Doctors in Thailand have been given the go-ahead to start giving COVID-19 vaccine booster shots under the skin, rather than injecting them into muscles, in an effort to strengthen immunity and stretch vaccine supplies.

Minister of Health Anutin Charnvirakul said on September 20 that the method, which doctors began exploring last month, could be used at the discretion of medical professionals, providing it was supported by evidence.

Chalermpong Sukonthaphon, Director of the Vachira Hospital in Phuket, said his hospital had been given the green light to use the technique since September 17, as trials had showed it triggered a similar immune response to the regular method.

"One vaccine dose can be used for five intradermal injections," Chalermpong told Reuters.

So far, only 21 percent of the estimated 72 million people living in the country have been fully vaccinated.

The country has recorded more than 1.4 million COVID-19 cases, with 15,000 fatalities.

Source: VNA