Thailand says to administer 10 million COVID-19 shots monthly from June

[webfact]

Thailand says to administer 10 million COVID-19 shots monthly from June

By Chayut Setboonsarng

 

FILE PHOTO: Healthcare workers get ready to collect samples during proactive testing of migrant workers at their work place, amid the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Samut Sakhon province in Thailand, January 27, 2021. REUTERS/Chalinee Thirasupa

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand announced plans on Thursday to inoculate 1 million of its most vulnerable people against COVID-19 by May and start mass vaccinations in June, with the aim of administering 10 million doses per month.

 

The announcement was the first clear timeline for its plan to vaccinate about half of its 70 million population, and comes amid criticism over the government's vaccine procurement strategy.

 

"We are planning two phases; February to May and the second, June to December," senior health official Sopon Iamsirithaworn told a briefing.

 

The first four months will be used to administer 2 million doses of the Sinovac Biotech vaccine, which are due to arrive this month, earmarked for frontline medical workers in high-risk areas.

 

Sopon made no mention of the 50,000 imported AstraZeneca vaccines that Thailand has said it would be receiving.

 

The second phase, between June and December, authorities plan to administer 10 million doses monthly until December, using 61 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine, which will be produced locally from June by Siam Bioscience.

 

"About 1,000 hospitals are being prepared. Each able to do 500 doses per day, which over 20 days comes out to 10 million doses per month," Sopon said, adding that in the early stages only hospitals with resuscitation areas and equipment would be used.

 

Thailand is planning to vaccinate about 60% of the adult population by the end of 2021, to get closer to "herd immunity".

 

Critics have accused the government of being opaque in its vaccine strategy and too slow to secure supplies while relying almost entirely on an agreement with AstraZeneca. The government has defended its approach.

 

Thailand has a relatively few infections for its population size compared to most countries, with just 80 fatalities and 24,104 infections so far. About 80% of its cases have been detected in the past two months.

 

(Reporting by Chayut Setboonsarng; Editing by Martin Petty)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2021-02-12

 

- Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you

- Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

[cyril sneer]

Confusing

[sammieuk1]

All to the theme of Benny Hill no less ????

[ukrules]

If they pull it off this will be a major success, with lots of time for planning there's no reason why it can't be done.

 

[Fex Bluse]

2 minutes ago, ukrules said:

If they pull it off this will be a major success, with lots of time for planning there's no reason why it can't be done.

 

 

Other than it being Thailand

 

It's almost a guarantee they will not succeed 

[donnacha]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Sopon made no mention of the 50,000 imported AstraZeneca vaccines that Thailand has said it would be receiving.

That should be enough to cover all the generals, admirals, and their families.

Shhhhhhhhh!!!

 

Edited February 11, 2021 by donnacha

[Albert Zweistein]

32 minutes ago, Fex Bluse said:

 

Other than it being Thailand

 

It's almost a guarantee they will not succeed 

I bet even money.

[rabang]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

 

 

 

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand announced plans on Thursday to inoculate 1 million of its most vulnerable people against COVID-19 by May and start mass vaccinations in June, with the aim of administering 10 doses a month.

 

 

Yeah, let's relax and take it easy.

[RichardColeman]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

and start mass vaccinations in June, with the aim of administering 10 doses a month.

believe that more than 10 million

[Justgrazing]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

 

Thailand is planning to vaccinate about 60% of the adult population by the end of 2021, to get closer to "herd immunity

 

More than a whiff of cowturd about that as well  .. 

[mtls2005]

Plan du Jour.

 

From "official" du jour.

 

 

[FarFlungFalang]

2 hours ago, ukrules said:

If they pull it off this will be a major success, with lots of time for planning there's no reason why it can't be done.

 

Global numbers seem to going down quite quickly so it might end before Thailand gets started.

[sirineou]

3 minutes ago, FarFlungFalang said:

Global numbers seem to going down quite quickly so it might end before Thailand gets started.

I think that's why they are stalling . In the US we should be almost done before they even start. 

Either way it would be alright by me, I just want it to be over. 

 

Edited February 11, 2021 by sirineou

[Dagfinnur Traustason]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

with the aim of administering 10 doses a month.

