Coronavirus (Covid-19)
Thai FDA approves Sinovac vaccine, 13 provinces to get the first doses

The first phase of Thailand’s Covid-19 immunisation plan is ready to roll out with the first 200,000 doses of China’s Sinovac vaccine set to arrive tomorrow. The Chinese-made vaccine was just approved by the Thai Food and Drug Administration. The decision was made “just in time,” Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul wrote on Facebook with a photo of the official document approving the vaccine for use.
After the doses arrive, the vaccines will undergo quality and safety inspection. The vaccines should be distributed to the public within 5 days after arrival. The first round of doses will be distributed in 13 provinces, which includes “red” and “orange” zone provinces under Covid-19 control as well as 4 provinces that are of “economic significance,” according to the spokesperson for the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, Taweesilp Visanuyothin.
The provinces of economic significance are the popular tourist destinations Phuket, Chiang Mai, Chon Buri (which includes Pattaya) and Surat Thani (which includes Koh Samui).
Those in the healthcare field, either private or government, who have been in contact with people infected with Covid-19 will be in the first round of vaccinations. People over 60 years old are also a top priority in the first phase as well as people with chronic diseases including respiratory illness, cardiovascular disease, stage-5 renal disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes and obesity.
PM Prayut Chan-o-cha offered to take the first jab of the Covid-19 vaccine, although some, and apparently even Prayut himself, have said the vaccine shouldn’t be administered to people over the age of 60. Prayut is 66 years old.
Altogether, Thailand is set to receive 2 million doses of China’s Sinovac vaccine. The entire order will be completed within the next 2 months with 800,000 doses in March and 1 million doses in April.
The Thai government also ordered 61 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine, which was developed in partnership with Oxford University. 26 million doses are set to arrive from June to August and 35 million doses should arrive from September to December.
Areas that will be the first to receive doses of the Sinovac vaccine include Samut Sakhon (the epicentre of coronavirus infections), western Bangkok, Pathum Thani, Nonthaburi, Samut Prakan, Tak’s Mae Sot district, Nakhon Pathom, Samut Songkhram, Ratchaburi, Chon Buri, Phuket, Surat Thani and Chiang Mai.
SOURCES: Bangkok Post| Nation Thailand
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Coronavirus (Covid-19)
79 new cases today-COVID-19 Update

Today, the Thai government is reporting 79 new cases of Covid-19, with 65 locally-transmitted, and 14 imported, raising the total to 26,241 since the pandemic began. 1 new death has been reported, raising the total amount of deaths to 85. The new infections, which are now in the double-digits, shows Thailand’s Covid situation as improving according to the assistant spokeswoman for the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, Panprapa Yongtrakul.
“The two-digit level of new cases found at hospitals and communities shows that the local Covid-19 situation is under control.”
The CCSA reports that 43 of the 65 local infections were found in communities with 22 of the 65 found in hospitals across 4 provinces.
Samut Sakhon province, the source of the second wave of Covid in the Kingdom, reported 77% of the new cases. Of the 50 cases found in the province, 38 were found in communities and 12 were found at hospitals.
Pathum Thani reported 8 new cases, with 3 being found at hospitals, and 5 in the community. Bangkok reported 6 new cases at hospitals and Chon Buri reported 1 infection found at a hospital. 12 of the 14 imported infections were quarantined arrivals from Russia, The United Arab Emirates, The United States, Slovenia, South Africa, Germany, Libya and Italy.
The other 2 imported cases were that of Thai women, who ellegedly returned from Myanmar illegally through a natural border crossing in Tak province, despite the government closing off natural border crossings after the February coup by the military in Myanmar.
Covid-19 cases rose worldwide by 446,747 over the past 24 hours to 116.21 million. The worldwide death toll rose by 9,955 to 2.58 million. The US still has the most cases at 29.53 million, rising by 68,321 over the past 24 hours, and the most deaths at 533,636, rising by 1,993 over the last 24 hours.
In light of the recent downturn in reported cases, Samut Sakhon has recently reopened 22 of its wet markets. However, the seafood market where the second wave of the Covid outbreak began, is not one of them, and it is not yet known when that might reopen.
SOURCE: Bangkok Post
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Coronavirus (Covid-19)
Thai Health Minister to chair panel on travel bubbles, vaccine passports

