chumnumnavin of Bangkok’s Priest Hospital, a medical facility exclusively for monks, where the vaccines were administered.

 

“The faster we can provide them with vaccines, they will build up immunity to protect them from contracting the disease from devotees.”

 

After successfully thwarting earlier outbreaks, Thailand is dealing with a more stubborn wave that has seen overall cases nearly quadruple since early April, and deaths increase six-fold. Bangkok is the epicentre.

 

The country has yet to start its mass immunisation drive, with only about 1.5 million people getting a first dose so far, mostly front-line health workers or vulnerable groups.

 

Montchai said vaccine supplies would not cover all of Thailand’s estimated 200,000 monks.

 

Mass inoculations are due to start next month, when domestic production of AstraZeneca’s vaccine is expected to begin.

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2021-05-19

 

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I was think monks get jab already! They always get everything first, even my mother in law give them food in morning before me. ????

I wonder if all the monks get a companion to pray for them while they're getting the jab?

The mind boggles... I can think of numerous professions considerably more important to society as a whole much more worthy of the jab than these. 

Edited May 19, 20215 yr by djayz

So monks now don't have to worry as much about covid as they do about being bitten by the lingering temple dog population

Edited May 19, 20215 yr by RichardColeman

Give them all the jab spiritual duties is all that will be left after this government cluster has finished ????

10 hours ago, 2 is 1 said:

I was think monks get jab already! They always get everything first, even my mother in law give them food in morning before me. ????

They get to eat first at weddings too... and many could do with skipping a meal. 

11 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

These activities are putting them at risk

So stop doing it or is  it so important  to let the flock know you are still there.

Too speed up this process could it not be done with a machine gun????

Why don't these monks just simply wear amulets? -- You know, the very same amulets that THEY produce, THEY consecrate, THEY claim to protect against anything from gunshot wounds to car accidents to serious illnesses, and which THEY sell to the gullible public.

 

Sorry for my cynicism. Just couldn't help it.

Edited May 20, 20215 yr by Misterwhisper

22 hours ago, 2 is 1 said:

I was think monks get jab already! They always get everything first, even my mother in law give them food in morning before me. ????

Well its good that despite some posts on here they are at last putting some beggars first.  ????