Man changes Virologist’s Wikipedia to include “Sinovac salesman”, faces charges
Recently, a Thai national allegedly modified the Thai language Wikipedia entry for Thai virologist Dr Yong Poovorawan to include that Dr Yong is also a “Sinovac salesman for the Prayut Chan-o-cha administration”. He is now facing charges such as criminal defamation and maybe computer crimes.
On Monday, Bangkok police searched the 24 year old aspiring scribe’s home and seized his mobile phone. The device was allegedly used in the illicit editing. The sardonic CV line has already been deleted from Dr Yong’s Wikipedia page. The charges and search followed a complaint filed by a representative of Dr Yong.
The doctor is a renowned and somewhat controversial virologist who has given what is regarded as favourable opinions regarding the government’s handling of the vaccination campaign. The favourable opinions have come under fire as recent findings suggest the Sinovac vaccine is ineffective in combatting the highly contagious Delta variant. This, contrasted with the findings that suggest AstraZeneca is better at fighting off the Delta variant.
Further, on Monday, another doctor, Dr Anan Jongkaewwattana, who works as a virology researcher at the National Centre for Engineering and Biotechnology, announced that clinical research done in part with BIOTEC and the clinical research centre of the Faculty of Medicine of Thammasat University showed that efficacy of 2 doses of Sinovac plummets by 50% every 40 days.
However, yesterday, Dr Yong gave a press conference promoting the National Communicable Disease Committee’s plan to “mix and match” vaccines, wherein the British-Swedish AstraZeneca vaccine is the 2nd dose after the person has received 1 dose of Sinovac about 3 to 4 weeks apart. Also, it will act as 3rd “booster” shot for medical officials who have previously received 2 doses of Sinovac.
Dr Yong is confident this method will work and will work quicker at increasing the immunity level, while 2 doses of AstraZeneca are usually separated by 10 to 12 weeks.
SOURCE: Thai PBS
