Thailand rejects Thai princess Pfizer reaction claim as fake
A controversial claim that Thailand is abolishing its Covid-19 vaccine contract with Pfizer because it caused Thai Princess Bajrakitiyabha to fall into a coma following a booster shot has been dismissed as false.
Contradictory statements made by a retired microbiology professor, Sucharit Bhakdi, have been dismissed by the Thai government as “fake news.”
Professor Bhakdi claimed that the Thai government is considering cancelling its Covid vaccine contract with Pfizer, due to alleged concerns raised by Bhakdi about the vaccine’s safety.
The claims made by Bhakdi were shared widely on social media, causing a stir among the public, however, the Thai Department of Disease Control, as well as the National Vaccine Institute, confirmed that there are no plans to alter Thailand’s contract with Pfizer or any other Covid vaccine manufacturer, reported the Associated Press.
An official from the National Vaccine Institute, who preferred to remain anonymous, stated that the Covid vaccine is still safe and recommended for the general public. Thailand continues to use the Pfizer vaccine and is currently evaluating its bivalent vaccine booster, but there are no plans to stop ordering the current vaccine.
Pfizer, in a statement, noted that the Thai disease control agency continues to recommend its vaccine “for all authorized ages and indications.”
Professor Bhakdi acknowledged that some of the claims circulating online are an “exaggeration,” but he still maintains his concerns about the vaccine.
The false claims about the vaccine come amidst mounting concerns about the health of Princess Bajrakitiyabha, who is said to have fallen into a coma after receiving a booster shot. However, medical experts confirmed that her condition is due to an irregular heartbeat caused by a mycoplasma infection and not a side effect of the Covid vaccine.
The Thai royal family has not made a statement on the condition of the 44 year old princess, who is the king’s eldest daughter and a potential heir to the throne.
In a January 7 statement, the royal palace said Princess Bajrakitiyabha remained unconscious and on life support after falling into a coma while training dogs for an army exhibition.
The statement attributed her collapse to an irregular heartbeat caused by a mycoplasma infection, a bacterial illness usually associated with pneumonia.
