Covid-19 vaccines

  • Covid-19 NewsOver 200,000 sign petition calling for mRNA vaccines

    Over 200,000 sign petition calling for mRNA vaccines

    Over 200,000 people, including prominent Thai doctors and medical practitioners, have signed a petition demanding the government purchase more effective vaccines and administer them for free. A petition from the Mor Mai Thon (Doctors Won’t Tolerate It) group has been signed by 215,409 medical practitioners, calling on the government to purchase mRNA vaccines. The Bangkok Post reports that the campaign was run…

  • Covid-19 NewsCabinet approves Pfizer purchase, plus another 10.9 million Sinovac doses

    Cabinet approves Pfizer purchase, plus another 10.9 million Sinovac doses

    The Thai Cabinet has given the go-ahead for the purchase of 20 million doses of the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine, along with another 10.9 million doses of Sinovac. According to a Bangkok Post report, the PM’s spokesman Anucha Burapachasri says the budget for the Sinovac purchase would come from the executive decree loan and would not exceed 6.1 billion baht. The…

  • Covid-19 NewsGrowing calls for healthcare workers to get Pfizer booster

    Growing calls for healthcare workers to get Pfizer booster

    A leaked document, which details the minutes of a meeting in which officials discussed how they would allocate the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine, has caused uproar and led to calls for healthcare workers to be prioritised. The Bangkok Post reports that the meeting took place on June 30 and discussed the administration of 2 batches of the Pfizer vaccine. The first…

  • Covid-19 News1.5 million Pfizer doses donated by US to go to senior citizens, pregnant women

    1.5 million Pfizer doses donated by US to go to senior citizens, pregnant women

    The Thai government plans to administer 1.5 million doses of the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine to people over the age of 60 and to pregnant women. Priority will be given to those in areas with high rates of infection. The doses have been donated to Thailand by the US government. According to a Nation Thailand report, a leaked memo shows that…

  • Covid-19 NewsThursday Covid Update: Cases and deaths spike amid Phuket reopening

    Thursday Covid Update: Cases and deaths spike amid Phuket reopening

    Just as Phuket is reopening to foreign tourists, Thailand’s current and most severe wave has hit a high of 52,052 active Covid-19 cases, according to the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. The daily death toll has set a record high with 57 coronavirus-related fatalities today, raising the total Covid fatality count since the start of the pandemic to 2,080. 5,533…

  • Covid-19 NewsGovernment urged to provide booster shots in sandbox destinations

    Government urged to provide booster shots in sandbox destinations

    Tourism representatives are calling on the government to provide vaccine boosters for people who live in sandbox destinations. Chamnan Srisawat, president of the Tourism Council of Thailand, says the country can’t wait for the virus to disappear completely and the only solution is for residents in sandbox areas to get maximum protection against new variants and outbreaks. “Herd immunity across…

  • World NewsGerman Covid-19 vaccine only 48% effective in final stage trials

    German Covid-19 vaccine only 48% effective in final stage trials

    A German Covid-19 vaccine that uses the same RNA technology as the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, has shown an efficacy rate of just 48% in final stage trials. According to a Bangkok Post report, the results for the CureVac vaccine, or CVnCoV, were not a surprise after poor interim data was released earlier in the month. The company has defended…

  • Covid-19 News110 faulty bottles of Sinovac vaccine rejected by Thai FDA

    110 faulty bottles of Sinovac vaccine rejected by Thai FDA

    The Food and Drug Administration says it has found 110 faulty bottles of the CoronaVac vaccine from Sinovac Biotech that contain lumps of gel. Surachok Tangwiwat from the FDA says CoronaVac vials need to be shaken prior to use but, in the case of the defective bottles, even shaking would not dissolve the gel. According to a Coconuts report, the…

  • World NewsOxford University study shows strong immune response after third AstraZeneca dose

    Oxford University study shows strong immune response after third AstraZeneca dose

    Researchers at Oxford University say a third dose of the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine provokes a strong immune response. However, they add that there is no evidence yet that such boosters are required, particularly given that some countries are struggling with insufficient supplies. A study carried out at the renowned English university shows that a third, or booster, shot increases antibody…

  • Covid-19 NewsChief medic says Delta variant will become dominant strain in Bangkok

    Chief medic says Delta variant will become dominant strain in Bangkok

    The Department of Medical Sciences says it expects the Delta Covid-19 variant to become the prevalent strain in Bangkok within the coming months. The variant was first reported in Thailand in April, when it was detected in migrant workers in the Laksi district of the capital. The spread of the variant has sparked concern globally due to it being highly…

  • Covid-19 NewsPfizer-BioNTech vaccine approved for emergency use in Thailand

    Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine approved for emergency use in Thailand

