COVID-19 AND POLICY UPDATES IN ASEAN [6 - 12 MAY]
Malaysia imposed a new nationwide lockdown from 12 May until 7 June following a surge in confirmed Covid-19 cases. The Philippines Department of Health announced on 7 May the resumption of AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccination for all eligible groups. Thailand’s National Communicable Disease Committee (NCDC) approved the use of Sinovac for those over 60 years old, following updated research from Sinovac that its vaccine is safe for the elderly who are in good health. Indonesia’s Gotong Royong private-company vaccination scheme will start on 17 May after the Eid al-Fitr holiday. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen ordered all provincial and city governors to ease extreme entry and exit measures imposed on travelers, and to require mandatory 14-day quarantine only for higher-risk travelers suspected to have Covid-19. A 35-year-old female health worker in Vietnam’s An Giang province died on 7 May one day after she received her first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine; Vietnam’s Ministry of Health said it has not found any link between her death and the AstraZeneca vaccine and is continuing its use. The US-ASEAN Business Council urged President Joe Biden on 7 May to appoint a special envoy for Myanmar to coordinate a strategic response to the crisis in the country following the 1 Feb military coup. Read the full bulletin here
