Coronavirus (Covid-19)
Germany advises AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine only be given to adults under 65

German officials advise that the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine should only be administered to people between the ages of 18 and 64. The recommendation follows reports that the AstraZeneca vaccine, developed in partnership with Oxford University, has an efficacy less than 10% in those over 65 years old. The pharmaceutical firm shot down the claims saying the reports are “completely incorrect.”
Germany’s vaccine committee revised its vaccine recommendation, saying it should only be given to adults under 65. The committee said there is a lack of sufficient data regarding the vaccine for older age groups. The European Medicines Agency is set to make a decision on whether to approve the vaccine today.
“There are currently insufficient data available to assess the vaccine efficacy from 65 years of age… The AstraZeneca vaccine, unlike the mRNA vaccines, should only be offered to people aged 18-64 years at each stage.”
In a previous report, AstraZeneca released a statement saying the reports of the low efficacy rate for the elderly are “completely incorrect.”
“In November, we published data in The Lancet demonstrating that older adults showed strong immune responses to the vaccine, with 100% of older adults generating spike-specific antibodies after the second dose.”
Thailand
Thailand has secured 26 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine and recently reserved another 35 million doses. The Thai firm Siam Bioscience will produce the vaccine locally.
The first phase of vaccinations is set to start next month. The Thai government has approved the AstraZeneca vaccine for emergency use and Thailand is set to receive the first 50,000 doses next month.
PM Prayut Chan-o-cha announced that 19 million people will be injected with the vaccine during the first phase, said to start next month. He says 11 million of those people will be over the age of 60.
SOURCE: Reuters
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Coronavirus (Covid-19)
International travellers allowed to transit Thailand from Monday

International travellers will now be allowed to transit Thailand from Monday after the Civil Aviation Authority relaxed Covid‐19measures. The lifting of stringent travel regulations comes after Thailand reports a drop in Covid infections to double digits since February 20.
CAAT also says regulations are being relaxed on domestic travel as well. The authority says operators of domestic flights can resume serving in-flight meals and drinks starting from Thursday.
Transport Minister, Sasksayam Chidchob, says the move is part of a resolution by the Centre for Covid‐19 Situation Administration to relax measures. Flight attendants and passengers, however, are still mandated to follow Covid control measures that include wearing face masks during the length of the flight except when eating or drinking.
In-flight meals and drinks were banned on December 30 under the government’s 4th announcement, but was cancelled when CAAT director general made a fifth announcement nullifying the regulation.
International passengers have been under strict regulations for a while, including being unable to transit at Thai airports or to transfer to other flights through Thai airports.
Samut Sakhon province, the epicentre of the second wave of Covidin Thailand, has reportedly been successful at disease control in high‐risk areas, including the Central Shrimp Market, which has been closed for over two months.
But that may change as rumour has it that the market may reopen from Monday, but an official announcement has yet to be made by the CCSA. Deputy governor Teerapat Kutchamath visited the market, assuring that it was, indeed, ready to open by Monday, while plans are already being set to make merit, in light of its expected reopening.
Meanwhile, The CCSA reports 72 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the Kingdom today. 63 of those cases were domestically‐transmitted while 9 were imported.
SOURCE: Bangkok Post
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Thailand
PM Prayut postponing Covid‐19 vaccination citing paperwork issues

Thailand’s PM Prayut Chan-o-cha is postponing his inaugural Covid‐19 vaccination citing paperwork issues with the AstraZeneca vaccine shipment. According to Khaosod English, the vaccine shipment was sent to Thailand last Wednesday from South Korea, but was missing the additional required paperwork.
Prayut was supposed to receive the vaccine tomorrow, but the highly‐publicised event will not be happening. According to Khaosod English, an official at the Secretariat of the Prime Minister has also confirmed the news of the postponement without citing a reason.
Although the Sinovac vaccine is also being administered in Thailand, healthcare officials say Prayut is too old to receive it as its age limit is 60. Prayut is 66 years old, which is well over the oldest age that can receive the vaccine.
The Sinovac vaccine drive is set to commence on Monday, 2 weeks behind schedule. Those frontline health workers, hospitality workers and vulnerable groups will receive the vaccines first.
Meanwhile, Phuket is waiting for the green lightto start administering vaccines and has already held a vaccine administration rehearsal overseen by Phuket Vice Governor Pichet Panapong along with other health officials.
Pichet says the first vaccine round of 4,000 doses should arrive early in March, with the 2nd and 3rd set of doses, 16,000 and 48,000 respectively, to arrive in April and May.
The government pandemic center reported 72 new confirmed infections on Friday, after first only reporting 45 new cases. 37 of those cases were locally-transmitted, and one 6 year old Thai girl returning from the UK was found to have tested positive for the virus. Samut Sakhon, again, reported over half of the new cases yesterday, as it remains the epicentre of Thailand’s second wave of the coronavirus outbreak.
The total virus tally in Thailand sits at 25,764, with 83 fatalities. The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration has not yet announced the amount of new cases for today.
There is no word yet on when PM Prayut will be rescheduled to receive the AstraZeneca vaccine.
SOURCE: Khaosod English
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Coronavirus (Covid-19)
Phuket holds vaccine administration rehearsal as it waits for green light