    It’s been rolled out successfully around the world for several months now, with a seemingly high efficacy rate. And now, the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine has finally been approved in Thailand. The Food and Drug Administration has confirmed that the mRNA vaccine has been approved for emergency use in the Kingdom. mRNA vaccines work by instructing cells in the body to make…

  • Covid-19 NewsFirst delivery of Sinopharm vaccines approved for distribution

    First delivery of Sinopharm vaccines approved for distribution

    The first lot of Sinopharm doses ordered by the Chulabhorn Royal Academy have passed quality checks and can now be distributed. 1 million doses of the second Chinese vaccine approved for emergency use in Thailand arrived in the Kingdom on June 20, according to a Bangkok Post report. Supakit Sirilak from the Department of Medical Sciences says his department took…

  • Covid-19 NewsSamut Sakhon governor calls for more vaccine doses after order was cut

    Samut Sakhon governor calls for more vaccine doses after order was cut

    The pandemic has been rough on the governor of Samut Sakhon, a coastal province just southwest of Bangkok. Along with high numbers of Covid-19 cases and cluster outbreaks during the second and third waves of the virus, Governor Veerasak Vichitsangsri contracted Covid-19 in December and developed a severe lung infection. He spent 42 days on a ventilator. Now, as the…

  • Covid-19 NewsThird vaccine shot may be necessary to combat Delta variant

    Third vaccine shot may be necessary to combat Delta variant

    The head of the Department of Disease Control says a third vaccine dose may be needed to protect against more infectious Covid-19 variants. Opas Karnkawinpong says officials are studying if it is safe to vaccinate people with different brands following the first dose, but says it’s too soon to say. “Knowledge (about the virus and the vaccines is updated) constantly…

  • Tourism NewsTourism bodies concerned vaccination uncertainty will disrupt re-opening

    Tourism bodies concerned vaccination uncertainty will disrupt re-opening

    Earlier this week, Thai PM, Prayut Chan-o-cha, pledged to re-open the country to international tourism within 120 days. But tourism operators aren’t breathing a sigh of relief just yet. Many have voiced concerns over the delays in the vaccine rollout, fearing that if Thailand doesn’t get its act together on vaccination, the re-opening could be affected. According to the Bangkok…

  • Phuket NewsExpats in Phuket without a work permit can register for a Covid-19 vaccine

    Expats in Phuket without a work permit can register for a Covid-19 vaccine

    Expats living in Phuket, who do not have a work permit, can now register for a Covid-19 vaccine. Under the local vaccine registration website, www.phuket.win, there are now links for foreigners with work permits and foreigners without work permits to apply for a vaccine. Of course, with the ever-faulty websites run by the Thai government, we had to give it…

  • Thailand NewsPM Prayut Chan-o-cha says sorry again for delays in the Covid-19 vaccine rollout

    PM Prayut Chan-o-cha says sorry again for delays in the Covid-19 vaccine rollout

    PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has again apologised for holdups in the rollout of Covid-19 vaccines, saying there were a number of reasons for the delays. Earlier this week, 25 vaccination sites in Bangkok postponed inoculations. Several hospitals also delayed vaccinations over the weekend due to a limited supply. “As the prime minister and director of CCSA, I am the top executive…

  • Covid-19 NewsLeading Thai doctor calls on government to accelerate vaccine rollout

    Leading Thai doctor calls on government to accelerate vaccine rollout

    A prominent Thai doctor has called on the government to ramp up the procurement of Covid-19 vaccines, amid concerns at the low number of doses administered to date. The Bangkok Post quotes Dr Prasit Watanapa from Siriraj Hospital, who used a Facebook Live broadcast to urge officials to do more. He says Thailand must accelerate efforts to achieve herd immunity…

  • Covid-19 NewsThonburi Healthcare Group to import 5 million doses of Moderna

    Thonburi Healthcare Group to import 5 million doses of Moderna

    A private healthcare group in Thailand says it’s planning to purchase 5 million doses of the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine. The Thonburi Healthcare Group says the vaccine will be purchased through the Government Pharmaceutical Organisation, the only mechanism through which the private sector can import Covid-19 vaccines. The Bangkok Post reports that THG expects GPO approval within the coming month, with…

  • World NewsGlobal travel demand driven by vaccine rollouts: Tripadvisor survey

    Global travel demand driven by vaccine rollouts: Tripadvisor survey

    Research into the latest travel trends shows that the rollout of Covid-19 vaccines is a big determining factor in how long tourists plan to stay and how much they will spend. A TTR Weekly report focuses on research carried out by Tripadvisor, the world’s largest travel platform. Travellers across 6 large international markets were surveyed, to determine the impact of…

  • Tourism NewsAirlines look to vaccine rollout to restore demand and boost economy

