Covid-19 vaccines Thailand
- Covid-19 News
Donated Covavax doses to be offered to the unvaccinated, people with allergies
Donated supplies of the Covavax protein sub-unit vaccine will be offered to the unvaccinated, as well as people who are allergic to other vaccine types. Opart Karnkawinpong from Thailand’s Department of Disease Control says the doses, which were donated by India and partner countries in the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, have already been sent to the Medical Sciences Department to be…
- Covid-19 News
Thailand working on 4 Covid-19 vaccines that could be ready by 2023
Thailand is currently developing 4 different Covid-19 vaccines, which could be ready for public use next year. According to a Nation Thailand report, the CCSA was briefed on the progress of each vaccine at its meeting yesterday. Chula-Cov19 is an mRNA vaccine being developed by a team at Chulalongkorn University and has received over 2.7 billion baht in funding from…
- Covid-19 News
Top paediatrician says 2 doses of mRNA vaccine enough to protect children
One of Thailand’s top paediatricians says there’s no need to give children a cocktail of an inactivated vaccine dose and an mRNA dose. Instead, Somsak Lolekha from the Paediatric Society of Thailand says 2 doses of an mRNA vaccine are enough to protect children from becoming severely ill with Covid-19. He adds that booster doses are not necessary for most…
- Covid-19 News
Still waiting for Moderna? Anutin says give up and get Pfizer from the government
Thailand’s Health Minister says people who’ve paid for the Moderna vaccine but are still waiting to receive it should give up and accept Pfizer from the government instead. Anutin Charnvirakul says unvaccinated people should register for the government programme and take the Pfizer vaccine. “Ditch your vaccine orders and come for vaccines from the government. Those who have ordered a…
- Covid-19 News
Girl recovering well after Thailand’s first case of “severe side-effects” from Pfizer vaccine
A 12 year old girl is recovering well after experiencing severe side-effects to the Pfizer vaccine, the first case of its kind in Thailand. Thai PBS World reports that her case is being submitted to medical experts for analysis. It’s reported the girl is underdeveloped for her age and has curvature of the spine and an abnormal body structure, which…
- Covid-19 News
Thammasat, Foreign Ministry in he said/she said spat over failed Moderna donation
The dispute between Thammasat University Hospital and the Foreign Ministry over 1.5 million donated Moderna doses rolls on. After the university took to Facebook to say government red tape prevented it from receiving Poland’s donation, the Foreign Ministry has hit back. According to a Bangkok Post report, the ministry says it couldn’t allow Thammasat to accept the donation as doing…
- Covid-19 News
Remaining Moderna doses on track for delivery by end of first quarter of 2022
The president of the Private Hospital Association says the remainder of its Moderna vaccine order will be delivered on schedule. Chalerm Harnpanich says all 8.6 million doses will have arrived by the end of the first quarter of 2022. According to a Bangkok Post report, Chalerm says all hospitals and other agencies who are awaiting their allocation will receive doses…
- Covid-19 News
Thai government in talks to vaccinate younger children
Manufacturers are seeking approval from the Thai Food and Drug Administration to vaccinate younger children, the Bangkok Post reports. Similar studies are also taking place in the US. Dr Opas Karnkawinpong from the Department of Disease Control says thorough checks are required before proceeding, which means the approval process takes longer. However, the Chinese vaccine, Sinopharm, has already been tested…
- Covid-19 News
Anutin rejects suggestion booster doses should stop until everyone gets first dose
The Public Health Minister has defended the administration of third Covid-19 vaccine doses, despite some people still waiting for their first. Anutin Charnvirakul was responding to some advisers at the Department of Disease Control, who suggested people fully vaccinated with Sinovac should not get a booster while others are still waiting for their first dose. According to a Bangkok Post…
- Covid-19 News
Thailand to stop using Sinovac vaccine once current supply runs out
The head of the Department of Disease Control says Thailand will stop using the Sinovac Covid-19 vaccine when the current supply runs out at the end of this month. Dr Opas Karnkawinpong says the government programme will instead switch to using 1 dose of AstraZeneca, followed by 1 of Pfizer. “We expect to have distributed all Sinovac doses this week.”…
- Covid-19 News
Private Hospital Association says there will be no refunds due to Moderna delay