Finally a number that sounds feasible.

[FarFlungFalang]

4 minutes ago, sirineou said:

I think that's why they are stalling . In the US we should be almost done before they even start. 

Either way it would be alright by me, I just want it to be over. 

 

It seems to be doing the seasonal thing so they might be able to use the vaccines for next years mutant strains.It is getting a bit tiresome that's for sure.

[madmitch]

It's a shame that the most vulnerable front line workers will be given the least effective vaccine. Beter than nothing I suppose. I just wonder when they'll consider it safe to open for tourism, at least for vaccinated tourists.

[FarFlungFalang]

7 minutes ago, madmitch said:

It's a shame that the most vulnerable front line workers will be given the least effective vaccine. Beter than nothing I suppose. I just wonder when they'll consider it safe to open for tourism, at least for vaccinated tourists.

A tricky decision for the frontline works to choose the less effective vaccine immediately or wait for the more effective one or consider getting both when they're available.Haven't heard of the dangers of taking multiple vaccines yet.

[10baht]

I do not want to confuse with facts , but by some estimates there are really 10 x the number of reported cases.  Thus if a country reports 10 active cases it really has 10 x 10 = 100.  So looking at the Worldometer's number of active cases = 2,5411,881. And instead of there really being 10 x that let's make it 20 x to take into consideration for under reporting/testing ( like Thailand was doing). That means 2,5411,881 active cases X 20 = 2,5411,881 active cases world wide as an estimate. The world population is 7,874,965,825.  Therfore 2,5411,881 / 7,874,965,825 = .0646.

That means only about 6.5 % of the world has the virus. You can do your own math form hear on out, but with a recovery rate of 74% ( as reported in Worldometer's numbers) I think a lot of this had ringing id over blown.

[mjakob007]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Thailand says to administer 10 million COVID-19 shots monthly from June

By Chayut Setboonsarng

 

FILE PHOTO: Healthcare workers get ready to collect samples during proactive testing of migrant workers at their work place, amid the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Samut Sakhon province in Thailand, January 27, 2021. REUTERS/Chalinee Thirasupa

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand announced plans on Thursday to inoculate 1 million of its most vulnerable people against COVID-19 by May and start mass vaccinations in June, with the aim of administering 10 doses a month.

 

The announcement was the first clear timeline for its plan to vaccinate about half of its 70 million population, and comes amid criticism over the government's vaccine procurement strategy.

 

"We are planning two phases; February to May and the second, June to December," senior health official Sopon Iamsirithaworn told a briefing.

 

The first four months will be used to administer 2 million doses of the Sinovac Biotech vaccine, which are due to arrive this month, earmarked for frontline medical workers in high-risk areas.

 

Sopon made no mention of the 50,000 imported AstraZeneca vaccines that Thailand has said it would be receiving.

 

The second phase, between June and December, authorities plan to administer 10 million doses monthly until December, using 61 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine, which will be produced locally from June by Siam Bioscience.

 

"About 1,000 hospitals are being prepared. Each able to do 500 doses per day, which over 20 days comes out to 10 million doses per month," Sopon said, adding that in the early stages only hospitals with resuscitation areas and equipment would be used.

 

Thailand is planning to vaccinate about 60% of the adult population by the end of 2021, to get closer to "herd immunity".

 

Critics have accused the government of being opaque in its vaccine strategy and too slow to secure supplies while relying almost entirely on an agreement with AstraZeneca. The government has defended its approach.

 

Thailand has a relatively few infections for its population size compared to most countries, with just 80 fatalities and 24,104 infections so far. About 80% of its cases have been detected in the past two months.

 

(Reporting by Chayut Setboonsarng; Editing by Martin Petty)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2021-02-12

 

- Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you

- Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

 

great plan.

 

however, all this based on the hope that siam bioscience which has never produced a vial can get the Tom yum Covid ready by that time.

 

[alant]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

mass vaccinations in June, with the aim of administering 10 doses a month.

????????????