Thailand’s Public Health Minister, Anutin Charnvirakul, will chair a meeting on Monday, in which a vaccine passport scheme and potential travel bubbles will be discussed. Anutin says those who’ve been inoculated against Covid-19 will be issued with a book to confirm their vaccination. It’s hoped this will make international travel easier, as well as boosting the public’s confidence and helping life return to some kind of normality.
“The Public Health Ministry is making preparations to bring life back to normal, restore businesses and revive the Thai economy.”
A number of groups and industry representatives have added their voices to growing calls for a vaccine passport policy. The Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking is urging the government to implement the scheme without further delay, while also calling for private companies in Thailand to be allowed purchase and distribute vaccines.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand is also pushing for a vaccine passport policy, while the Tourism Ministry has urged the Health Ministry to approve one. Meanwhile the PM, Prayut Chan-o-cha has asked the Foreign Ministry to carry out a study on vaccine passports, adding that the jury is still out as to their effectiveness. They also have their critics, primarily among rights’ groups and doctors, who argue that there is not yet enough evidence that vaccination prevents transmission.
At Monday’s meeting of the National Communicable Diseases Committee, the Anutin-led panel will also discuss the idea of travel bubbles. Thailand has been considering entering into reciprocal travel arrangements with countries with a high take-up of Covid-19 vaccines.
Meanwhile, Anutin says the public must continue with the practice of mask-wearing, noting that the number of Thais doing so has recently slipped. He says that recent data shows the number of people wearing masks has dropped below 80%, compared to 90% last month.
SOURCE: Nation Thailand
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Coronavirus (Covid-19)
Hospital in northern Thailand closes to visitors after 2 patients test positive for Covid-19

A hospital in the northern province of Tak has had to shut its doors to visitors after 2 patients treated at the facility subsequently tested positive for Covid-19. Nation Thailand reports that Mae Sot Hospital is now closed to visitors until Monday.
It’s understood that 19 staff members have had contact with 2 patients who tested positive for the virus. Hospital director Thawatchai Setsuppana says the closure is to facilitate a deep clean of the facility and confirmed that a number of medical workers are self-isolating.
“3 doctors, 11 nurses and 5 patient assistants have been ordered to undergo 14-day quarantine.”
Officials are now questioning both patients, in an effort to trace others who may have had contact with them. Tak province is on the border with Myanmar, which has had 142,000 cases of the virus, with 3,200 deaths.
Meanwhile, in the northern province of Sukothai, the provincial Public Health Office has confirmed that a Thai national who returned from working at a casino in Myanmar has also tested positive for Covid-19. It’s understood the woman developed symptoms prior to entering Thailand at the border town of Mae Sot on March 1, before taking a bus to her home in order to attend her grandfather’s funeral.
The provincial health office has issued a statement to confirm the timeline of the woman’s movements. It’s understood 17 people had contact with the woman, with 7 of those considered “high-risk”.
“On March 2, she took a Covid-19 test at Sukhothai Hospital and went shopping in Muang district before heading home. She was admitted to Ban Dan Lan Hoi Hospital on March 3 after her test came back positive.”
It is unclear how the woman managed to evade the mandatory 14-day quarantine. Border officials have stepped up patrols in recent weeks, amid fears that Burmese nationals fleeing the violence in Myanmar may attempt to cross illegally into Thailand, bypassing health checks and quarantine.
SOURCE: Nation Thailand
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lou
Tuesday, February 23, 2021 at 4:39 pm
Matter is that in most advanced pharma technology countries like USA, GB, ++ they went very fast to approve pfizer in average a week, not Thailand teaching them how to approve within one day ? Did I miss some infos ?
Issan John
Wednesday, February 24, 2021 at 1:04 pm
Yes.
Toby Andrews
Wednesday, February 24, 2021 at 3:47 pm
We always do John. Can you explain step by step where our errors occurred.
Words of one syllable please.
Alavan
Tuesday, February 23, 2021 at 5:27 pm
Where will the Astra Zeneca arrive from? India prohibited export of all locally produced vaccines, all Indians must be vaccinated first.
Richard
Tuesday, February 23, 2021 at 5:32 pm
They can keep the China Virus, vaccine
David B
Tuesday, February 23, 2021 at 6:03 pm
Who in there right mind would get a vaccine shot that has a much less success rate than the others and comes from the country that gave them the virus in the first place??? I’d rather inject myself with pesticide ,it’s probably safer considering we all know China wouldn’t tell you if it was good or bad. Thailand becomes China’s crash test dummies again.
Toby Andrews
Wednesday, February 24, 2021 at 3:50 pm
Well Thailand is already crash dummies anyway, so they might as well be crash test dummies.
Patrick
Tuesday, February 23, 2021 at 10:12 pm
Even free, no thank you
Gosport
Tuesday, February 23, 2021 at 6:07 pm
Prompt action saves lives, recovers economy, Thai speed. Salute!
My papaya salad sales will see a soar.
Pedro
Tuesday, February 23, 2021 at 6:21 pm
Wasn’t Thailand the first country outside China to have a case of Covid-19? Now it will be one of the last to get the vaccine, and a Chinese vaccine at that. They give you the virus and then sell you the cure. Yep, sounds about right.
Greta
Tuesday, February 23, 2021 at 11:50 pm
True….this China vaccine not tested at all by Thailand medical world?? Just pay and inject, what, saline water??? I read Chinese vaccine only 10% effective, Thailand just accept word of China always, fools!!!