There will be no refunds for those who pre-paid for the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine, despite delivery of the first batch being delayed by a month. According to a Bangkok Post report, the Private Hospital Association says people who pre-paid can postpone their appointment or transfer it to someone else. Dr Chalerm Hanpanich, PHA president, was responding to frustrated netizens, some…
- Covid-19 News
Thai Red Cross rejects accusation that it profited by reselling Moderna doses
The Thai Red Cross Society has rejected a claim on social media that it profited from the resale of Moderna vaccine doses. According to a Bangkok Post report, the organisation was responding to a claim on Facebook that it had purchased Moderna doses through the Government Pharmaceutical Organisation and was attempting to resell them to various organisations at an inflated…
- Covid-19 News
2 million doses of government-bought Pfizer have arrived, 28 million to follow
The long-awaited first lot of Pfizer vaccine doses purchased by the Thai government have arrived in the country. 2 million doses touched down at Suvarnabhumi airport yesterday and were received by the Public Health Minister, Anutin Charnvirakul, according to a Bangkok Post report. In total, the government has ordered 30 million doses of the mRNA-based vaccine, with the other 28…
- Covid-19 News
Rollout of AstraZeneca boosters for people fully vaccinated with Sinovac begins September 24
Health minister Anutin Charnvirakul says the rollout of AstraZeneca booster shots for people fully vaccinated with Sinovac will begin next Friday. Those who received the Sinovac vaccine between March and May will be up first. Anutin says people who’ve been fully vaccinated with Sinorpharm will also receive AstraZeneca boosters at a later stage. Thai PBS World reports that the government…
- Covid-19 News
Education Ministry confirms timeline of vaccine rollout for school students
Thailand’s Education Ministry has confirmed the timeline for vaccinating school students ahead of a planned November re-opening of both state and private schools. Yesterday, Supat Jampathong from the ministry chaired a conference call between senior government officials, school district staff, schools, and educational facilities. According to a Bangkok Post report, those in attendance discussed the timeline of the vaccine rollout…
- Covid-19 News
Chulabhorn Royal Academy to buy 8 million Moderna doses to use as boosters
The Chulabhorn Royal Academy has announced that it will purchase 8 million doses of the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine, to be administered as boosters during 2022. The CRA is 1 of 5 agencies with the authority to procure alternative Covid-19 vaccines and has already purchased supplies of the Chinese Sinopharm vaccine. According to the CRA, the Moderna delivery will happen in…
- Covid-19 News
Foreign Ministry denies it wouldn’t work with other countries to get vaccines
A Foreign Ministry spokesperson has denied claims that officials wouldn’t cooperate with other countries in the procurement of Covid-19 vaccines. According to a Nation Thailand report, Tanee Sangrat insists Thailand has worked with a number of countries in accepting donations, swapping vaccines, and other areas of cooperation. “The ministry has used various channels, such as vaccine swaps, accepting donations, and…
- Pattaya News
Pfizer vaccine being administered to eligible foreign residents in Pattaya
Qualifying foreign residents in Pattaya are receiving the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine this week, as part of the rollout in the eastern province of Chon Buri. The Pattaya News reports that administration of Pfizer kicked off this week, but that many Pattaya residents have criticised the slow pace of inoculation. Yesterday, health officials continued to administer vaccines at Central Festival Pattaya…
- Covid-19 News
Thailand to take delivery of 61 million AstraZeneca doses by end of the year
A government spokesman says Thailand will receive 61 million vaccine doses from AstraZeneca by the end of this year. According to a Nation Thailand report, Anucha Burapachaisri has also confirmed the company is working on second-generation vaccines to better handle future mutations of the virus. “Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha had an online meeting with AstraZeneca’s chief executive officer Pascal…
- Covid-19 News
Thammasat University seeks to import alternative Covid-19 vaccines
The hospital director of Thammasat University says the institution is seeking a partner to help with importing alternative Covid-19 vaccines. Dr Pharuhat Tor-Udom says the process would be similar to how Chulabhorn Royal Academy procures vaccines through the Thai Red Cross. CRA sources the Sinopharm vaccine through the society, which is authorised to deal directly with vaccine manufacturers. According to…