Phuket is rehearsing procedures to ready themselves for the Covid‐19 vaccine administration green light. A rehearsal at Vachira Hospital’s Lan Muang Khao open area was held late yesterday to iron out any kinks in the administration process. Phuket Vice Governor Pichet Panapong watched over the procedures along with other health officials.
Pichet says the first vaccine round of 4,000 doses should arrive early in March, with the 2nd and 3rd set of doses, 16,000 and 48,000 respectively, to arrive in April and May.
“The government recognises the importance of the affected areas of the economy where the epidemic situation of COVID-19 must be stopped and has allocated the COVID-19 vaccine to Phuket Province to build herd immunity, restore the economy, return a smile to Thailand.”
“We are preparing to COVID-19 mass vaccination to build confidence among the people that they will receive a quality, safe vaccine and to receive follow-up care after it has been administered.”
Pichet says Phuket’s first target groups to receive the vaccine include medical and public health personnel, with others on the frontlines to come next.
Then, workers aged 18-59 years old, people with underlying diseases including chronic respiratory disease, cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, cerebrovascular disease, cancer, diabetes and obesity will follow.
“People with severe neurological conditions and pregnant women should be wary of taking the vaccine, as well as women who are breastfeeding and people with immunodeficiency.”
The procedure to get vaccinated starts by recipients undergoing screening by having their temperatures taken, and then sanitising their hands before entering the administration area. Then, they will move their way through a series of steps, detailed below:
Step 1: Register
Step 2: Record weight and blood pressure
Step 3: Pass the screening process by have their medical history and risk assessment recorded and then signing a consent to receive the vaccine
Step 4: Wait for vaccination
Step 5: Vaccination
Step 6: Rest for 30 minutes, while being observed for symptoms. Then scan the official Line account “หมอพร้อม” (“Doctor Ready”)
Step 7: Pass a final check before receiving a document confirming vaccination
Pichet says health workers will follow up with vaccine recipients after 1,7, and 30 days from being vaccinated to monitor any adverse reactions.
Those who are set to receive their second jab will have appointments made for them. Those who receive the Sinovac vaccine will be scheduled to have their second doses 2 to 4 weeks after the first. AstraZeneca vaccine receivers will be scheduled for their second doses 10 to 12 weeks after the first.
SOURCE: The Phuket News
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Issan John
Friday, January 29, 2021 at 12:03 pm
The recommendation isn’t based on the alleged low efficacy rate, as the 8% / 10% reports in Germany are questionable, at best, but because the numbers tested in the over 65 / over 70 / over 75 / over 80 brackets were far smaller than originally thought, and the term “older adults” is far from clear and appears to have been used to refer to those over 55.
James R
Saturday, January 30, 2021 at 4:29 am
Issan John
But the rest of the EU have ignored the Germans and have said the drug can be given to all age groups.
Alavan
Saturday, January 30, 2021 at 5:34 pm
Yes, the EU has decided that.
But it is up to each of the 27 countries for which group of population they will use the Oxford vaccine. So Germany will not use it for people over 65, but for others.
Robert Bunker
Friday, January 29, 2021 at 1:19 pm
This article is almost criminally negligent in it’s lack of explanation of directly relevant context, which is all about political scapegoating on the part of EU Commission for it’s failure to procure sufficient vaccine cover for a population c.300 million. The last thing a paranoid Thai population needs now is vaccine misinformation and I fear that’s what this article brings as it is now
Slugger
Friday, January 29, 2021 at 3:58 pm
The find a better source. Simple.
Alavan
Friday, January 29, 2021 at 5:46 pm
The problem just is that the tests done by AstraZeneca took place on a big majority of young people. Only 8% of the test persons were older than 65 (for Moderna this was 42%)and now experts say they have not enough reliable data if the vaccine works on older people. They estimate it will be less than 70% effective.
James R
Saturday, January 30, 2021 at 4:31 am
Robert
The EU passed the drug for all age groups today (Friday 29th)
Glenn
Sunday, January 31, 2021 at 7:38 pm
wow. Germany advises AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine only be given to adults under 65 (that would mean people with strong immune systems and much less likely to have pre-existing health conditions).
Meanwhile, the Thai PM says the first round of shots will be give to “people with severe acute respiratory syndrome, cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, stroke or cerebrovascular disease; those with cancer, diabetes and obesity; the elderly aged 60 years and over”
Oh whatever, they’re going to die anyways so just given them the shot and let that finish them off!
wow.
Alavan
Wednesday, February 3, 2021 at 1:53 am
Next to Germany, Italy, Sweden and Belgium will not give this vaccin to older people.
Experts say it is a very good vaccin for people younger than 55, but they have (for the moment)not enough data about people older.