Coronavirus (Covid-19)

Confirmed, expats in Phuket will receive Covid-19 vaccines

Published

2 weeks ago

Thursday, April 1, 2021

Neill Fronde

Confirmed, expats in Phuket will receive Covid-19 vaccines | Thaiger

tcijthai.com - Thailand is rolling out its vaccination scheme.

(Links to registration forms below)

Officials confirmed yesterday that expats in Phuket will be included and receive Covid-19 vaccines as part of the Thai government’s vaccination scheme. The Phuket Communicable Disease Committee enacts all Coronavirus policy locally, and an important member, Dr Chalermpong of Vachira Phuket Hospital, announced today that foreigners will also receive the Covid vaccines. A new online form launched today and Phuket’s Vice Governor advised that initial appointments will be made online only and requested people without online access to be patient and not walk into hospitals.

Phuket will receive the Sinovac vaccines this month, and AstraZeneca doses as well, suitable for those over 60 years of age, in June. The first 100,000 doses are earmarked for registered residents and people from other provinces that work in tourism, but the following batch will be open to other industries as well as foreigners. Chalermpong confirmed that eligibility for inoculation will be wide.

“All people on the island who are older than 18 years old but younger than 60 years old are eligible to be vaccinated, including people registered as living in Phuket, those who are from other provinces, and foreigners.”

Aiming for a 70% vaccination rate and focusing first on tourism workers and registered residents, the Vice Governor is calling for the cooperation of people, especially across the tourism industry. All businesses – hotels, tour or activities operators, even department stores – are requested to register their staff to receive priority jabs in order to expedite the process.

About 20,000 workers from 700 businesses have registered so far. The registration is available online, along with a separate site for local residents to register, which went live last Tuesday morning. People who registered previously through the Phuket Provincial Public Health Office’s Google Form do not need to re-register.

The PPPHO form to apply for vaccination HERE.

The form to register as a local resident HERE.

The form to register as a business HERE.

NOTE: All these forms are in Thai only currently (get a friend to help).

SOURCE: The Phuket News

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News Categories: Coronavirus (Covid-19) Phuket

14 Comments

Issan John

Thursday, April 1, 2021 at 11:45 am

“Aiming for a 70% vaccination rate”

SO NOW NOT AIMING TO HAVE “70% OF THE POPULATION VACCINATED”?

That would require an 85% vaccination rate, as 17% of the population are under 18. If only 70% of adults are vaccinated that is only 58% of the population.

“… AstraZeneca doses as well, suitable for those over 60 years of age, in June.”

As 15% of the population are over 60 (plus expats) that makes it IMPOSSIBLE to give those over 60 both doses by 1 July.

Take out those under 18 (17%) and those over 60 (15%), who CANNOT be vaccinated by 1 July, and a “70% vaccination rate” would only include 47% of the population.

INCREASE THE TAKE UP / “VACCINATION RATE” TO AN UNLIKELY 100% AND YOU STILL DON’T REACH 70% OF THE POPULATION – and that’s without the flood of unvaccinated bar girls / bar boys and freelencers arriving in Phuket if tourist numbers grow.

I’m glad I’m nowhere near Anthrax Island.

Reply
Charles Pulaski

Thursday, April 1, 2021 at 11:56 am

I tried to register, but I’m kicked out of the system for not having a Thai ID card. So, so far this registration system is useless for local foreign residents.
(April 1, 1155 registration time attempt)

Reply
- Thaiger
  
  Thursday, April 1, 2021 at 12:32 pm
  
  We’ve sent your issues to our IT section and will respond asap.
  
  Reply
Rasputin

Thursday, April 1, 2021 at 12:47 pm

IJ, I tend to agree with most of what you say, I can’t see a happy ending for this experiment, new cases WILL go up, and what then? a panic lock down and loss of trust by the locals?

Reply
Ludwig Dreher

Thursday, April 1, 2021 at 1:51 pm

use your pink card.

Reply
Ray

Thursday, April 1, 2021 at 4:29 pm

The CDC in the US just published the findings of a study looking at contamination risk after being vaccinated. And it’s rather good news. It turns out to be 90% after two injections and 80% after just one. This is the first official report of it’s kind.

Reply
Mister Stretch

Thursday, April 1, 2021 at 5:05 pm

They aren’t issuing new pink cards, these days.

According to the local Amphur they are changing systems and still trying to handle the registration of all those Myanmar illegal workers.

If you don’t have one yet, it’s advisable to get a Yellow House Book…the paperwork to do so is incredible, but then you are “registered” and will be able to get the vaccine.

Reply
EdwardV

Thursday, April 1, 2021 at 9:59 pm

Ray, there was also earlier studies out of the UK and Israel. Both showed similar high levels of immunity against catching the virus after two doses of either Pfizer or Moderna.

