Coronavirus (Covid-19)

A Covid-19 vaccine “within 6 months”

Published

8 months ago

Tuesday, August 11, 2020

A Covid-19 vaccine “within 6 months” | Thaiger

Countries around the world are battling to be first out with a sustainable, reliable and cheap vaccine for Covid-19. If they are successful it will be the first time a successful vaccine has been developed for a coronavirus. Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that can cause sickness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). And Covid-19, aka SARS-CoV-2. Here’s the list…

229E (alpha coronavirus)
NL63 (alpha coronavirus)
OC43 (beta coronavirus)
HKU1 (beta coronavirus)
MERS-CoV (the beta coronavirus that causes Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, or MERS)
SARS-CoV (the beta coronavirus that causes severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS)
SARS-CoV-2 (the novel coronavirus that causes coronavirus disease 2019, or COVID-19)

If there is a breakthrough it will be the first time a vaccine has been developed for a coronavirus.

Answer our survey question below, we’ll publish your responses in a few days.

Now Thailand’s Public Health Ministry has declared that many of the countries, developing and testing a Covid-19 vaccine, will be able to deliver one in 6 months time. Dr Thanarak Plipat, deputy director general from the Department of Disease Control, says that more than 180 vaccines were under clinical trial in different countries. 38 are already being trialled on humans.

He says that in the first phase, a vaccine is tested on no more than 100 volunteers. In the second phase it is tested on volunteers of both sexes, different ages and races to see if the vaccine is widely effective. In the third phase the vaccine and a placebo is used on a large group of people to see if the vaccine really works.

“Of the 38 vaccines being tried on humans, 18 are in the first phase of testing, 12 vaccines are in the second phase, seven in the third phase, and one is being used on the Chinese army even though it has not yet undergone the third phase of testing.”

“Hence, we expect a Covid-19 vaccine to be ready in the next 6 months.”

“The ministry has been supporting research and plans to procure as many vaccines as possible.”

“While we are waiting for a vaccine, we have to prepare our personnel, organisations, and communities to deal with a second wave of infections that may emerge anytime. But most importantly, people must not panic if there is a second Covid-19 wave.”

Most countries say they will provide the vaccine to their health and emergency workers first before distribution begins on the wider populations. The roll out to the broader world community will likely be hampered by more misinformation campaigns from activists like anti-vaxxers who wage ongoing conspiracy wars about the alleged affects of various vaccines on humans.

With much of the world locked up within the borders of their own country, and risk-aversion to opening borders becoming more common, future travel will likely rely on people who have Covid-19 antibodies (meaning they’ve been exposed to the virus), or have been vaccinated.

Meanwhile, a study, published in Science, reports that some immune cells capable of recognising coronaviruses that cause the common cold might respond to SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for Covid-19.

The team, based at La Jolla Institute for Immunology in California, analysed immune cells called “memory T cells” and found that they recognise particular parts of several SARS-CoV-2 proteins. They then identified similar sequences in coronaviruses responsible for the common cold and showed that these sequences could activate the T cells that also respond to SARS-CoV-2.

SOURCE: Nation Thailand | Science

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4 Comments

Farang

Tuesday, August 11, 2020 at 9:15 pm

Go figure. Another country will find a vaccine. All the while Thailand only produces whores and racists.

Reply
- Willem Z.
  
  Wednesday, August 12, 2020 at 1:28 am
  
  Racism, yes. But 99% of Thai women ( include the office beauties in Bangkok) have nothing to do with prostitution! Unfortunately for some tourists!
  
  Reply
Strider

Wednesday, August 12, 2020 at 8:29 am

Well Thiger, seems you’re giving fuel to conspiracy theories with some of your survey selections.

Reply
rinky stingpiece

Wednesday, August 12, 2020 at 1:30 pm

Even if one country claims a vaccine, who are you going to trust? Remember, not all drugs have good effects, and which jurisdiction do you think you’re going to have the best recourse to a remedy if things go wrong?

And… Even if there is a vaccine early next year, it still will take time to scale up production and distribution to be as ubiquitous as it needs to be?
12 months seems more realistic, doesn’t it.

Reply

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Medical

17 medical staff isolated due to dishonest Covid-19 patient

Published

12 hours ago

Friday, April 16, 2021

Neill Fronde

17 medical staff isolated due to dishonest Covid-19 patient | Thaiger

PHOTO: Samut Prakan Hospital is busy with Covid-19 and now short-staffed.

The already-strained Samut Prakan provincial hospital isolated 17 medical staff members today after a patient was dishonest about interaction with a Covid-19 infected patient. The patient was not forthcoming with details about coming in contact with a person that had been diagnosed with the Coronavirus. As a result, the hospital announced the mandatory quarantine of 17 medical staff members who had come in close proximity with the patient. In total, 2 doctors, 6 medics, and 9 nurses had to be relegated to self-isolation and removed from the hospitals already thinly spread staff roster.

In a Facebook post just 2 days ago, the hospital announced a sweeping reduction in services to handle the increase in Covid-19 infections. They announced they will no longer take customers from outside of the Samut Prakan province, nor are they doing any surgical procedures that are not urgent. They are advising only the sickest patients come to the hospital in person, offering a mail service with the post office to send medications and fill prescriptions.

