Thai deputy PM gets 2nd Sinovac dose, reaffirms safety of Chinese vaccine

Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul (L, Front) prepares to receive his second shot of the COVID-19 vaccine developed by China's Sinovac in Bangkok, Thailand, on March 23, 2021. The deputy PM was the first Thai receiving the jab on Feb. 28 as the Southeast Asian country began its roll-out of the COVID-19 vaccination program. (Xinhua/Rachen Sageamsak)

BANGKOK, March 23 (Xinhua) -- Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul on Tuesday received his second shot of COVID-19 vaccine developed by China's Sinovac, and reaffirmed the safety of the vaccine.

"I always feel strong and energetic. We take the shots because we want to save ourselves and save others as well," Anutin said when being asked how he felt after the injection.

The deputy PM was the first Thai receiving the jab on Feb. 28 as the Southeast Asian country began its roll-out of the COVID-19 vaccination program.

Thailand approved the Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use last month and has so far received two batches of the vaccine.

"We have our Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to make sure that all registered vaccines have already been well certified and tested," Anutin said, adding that the vaccine is considered to be safe as long as the FDA approves that vaccine.

As of March 19, more than 62,000 people in the country had been vaccinated, according to the government spokesperson Anucha Burapachaisri.

Thailand's total caseload has risen to 28,277 as of Tuesday, with a total death toll of 92.