Covid-19 vaccine

  • Covid-19 NewsThailand’s new Covid-19 strain, KP.2, spreads faster than JN.1

    Thailand’s new Covid-19 strain, KP.2, spreads faster than JN.1

    Thailand is set to see the KP.2 strain of Covid-19 become the dominant variant, with increased transmissibility and challenges for vaccine efficacy. However, the symptoms will not be more severe than those of previous strains, according to a prominent virologist. Yong Poovorawan from the Centre of Excellence in Clinical Virology at Chulalongkorn University announced on Facebook that the KP.2 strain…

  • Covid-19 NewsThailand rejects Thai princess Pfizer reaction claim as fake

    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…

  • Covid-19 NewsThailand informs airlines about removal of Covid-19 vaccine rule

    Thailand informs airlines about removal of Covid-19 vaccine rule

    Unvaccinated travellers heading to Thailand can now feel at ease knowing airlines around the world have been informed that Thailand no longer requires arrivals to prove they are vaccinated against Covid-19. Thailand momentarily reintroduced the two-dose Covid vaccine entry requirement with barely any notice as a measure to mitigate the risk of importing a caseload of coronavirus from China, which…

  • Covid-19 NewsThailand U-turns on Covid-19 vaccine entry requirement

    Thailand U-turns on Covid-19 vaccine entry requirement

    Just days after Thailand reintroduced the two-dose Covid-19 vaccine entry requirement, Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul says the requirement will be dropped with immediate effect. However, the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) has informed airlines globally that unvaccinated tourists must provide either proof of recovery from Covid in the past six months or a doctor’s note explaining why they are…

  • Covid-19 NewsCovid-19 vaccines for 18 million vulnerable people

    Covid-19 vaccines for 18 million vulnerable people

    The National Vaccine Committee is to provide Covid-19 vaccines to 18 million vulnerable people next year, including medical staff and health volunteers. The government has provided 143 million vaccine shots in the past two years, saving an estimated 500,000 lives. COVID-19 infections appear to be on the rise again, especially among those who are unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated, while…

  • Covid-19 NewsThai health service stops Covid vaccine reaction pay outs

    Thai health service stops Covid vaccine reaction pay outs

    Only gold card scheme members and universal healthcare members can claim reimbursement for any reaction to coronavirus jabs, says the National Health Security Office (NHSO). Deputy Secretary General Atthaporn Limpanyalert announced the NHSO has reviewed the situation regarding Covid-19 and concluded that because the problem is easing it will no longer compensate those suffering from side effects of the vaccine…

  • Thailand NewsThai Public Health recommend a Covid booster every 4 months

    Thai Public Health recommend a Covid booster every 4 months

    The Ministry of Public Health recommended that vaccinated residents should get a booster every 4 months. The Director-General of the Disease Control Department, Opas Kankawinpong, today recommended that Thai people should get at least 3 Covid-19 vaccinations and then keep topping up. Opas says everyone has antibodies but they decrease every 3 to 4 months, no matter what vaccine people…

  • World NewsCambodia officially becomes ‘Covid-Free’

    Cambodia officially becomes ‘Covid-Free’

    Cambodia now claims it is now completely free of Covid-19, according to a statement released by the country’s health ministry yesterday. The last recorded case has recovered and Cambodia has entered a state of “Covid Zero.” The southeast Asian nation – which has a population of 16.7 million – recorded a total of 136,262 cases, 133,206 recoveries and 3,056 Covid-19…

  • World NewsVietnam reports first day with no Covid-19 deaths in nearly one year

    Vietnam reports first day with no Covid-19 deaths in nearly one year

    Covid-19 cases have decreased significantly in both Vietnam and Thailand in recent weeks. On Tuesday, Vietnam reported 0 deaths from Covid-19 for the first time since July 25 last year, according to the Health Ministry. Vietnam’s once-strict entry requirements have mostly been dropped in an effort to boost the country’s weakened economy. According to the Bangkok Post, 100% of Vietnamese…

  • Thailand NewsNo quarantine for unvaccinated travellers in Thailand and other countries

    No quarantine for unvaccinated travellers in Thailand and other countries

    International travellers who are unvaccinated for Covid-19 will soon be able to enter Thailand by air without quarantine, as long as they provide a negative PCR test result taken within 72 hours of departure. They’ll just need to upload their negative test result onto the Thailand Pass system before boarding their flight. Thailand’s Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration on Friday…

  • Covid-19 NewsFDA approves protein-based Covovax vaccine for emergency use in Thailand

    FDA approves protein-based Covovax vaccine for emergency use in Thailand

    Need a Covid jab? If you’re in Thailand, you’ll have a new option. The Food and Drug Administration has approved the protein-based Covovax vaccine manufactured by Novavax for active immunisation against Covid-19. The FDA granted the vaccine emergency-use authorisation for individuals 18 years of age and older last Friday, according to a press release from Novavax. The vaccine — known…