    Airlines look to vaccine rollout to restore demand and boost economy

    Airlines are pinning their hopes on Thailand’s vaccine rollout as the key to restoring traveller confidence and boosting the economy. All eyes are on Phuket in particular, to see how the much-discussed sandbox re-opening fares. Wutthiphum Jurangkool, chief executive of Nok Air, says June has already seen a slight increase in bookings. “After passenger traffic recorded a whopping 90% decrease…

  • Covid-19 NewsMonday Covid Update: 3,355 new cases, provincial totals

    Monday Covid Update: 3,355 new cases, provincial totals

    The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration recorded 3,355 new Covid-19 cases today and 17 coronavirus-related fatalities, raising the total case count since the start of the pandemic last year to 199,264 confirmed infections and the virus-related death toll to 1,466. Thailand now has 39,854 active cases, a downward trend over the past week. The recent and most severe wave of Covid-19…

  • Covid-19 NewsConfusion, delayed appointments, and finger pointing: Thailand’s vaccine rollout in disarray

    Confusion, delayed appointments, and finger pointing: Thailand’s vaccine rollout in disarray

    It seems it’s all turned into a bit of a shambles. Only a week after the government’s national vaccine rollout kicked off to great pomp and ceremony at Bangkok’s Bang Sue Grand Station, it has already run into problems. The Bangkok Post reports that both public and private hospitals are postponing appointments, saying they haven’t been given enough vaccines. The…

  • Economy NewsProperty market in tourism areas relying on vaccines for recovery

    Property market in tourism areas relying on vaccines for recovery

    Tourism destinations in Thailand are pinning their hopes on Covid-19 vaccines to revive their decimated economies, including in the real estate sector. Vichai Viratkapan from the Real Estate Information Centre says the property sector’s recovery will be driven by the rollout of vaccines, particularly in tourist destinations that have borne the brunt of the economic devastation. “Tourism destinations like Phuket,…

  • Covid-19 NewsInvestigation launched into death of woman who received AstraZeneca vaccine

    Investigation launched into death of woman who received AstraZeneca vaccine

    Thailand’s Health Minister says an investigation will be launched into the cause of death of a 46 year old woman who received the AstraZeneca vaccine. Anutin Charnvirakul was speaking as he paid his condolences to the family of Panyapat Itthithanawong, who lived in the Bang Khen district of Bangkok. The Bangkok Post reports that Panyapat received a dose of the…

  • Covid-19 NewsThailand to get 20 million doses of Pfizer vaccine, 5 million Johnson & Johnson doses

    Thailand to get 20 million doses of Pfizer vaccine, 5 million Johnson & Johnson doses

    The Thai government is ordering 20 million doses of the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine, along with 5 million of the Johnson & Johnson single-dose vaccine. Thai PBS World reports that deliveries are expected in the second half of the year. The Public Health Minister, Anutin Charnvirakul, and Nattaphon Narkpanich, chair of the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, says the Pfizer and…

  • Covid-19 NewsHealth Ministry orders hospitals not to postpone vaccination appointments

    Health Ministry orders hospitals not to postpone vaccination appointments

    The Public Health Ministry has instructed Thai hospitals to honour vaccination appointments, even though they may not have received the number of doses expected. According to Thai PBS World, Satit Pitutacha from the Health Ministry says it’s vital that people over the age of 60, as well as those with 1 or more of 7 underlying health conditions, receive a…

  • Covid-19 NewsThai PM apologises for delays in vaccination rollout

    Thai PM apologises for delays in vaccination rollout

    Sorry seems to be the hardest word… Or so the song goes. But the Thai PM has managed it (admittedly some would say it took a while). Prayut Chan-o-cha has apologised for the hiccups with the national vaccine rollout, admitting yesterday that there had been delays. The Bangkok Post reports that the PM insists the situation will improve with the…

  • Bangkok NewsBangkok’s vaccine rollout brings a sense of optimism to the capital

    Bangkok’s vaccine rollout brings a sense of optimism to the capital

    Mass inoculation against Covid-19 has finally kicked off in Thailand and the sense of relief in Bangkok, epicentre of the latest wave, is palpable. The Bangkok Post reports on the rollout at Bang Sue Grand Station, now serving as a temporary vaccination centre. It’s where 78 year old U-ree Dechdamrong received her first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine yesterday. A retired…

  • World NewsFed-up waiting, some Thais have travelled overseas to be vaccinated

    Fed-up waiting, some Thais have travelled overseas to be vaccinated

    While the Thai government continues to big up its vaccination rollout and PM Prayut Chan-o-cha insists there will be enough vaccines for everyone, many Thais have lost faith. And the few who can afford it are flying overseas – at significant cost – to be vaccinated against Covid-19. Coconuts reports that the reasons for doing so are varied… some have…