The mutation of the virus was not anticipated." The National Vaccine Institute plays a key role in liaising with vaccine producers to procure the shots. According to its director, the institute will continue to source more vaccines for this year and the next as well as reach out to producers of second-generation COVID-19 vaccines to address variants of concern. "The goal is to have them delivered from the first quarter of 2022," Mr Nakorn said. "All these have to be expedited as we cannot wait any longer."