  • Covid-19 NewsFrance donates over 3 million doses of Pfizer vaccine to Thailand

    France donates over 3 million doses of Pfizer vaccine to Thailand

    France has shown its support for Thailand’s fight against Covid-19 by donating over three million doses of Pfizer vaccines to the Kingdom of Thailand. The donation will be well-received by Thai people as surveys reveal that Thais have more confidence in the effectiveness of the U.S.-produced Pfizer vaccine than they do in Thai vaccines. The French ambassador Thierry Mathou officially…

  • Bangkok NewsDDC approves fourth vaccine dose for medical workers and patients with underlying diseases

    DDC approves fourth vaccine dose for medical workers and patients with underlying diseases

    Following the uptick in Omicron cases, mostly involving travellers entering Thailand, a subcommittee on immunisation of the Department of Disease Control had given the green light for the fourth dose of the Covid-19 vaccine for medical and public health personnel, frontline health workers, patients with chronic diseases, and those taking immunosuppressants, according to director-general Dr Opas Karnkawinpong. The director said…

  • Thailand NewsMore venues in Thailand require proof of vaccination, or ATK test, at the door

    More venues in Thailand require proof of vaccination, or ATK test, at the door

    Thailand’s future looks… vaccinated. More and more venues and events are embracing the government’s “Covid Free Setting” guidelines which call for not only staff, but customers to be fully vaccinated, or test negative for the virus, to be considered a “Covid free” area. Bangkok’s Khao San Road was blocked off the other weekend with bouncers checking documents and digital vaccination…

  • Covid-19 NewsChulaCOV-19 vaccine enters a promising third phase of trials

    ChulaCOV-19 vaccine enters a promising third phase of trials

    ChulaCOV-19, the mRNA Covid-19 vaccine in development by the Centre of Excellence in Vaccine Research at Chulalongkorn University, is expected to be registered by the middle of next year as it enters a promising third phase of clinical trials. The third round of trials on human test subjects is scheduled to see injections at the beginning of 2021, no later…

  • Thailand NewsPublic Health Minister barred entry to Switzerland over vaccine requirements

    Public Health Minister barred entry to Switzerland over vaccine requirements

    Switzerland barred entry to Thailand’s Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, reportedly for not meeting the country’s Covid-19 vaccination requirements, and Thai media reports that the minister missed a World Health Organisation meeting. Anutin was the first person in Thailand to be injected with a Covid-19 vaccine on February 28, kicking off the country’s mass immunisation campaign. He was injected with…

  • Covid-19 NewsThai health experts report three deaths linked to the Covid-19 vaccine

    Thai health experts report three deaths linked to the Covid-19 vaccine

    A committee under Thailand’s Public Health Ministry investigating fatalities following Covid-19 vaccination has found that the vaccine is linked to three deaths. So far, the committee investigated 842 of the 1,296 deaths following inoculation that have been reported as of October 24, according to an official from the Department of Disease Control. Out of the three people whose cause of…

  • Covid-19 NewsArmy conscript dies a day after receiving second Covid-19 vaccine shot

    Army conscript dies a day after receiving second Covid-19 vaccine shot

    A 23 year old army conscript died earlier this week after receiving a second Covid-19 vaccine shot, according to the Bangkok Post. According to the report, Khanti Anantasiri, who had no underlying health conditions, died at home in Ratchaburi province on Tuesday afternoon, a day after receiving the AstraZeneca vaccine. He had earlier received the Sinovac vaccine. Khanti had complained…

  • Thailand NewsMore Pfizer vaccines for children arrive in Thailand

    More Pfizer vaccines for children arrive in Thailand

    Another batch of Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine doses has landed in Thailand, with Department of Disease Control director-general Dr Opas Karnkawinpong confirming the arrival of 1,538,550 doses on Wednesday. As reported by Nation Thailand, Dr Opas said the government has procured the mRNA vaccine for children aged over 12, along with other target groups, with a total of 8 million doses…

  • Thailand NewsStudent dies after receiving second Covid-19 vaccine shot

    Student dies after receiving second Covid-19 vaccine shot

    A Phang Nga Community College student who developed blood clots after receiving her second Covid-19 vaccine shot has died of a haemorrhagic stroke following brain surgery. As reported by the Bangkok Post, the student, 20 year old Ketsiree Kongkaew, who had had her left leg amputated, died on Monday morning at Songklanagarind Hospital in Hat Yai. Having first received the…