- Covid-19 News
Cabinet approves 9.3 billion baht for procurement of Pfizer doses
A government spokesman says funding of 9.3 billion baht has been approved for 20 million doses of Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine. Anucha Burapachaisri confirmed the cabinet has approved the funds for the already signed order, while acknowledging a proposal to purchase a further 10 million Pfizer doses. According to a Bangkok Post report, Anucha says the Department of Disease Control plans…
- Covid-19 News
Health Minister says Thailand will have over 32 million Pfizer doses by end of the year
Thailand’s Public Health Minister says there will be 32.5 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine in the country by the end of the year. According to a Nation Thailand report, Anutin Charnvirakul says the government has ordered 20 million doses of the Covid-19 mRNA vaccine and Pfizer has also offered to send an additional 10 million doses this year. “This,…
- Covid-19 News
Second lot of Pfizer vaccines for healthcare workers to arrive tomorrow
The Department of Disease Control says the second batch of Pfizer Covid-19 vaccines donated by the US is expected to arrive tomorrow. The doses are earmarked for frontline healthcare workers in all 77 provinces. The Bangkok Post reports that DDC chief Opas Karnkawinpong has confirmed the delivery. The US government has donated the 1.5 million Pfizer doses to help Thailand…
- Covid-19 News
Only 6.7% of Thai population fully vaccinated, over 23% have received 1 dose
Just 6.7% of Thai residents are fully vaccinated against Covid-19, while over 23% have received their first dose. The figures were released by the Higher Education, Science, Research, and Innovation Ministry, according to a Nation Thailand report. The southern island of Phuket is the only province where the majority of people have been fully vaccinated. The island launched its quarantine-free…
- Covid-19 News
Medical expert calls for export of AstraZeneca doses to be suspended
A prominent medical expert has urged the government to stop exporting locally-produced doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine until Thailand has enough for its own people. Dr Prasert Auewarakul from Siriraj Hospital’s Faculty of Medicine says Thailand needs at least 10 million doses a month over the next 3 months. According to a Bangkok Post report, he says this period is…
- Covid-19 News
Government under increasing pressure to share details of vaccine procurement deals
As Thailand battles its worst Covid-19 wave since the start of the pandemic, the government is coming under increasing pressure to divulge details of its vaccine procurement decisions. The Bangkok Post reports that at least 333 academics, media representatives, and individuals have signed a statement calling for full disclosure of everything related to the country’s vaccine procurement deals. The statement…
- Covid-19 News
Thai Red Cross denies its order of Moderna led to hospitals receiving fewer doses
The Thai Red Cross Society is denying claims that its order of 1 million doses of the Moderna vaccine affected the number of doses allocated to private hospitals. The Government Pharmaceutical Organisation is processing the order on behalf of the society. According to a Bangkok Post report, several hospitals have cancelled appointments for the Moderna vaccine saying they’ve been allocated…
- Tourism News
Hotels hope for increase in foreign tourists to offset slump in domestic demand
Hotels in Thailand’s normally busy tourist hotspots are hoping that a further re-opening to foreign travellers will offset the drop in domestic demand. The Bangkok Post reports that travel curbs have decimated domestic tourism in places like Phuket, Krabi, and Phang Nga. Kongsak Khoopongsakorn from the Thai Hotels Association says the Phuket sandbox scheme welcomed around 10,000 tourists in its…
- Covid-19 News
Stop buying Sinovac, medical expert tells government
The head of the intensive care unit at Bangkok’s Vichaiyut Hospital says the government must stop purchasing the Sinovac vaccine until it’s been re-formulated to handle variants. According to a Bangkok Post report, respiratory disease expert Manoon Leechawengwongs says Sinovac may be effective at reducing the chance of serious illness and death, but that effectiveness wears off over time. The…
- Covid-19 News
Bangkok vaccine timetable adjusted due to crowds, lack of social distancing
The vaccination schedule at Bangkok’s Bang Sue station has been adjusted to separate a number of high-risk groups and prevent overcrowding. The Bangkok Post reports that the Department of Medical Services made the change after large numbers arrived to be vaccinated yesterday, making social distancing impossible. The report says a number of people were concerned by the large crowds and,…