Losing 17 medical staff members – doctors, nurses and medics – at such a crucial time will put a heavy strain on the hospital, especially if Covid-19 infections continue to spread. Samut Prakan province reported 27 local Covid-19 infections plus 13 more who transferred to Samut from other provinces, for a total of 40 new Coronavirus cases today alone.

The hospital reminded everyone that failure to disclose information about your Covid-19 infection or contact with any infected people or high-risk location can be prosecuted. Violators may be punished by up to 20,000 baht in fines and possible further legal action. The provincial hospital issued several requests for truthfulness on their Facebook page, stressing that dishonesty harms your own medical care, along with the much-needed medical staff, and only helps proliferate the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic’s third wave in Thailand.

SOURCE: Thai PBS World

Thailand

BREAKING: Covid Provincial restriction update – latest from the CCSA

Published

13 hours ago

Friday, April 16, 2021

Tim Newton

BREAKING: Covid Provincial restriction update – latest from the CCSA | Thaiger

The CCSA has announced its updated restrictions for the 18 ‘red zone’ provinces this afternoon. The new measures start on Sunday, April 18, and will be in place for at least 2 weeks. The restrictions are basically as we published earlier today. There are no ‘lockdowns’ or curfews despite a popular blogger jumping the gun and posting that there were curfews announced.

There’s also no specific travel restrictions imposed although the PM ‘discouraged’ travel to Red Zone provinces. Provincial governors are still able to add their own local restrictions if they deem necessary.

Here are the key points as announced by the CCSA late this afternoon…

Across all provinces…

• Closures of schools, all nightlife venues, pubs and clubs, karaoke bars and massage parlours

(except for international schools running exams)

• No events can have more than 50 people

Provincial red zones (listed below)…

• Dining-in allowed until 9pm (but can do takeaway until 11pm)

• Serving of alcohol banned

• Shopping centres and fitness centres to be closed by 9pm

(Sporting fields, exercise places, gyms and fitness clubs must close at 9pm)

• Convenience stores, markets, supermarkets must be closed by 11pm

Everywhere else…

• Dining-in allowed until 11pm

• Serving of alcohol banned

• Shopping centres to be closed by 9pm

Additionally, people are being discouraged from traveling to “Red Zone” provinces. Businesses are also being ‘asked’ to allow staff to work from home or introduce other measures to minimise risk of infection at the workplace.

The Red Zone provinces are, in no apparent order…

1. Bangkok
2. Chiang Mai
3. Chon Buri
4. Samut Prakan
5. Prachuap Khiri Kan
6. Samut Sakhon
7. Pathum Thani
8. Nakhon Pathom
9. Phuket
10. Nakhon Ratchasima
11. Nonthaburi
12. Songkhla
13. Tak
14. Udon Thani
15. Suphanburi
16. Sa Kaeo
17. Rayong
18. Khon Kaen

Earlier today Public Health Minister Anutin Chanvirakul said that the government is “confident it can overcome the current Covid-19 crisis without needing to impose a nationwide lockdown”.

BREAKING: Covid Provincial restriction update - latest from the CCSA | News by Thaiger

Coronavirus (Covid-19)

Phuket begs Kolour attendees to come for Covid-19 testing

Published

13 hours ago

Friday, April 16, 2021

Neill Fronde

Phuket begs Kolour attendees to come for Covid-19 testing | Thaiger

FILE PHOTO: Kolour in the park was more pleasant in 2018 before Covid-19.

Health officials in Phuket put out a public statement this week compelling all foreigners who attended clubs and Kolour events to report for Covid-19 testing. As many might expect, the response has been lacklustre at best. Spreading the message around the foreigner and expat community in Phuket, the message is aimed at the multitudes of people, mostly foreign who attended Kolour and related events that turned into a Covid-19 superspreader event. Many foreigners have not come forward, much to health officials chagrin.

Online and on social media, foreigners and Thais shed light on why this urgent public health request is going largely unheeded. Foreigners fear the repercussions of coming forward, especially since Thailand is not allowing staying home or elsewhere in isolation if someone tests positive for Covid-19. Quarantine is mandatory, and with infection numbers exploding across the country, many fear the less-than-posh comforts of being quarantined in an emergency field hospital.

Cost is the other factor that likely is preventing foreigners from turning themselves in to be tested for Covid-19. While Phuket health officials may test people for free, anyone found infected with Covid-19 will be financially responsible for all the costs of their treatment and quarantine. Foreigners with limited financial resources, especially after a year of holing up in Thailand to ride out the Coronavirus, may resist reporting to authorities when they cannot afford the mandatory quarantine and medical treatment.

Perhaps recognizing this hesitation, the message includes a plea for all attendees to self-quarantine and self-monitor for any symptoms over the next week, even if they fail to report or test negative. The note also reminds everyone to wear masks in public at all times. The statement to the public also instructed anyone who attended any of the Covid-19 spreading nightlife events to report to the Acute Respiratory Infection Clinic area of Vachira General Hospital to receive a Covid-19 swab test.

SOURCE: The Pattaya News