  • Phuket NewsPhuket extends tight entry restrictions, vaccine required for most

    Phuket extends tight entry restrictions, vaccine required for most

    Tight entry restrictions to Phuket have been extended until at least for the next two weeks, according to a provincial order imposed yesterday. Domestic entry onto the island province by land, water, and air is prohibited, with the exception of essential vehicles, residents returning home, and travellers entering under the “Sandbox” scheme. Those allowed to enter Phuket under the exceptions…

  • Covid-19 NewsVaccine update: Pfizer available to American veterans, foreigners in Pattaya

    Vaccine update: Pfizer available to American veterans, foreigners in Pattaya

    The Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine is now available to American veterans living in Thailand as well as foreign residents in Pattaya who are in the “at risk” groups, according to Democrats Abroad Thailand. The vaccine doses were donated to Thailand from the United States. Two doses of the vaccine are free under the Thai government’s mass immunisation campaign. Bangkok Hospital Pattaya…

  • Covid-19 NewsFriday Covid Update: 21,379 new cases and 191 deaths

    Friday Covid Update: 21,379 new cases and 191 deaths

    The number of Covid-19 infections and deaths continues to rise and hit record highs. Today, 21,379 new Covid-19 cases and 191 coronavirus-related deaths were reported by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. On Wednesday, the daily case count exceeded 20,000 and the daily fatality count hit a high of 188. There are now 212,926 active Covid-19 cases in Thailand. In…

  • Covid-19 News5.7% of foreign residents in Thailand have received a dose of the Covid-19 vaccine

    5.7% of foreign residents in Thailand have received a dose of the Covid-19 vaccine

    Around 5.7% of foreign residents in Thailand have been injected with at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine from March 12 to July 30, according to the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. Out of the 280,075 foreign residents vaccinated, only 74,587 of them have received both doses of the vaccine. Only 20,903 foreign residents ages 60 and above, a…

  • Covid-19 NewsVaccine updates for expats; hospital extends hours to accelerate vaccinations

    Vaccine updates for expats; hospital extends hours to accelerate vaccinations

    In an effort to accelerate the rollout of vaccines and prevent overcrowding at inculcation centres, MedPark Hospital in Bangkok is opening up vaccination appointments after business hours until August 9 as part of its “Going the Extra Mile, Extra Hours” campaign. The extended hours are from 6pm to 10pm. MedPark Hospital is participating in the ThailandIntervac project by the Ministry…

  • Thailand NewsAugust vaccination plan: 80% of Bangkok residents; open to general public, expats

    August vaccination plan: 80% of Bangkok residents; open to general public, expats

    Thailand has opened its mass Covid-19 vaccination campaign to the general public who are at least 18 years old, including foreign residents. Priority is still given to those who are 60 and above, and those who have one of the specified underlying conditions that puts them at risk of severe infection if they were to contract Covid-19. By the end…

  • Bangkok NewsBang Sue walk-in vaccinations for elderly expats to end Saturday

    Bang Sue walk-in vaccinations for elderly expats to end Saturday

    Walk-in vaccination services for elderly expats at Bangkok’s Bang Sue Grand Station is ending on Saturday. The government is preparing to roll out the next phase in its Covid-19 immunisation plan. Starting Sunday, August 1, registration in Bangkok will open up to those 18 and older, but there will be no walk-in services. Until Saturday, foreign residents who are 75…

  • Covid-19 NewsStudy finds 2 doses of Pfizer, AstraZeneca effective against Delta strain

    Study finds 2 doses of Pfizer, AstraZeneca effective against Delta strain

    A study published yesterday shows that 2 doses of the Pfizer vaccine or 2 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine are almost as effective against the rapid-spreading Delta variant as they are against the Alpha variant. In Thailand, the AstraZeneca vaccine is being produced locally and is the primary vaccine being used in the nationwide Covid-19 immunisation campaign. Thailand recently approved…

  • Covid-19 NewsAstraZeneca approved as third “booster” shot and as second dose after Sinovac

    AstraZeneca approved as third “booster” shot and as second dose after Sinovac

    The AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine has been approved to be used as a third “booster” shot as well as a second dose for those who have been injected with a dose of the Sinovac vaccine. Thailand’s National Communicable Disease Committee officially approved the additional AstraZeneca doses. Following hundreds of cases involving vaccinated healthcare workers testing positive for Covid-19, as well as…

  • Covid-19 NewsEmbassy of Switzerland in Thailand helps Swiss expats get vaccinated

    Embassy of Switzerland in Thailand helps Swiss expats get vaccinated

    The Embassy of Switzerland in Bangkok announced that it has secured AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine appointments for 180 Swiss citizens living in Thailand who are at least 55 years old, or who have underlying health conditions. The embassy says Swiss expats living in other provinces in Thailand can also register for a vaccine, but they must travel to Bangkok and be…