The government has allocated an additional 30 million baht to the National Health Security Office to be used to pay compensation to people who suffer rare serious side effects from inoculation with COVID-19 vaccines.

According to Mr. Atthaporn Limpanyalert, deputy secretary-general of the NHSO, the office has already paid compensation to over 400 claimants, who were vaccinated and claimed to have developed undesirable side effects.

He said that, of the 400, 95.5% sustained mild side effects, 0.5% sustained partial numbness and 4% died, but autopsies have found no causal link between the deaths and the vaccinations.

The additional 30-million baht has raised the compensation fund to 130 million baht, allocated from the Loan Executive Decree. 13 million baht has been paid to date.

Compensation may be claimed as follows:

• If a claimant is in need of continuous treatment, he or she will receive an initial compensation of not exceeding 100,000 baht.
• In case of the loss of a limb or being disabled which affects the claimant’s livelihood, he or she is entitled to compensation not exceeding 240,000 baht.
• In case the claimant dies or sustains permanent disability, he or she is entitled to a maximum of 400,000 baht compensation.

Claimants can seek compensation by submitting their application at the hospital where they received the vaccinations, the provincial health office or any of the 13 NHSO regional offices within two years of becoming aware of their sickness or disability.

According to the Medical Sciences Department, there have been 68 deaths among people who were vaccinated. Autopsy results on 13 cases show no link between their deaths and the vaccines, while results of the other cases are still pending.