“Aiming” – hahaha that’s a good one.

Reply
Bob

Friday, April 2, 2021 at 1:39 pm

Well the foreign registration form for “people aged 60 years and over” gives an earliest birth year of 1961 on the dropdown menu. No foreigners here over 60 then, job done.

Reply
Stephaine

Saturday, April 3, 2021 at 7:57 am

Any news on when private hospitals will allow expats not over 60 to get the Sinovac vaccine? Our family needs it to be able to get a visa and move.

Reply
- Thaiger
  
  Saturday, April 3, 2021 at 10:42 am
  
  I would contact your private hospitals. I know some have sent out information sheets about this issue. It is likely to be a ‘lumpy’ situation where there is little co-ordination.
  
  Reply
Stu

Sunday, April 4, 2021 at 5:28 am

Ij. Please don’t come to phuket. We don’t want you here anyway.

Reply
Richard Cramp

Friday, April 9, 2021 at 7:57 am

Can you please edit this article: I live and work in Phuket and can confirm that it is a strict procedure of Thais first, foreigners second, even if you have a work permit and if you are a taxpayer.

Reply
Roy

Sunday, April 11, 2021 at 4:36 pm

I am glad for Phuket, but what about the rest of Thailand? When will the vaccine be rolled out?

Reply

Up Next

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Neill Fronde

Neill is a journalist from the United States with 10 years broadcasting experience and national news and magazine publications. He graduated with a degree in journalism and communications from the University of California and has been living in Thailand since 2014.

Coronavirus (Covid-19)

New restrictions start from midnight tonight (Saturday), more could come later

Published

1 hour ago

Saturday, April 17, 2021

Tim Newton

New restrictions start from midnight tonight (Saturday), more could come later | Thaiger

FILE PHOTO

The Thai government has resolved to ‘manage’ its way out of the current Covid outbreak. There won’t be lockdowns or curfews, but there will be earlier closing times and alcohol bans to help provinces stem the growth in new infections. The past 3 days of reporting new infections in Thailand are the highest numbers since the start of the Covid-19 outbreak.

The bulk of the Songkran holiday traffic will surge back into the capital today and tomorrow, a situation the government is carefully monitoring.

The CCSA have designated 18 red zones. The rest of the country remains an orange zone, although these could be modified as the CCSA deem necessary. Provincial governors are also adding local variations to the restrictions.

The Red Zone provinces are…

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

The new restrictions come into force from tonight (Saturday) at midnight and will stay in force for at least 2 weeks. If new infection rates continue to rise over the next few days it’s likely the 2 week circuit breaker will be extended, and more restrictions applied.

All nightlife, entertainment venues, bars and clubs are being shut around the country, for red and orange zones for the 2 weeks. Same with schools, although most schools are already on an extended Songkran break.

There is no curfew but with just about everything being closed from 11pm, and no bars or pubs to go to, it may as well be a curfew.

The Thai PM acknowledged yesterday that the government “had learned from the past how damaging a blanket lockdown could be” for small and large businesses, but that the earlier lockdowns had been successful in containing the outbreak last year.

The PM also noted the government’s success after the so-called 2nd wave which started around the coastal seafood industry markets in Samut Sakhon, saying that they were able to successfully rein in the numbers with targeted restrictions and public health management.

Over the past full week, the PM said, he had been directing the national fight to contain the outbreak and attempts to speed up the vaccination rollout.

The government, knowing full well that Songkran travel would exacerbate the spread of the clusters, allowed the holiday to go ahead and families re-unite for the annual celebration, weighing up the economic cost of another total Songkran travel ban.

Popular holiday and expat locations – including Chiang Mai, Phuket and Pattaya – are taking their own steps in addition to the national government’s announced restrictions.

In Pattaya, the Mayor has announced that the city’s popular post-Songkran events will be cancelled for Sunday and Monday, including the Wan Lai Naklua Festival and Kong Khao ritual. But the kite festival and SME Connext goods expo will continue until they conclude on Monday.

In Chiang Mai, the Governor is advising people to avoid travel to 5 districts – Muang (city area), San Sai, Hang Dong, Saraphi and San Kamphaeng.

In Phuket, the provincial officials have instructed all schools to switch to online classes (the majority of the island’s schools are on break at the moment anyway). Exams can go ahead but with Covid precautions in place.

Acknowledging that tourists are currently on the island, the officials are also doing random checks of hotels around Phuket to make sure staff and guests are adhering to standard Covid precautions.

FULL LIST OF PRECAUTIONS (starting at 1 minute past midnight Sunday, April 18)

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. These workplace and travel ‘advisories’ will certainly be ramped up if the number of daily cases continue to rise.

Medical

17 medical staff isolated due to dishonest Covid-19 patient

Published

16 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

17 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

The Red Zone provinces are, in no apparent order…

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