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Thailand's Health Ministry has asked China for more information about the vaccine it has ordered, following publications that the vaccine may not be as effective as first thought.
Brazilian officials revealed yesterday that the coronavirus vaccine co-developed with Sinovac Biotech Ltd was 50,4% effective. That is lower than the figure of 78% announced by Sinovac Biotech itself.
Supakit Sirilak, head of the Department of Medical Sciences, says the Thai government is still sticking to the order of two million doses. He said the request for more details on the vaccine's efficacy and safety has been sent to Sinovac Biotech. This is part of a process to have the vaccine approved by the Thai Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Sinovac Biotech has committed to shipping the first two million injections next month, he said, but other potentially more effective vaccines won't ship until later in the year.
Surachok Tangwiwat, the deputy secretary general of the FDA, said that so far only AstraZeneca and Sinovac Biotech have applied to register their vaccines in Thailand. The FDA will do its best to expedite the approval process.
Source: Bangkok Post
In the past, the Chinese have often been unreliable in their information. It has been known for some time that their vaccine might be of lesser quality (and possibly less safe).
Thailand is of course not a rich country. A large part of the population receives a minimum daily wage of 300 Thb, +/- € 8. To then buy very expensive Western vaccines and distribute them for free is not self-evident. I hope they get a good and affordable vaccine soon.
I think Thailand as a country is quite rich, they invest quite a lot in everything and anything. And if you look at GDP per capita, Thailand is even above China (source: https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lijst_van_landen_naar_bbp_per_hoofd_van_de_bevolking). That a lot of people are very poor is of course completely correct, low wages in combination with high debts often ensure that people even end up in a vicious circle.
I repeat my previous comment
In almost all countries, a decision on the authorization of a medicine or related medical matters is left to a special body consisting of medicines experts. It seems that this is arranged differently in Thailand. After all, it is reported that the Ministry of Health is asking for an explanation about the Covid vaccine. So there is plenty of room for politicians to give an opinion, whether or not guided by less sincere considerations. Anxious!!
If possible, stick to the “Oxford Astra Zeneca” vaccine; the Chinese vaccine is unreliable…the “Moderna” vaccine has proven to be unstable…The Pfizer vaccine is effective but who guarantees that it will be stored at a temperature of at least -75 °C? Hospitals in Thailand have been given permission to offer vaccines. I would possibly inquire with some local hospitals if and when they can offer the vaccine. To avoid extortionate prices, I would, if possible, negotiate a “group purchase” together with other farangs at a fixed price. To check all this even more, I would recommend a lawyer to this group to ensure that all documents and administrations run smoothly. This way, responsibility remains clear... and hospital management will be less inclined to sell the farang a “cat in a poke”.
I do not recommend taking a vaccination for the time being. Especially in Thailand - based on the figures - there is no question of a Corona problem. There is a lot of fear but not much to be afraid of. (albeit vigilant)
We've seen this many times in the past. A few decades ago, the fear of cancer was greater than the risk of getting cancer and dying from it. Today, few people are afraid of cancer, if only because many also recover from it. Look with those eyes at the numbers of the people who heal from Corona………………….
And yes, cancer also came in all kinds of variants in the beginning, which tried to boost the decreasing fear again.
Dear Yan. This is a good thought and let us know via this block when you know something. I think many of us will (want to) use it. Good luck
Excellent discussion, I wouldn't buy a Chinese car either, Ha Ha.
J.
I have doubts about all vaccines being developed within 12 months, when no vaccine has ever been developed in even 12 years. In addition, the vaccines have not been properly tested and the manufacturer - in Europe - denies all responsibility. And all this for a death toll of approx. 60 people in Thailand, where you are going to inoculate an entire nation and the cure is probably worse than the disease. Why was the drug hydroxychloriquine taken off the market when it has been proven effective against corona? For the holy revenue model of the vaccine? I will not take any vaccine that was developed in such a short time. I'll wait a few years to research the side effects, provided these studies aren't censored like “America's front Line doctors”.
FYI, hydroxychloroquine is (back) available at pharmacies, I bought a box yesterday. Prices may vary depending on origin/manufacturer. A box of “Hydroquin” from “Sun Pharma” (India) costs 505 Thb. (50 tab.)
China is sws not reliable. The whole world economy is going to hell because of these guys. Everywhere people are dying from the Chinese virus. But they have had hardly any infections for 8 months and certainly no deaths at all. I think it is odd. Meanwhile, the economy is running at full speed again. What a coincidence.
Well, Rob, can China be trusted? Don't think so, but read on…
https://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/crackdown-01132021105640.html
In China you are not allowed to open your mouth about government matters. Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand also punish people who warn of abuses. The whole region has a narrow one-party system or a ruling governing club that wields the knout.
This way I can also play nice weather about corona deaths. I don't believe the Thai corona numbers and after 30 years of Thailand I don't believe the malaria and dengue numbers for a long time.
I think the farangs in Thailand would be better off turning to their embassies and asking for an explanation about the vaccine. The ambassador and his family and his workers must also be vaccinated.
What I read about AstraZeneca is that it costs €3 per injection and is quite effective. The storage temperature is also no problem. So logistically this is an excellent tool.
And that is a quarter of what the Chinese vaccine costs, this costs Euro 12 I read in NRC. The market price of the CoronaVac vaccine from China is about 12 euros per vaccination, but it is unclear what countries pay for it in practice. China often offers soft loans to finance the vaccines. In addition to the lousy results compared to the Western vaccines, the price is also 4x as high as the AstraZeneca vaccine. Well I don't want to hear anyone talk about Thailand being poor now that they're purchasing large numbers of this expensive and significantly less effective vaccine.