[Bkk Brian]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

"About 1,000 hospitals are being prepared. Each able to do 500 doses per day, which over 20 days comes out to 10 million doses per month,"

Good luck with that. The UK is currently 3rd in the world for administering doses of vaccine, about 14 million so far. That is single doses. They started on the 8th Dec, so that would make around 7 million a month.

https://ourworldindata.org/covid-vaccinations

[brommers]

It is all well & good to have a plan, but already we have seen major vaccine production problems in the US and Europe so can expect the same here. And those in charge need to be better organised than the Japanese who ordered the wrong syringes so lose one out of every 6 doses because they cannot extract it from the bottle.

 

The way the vaccination is being handled is a shambles, with confused and confusing communications. So the public are rightly expression dissatisfaction. Lets hope they remember this when it comes to the next general election, if there is ever another!

[Netzero]

And no mention of the Moderna or Pfizer vaccines being administered to almost 2 Million Americans each day and millions more around the world with 95% efficacy - rather only the Chinese vaccine AND of course the now famous AZ vaccine that has 62-72% efficacy and is not recommended for those under 18 or 65 and over. If Thailand wants to protect its population and get its borders open - it's doing a pretty poor job of this vaccine strategy. Govt has either seriously dropped the ball and has not clue or the non transparent AstraZenica deal is driving this entire program (seems to be both)

[newnative]

4 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

believe that more than 10 million

Ha.  Beat me to it!

[Neeranam]

Why the negative comments? 

The Thai government have done extremely well compared to other ones worldwide.  

I'm very happy to get the vaccine in June, before going to visit my mother in Scotland in July, her 80th birthday. Hopefully, I won't need to quarantine by then. 

When did Thailand enforce mandatory quarantine? 

Seems they know more than Scotland, who enforced this only THIS week!! 

And, I could fly to England and not have to quarantine, then travel on to Scotland, quarantine free. 

Good on you Prayut and Co, so much better that Boris the clown and Co. 

[maddermax]

Firstly, there is no bloody way I am going to have the Sinovac vaccine as this is not totally safe. I would prefer to wait until the Astrozenica vaccine is available but then again will the Thai Government have tested its efficacy before using it? How would we know that the Siam Bioscience is as safe as the original?

[Cake Monster]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

The second phase, between June and December, authorities plan to administer 10 million doses monthly until December, using 61 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine, which will be produced locally from June by Siam Bioscience.

So by the start of October, there will be about 50% of the population Vaccinated.

There is nothing wrong with this plan, only its about 6 Months too late, and thats if there are no teething problems with the Siam Bioscience Facility / process.

It has always been my experience that new anything such as a brand new facility for manufacturing something, there will be start up issues / delays of some kind or another on production roll out.

Of course, if there were delays in the Vaccine roll out from Siam Bioscience it would probably be at the very least December before 50% of the population was Vaccinated, and more probably going on into 2022

Edited February 12, 2021 by Cake Monster

[Neeranam]

Just now, maddermax said:

Firstly, there is no bloody way I am going to have the Sinovac vaccine as this is not totally safe. I would prefer to wait until the Astrozenica vaccine is available but then again will the Thai Government have tested its efficacy before using it? How would we know that the Siam Bioscience is as safe as the original?

Is only a vaccine, don't be such a baby. 

 

[sandyf]

2 hours ago, sirineou said:

I think that's why they are stalling . In the US we should be almost done before they even start. 

Either way it would be alright by me, I just want it to be over. 

 

High infection rates mean desperation, but you are free to believe that the lack of desperation equates to "stalling". As for being over!!

 

Life globally will not return to normal for two or three years based on the rate of the current vaccination rollout, it has been warned - but there are early signs jabs are reducing cases in the UK.

Speaking to Sky News, Dr Clare Wenham, assistant professor of global health policy at London School of Economics, said the COVID-19 pandemic will not be over until the world's population is protected.

https://news.sky.com/story/covid-19-life-wont-return-to-normal-for-at-least-two-years-expert-warns-saying-pandemic-isnt-over-until-its-over-globally-12203057

[sandyf]

2 hours ago, Dagfinnur Traustason said:

Finally a number that sounds feasible.

One has to assume you have never been involved in the Thai flu vaccine programme for over 60s and diabetics.