Farang Vaccination?

[rcuthbert]

Can Farangs get vaccinated in Pattaya/Bangkok?

[pixelaoffy]

No. 

[ThaiPauly]

It would appear that Private hospitals have now been given the go-ahead to procure and administer the vaccine.

 

It's all to do with "Herd Immunity" if Thailand wants it, in an effort to open up the economy the politicians reason that private hospitals will probably  do an efficient  job.

They will be allowed so many million shots between them all so there will be a lot of negotiations  I think before we see how things look.

But at least there would seem to be "hope" that we foreigners  may get vaccinated, but for a price if course

[rodknock]

it will probably be another rip-off

sinovac vaccine runs around $5.00 per dose

depending on what deal they got.

[wasabi]

I have been considering returning to the USA next month to get vaccinated but if it's only a matter of waiting til June to get it here in Thailand that would be preferable. So not buying plane tickets yet but also keeping expectations very low. My preferred choices would be Moderna, Pfizer or J&J vaccines not Sinovac or AstraZeneca.

[Caldera]

Yes. The only question is, when? Next month or next year, this will obviously make a huge difference.

 

[CM Dad]

Thailand does not yet have any good vaccines, nor have any good, reliable ones such as pfizer or moderna even been ordered.

[ExpatOK]

It's important to remember that none of these vaccines are approved in the US. 

 

The Pfizer vaccine fact sheet says the following, 

 

"The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine is an unapproved vaccine."

 

and

 

"There is no U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved vaccine to prevent COVID-19 "

 

The vaccines have been made available in the US under Emergency Use Authorization.

 

https://www.fda.gov/media/144414/download

 

Edited April 10, 2021 by ExpatOK

[gearbox]

4 hours ago, Caldera said:

Yes. The only question is, when? Next month or next year, this will obviously make a huge difference.

 

They are busy vaccinating Thais in Samui and Phuket in order to open for tourists mid year. The goal is to achieve herd immunity. For us who live in those places there are 3 options - they vaccinate us, pretend that we are not here, or move us out ????

[internationalism]

what private hospitals are aiming for a long time is sinovac, they even gave price 1600b per shot.

There suppose to be first batch 1mln, and another 9mln follow up.

But now sinovac turns out ineffective for the UK strain.

So AZ from the government sometimes end of year, if you are in a risk group (or living on sandbox islands phuket, samui, also pattaya, CM), but if any hiccups the next year

[Jeffr2]

The Post had a depressing article out today.  Google:

 

Authorities defend vaccine policy

 

The net is.  J&J, due to supply issues (well documented in the US) probably won't be here until the end of the year, at the EARLIEST.  I was hoping we could get it in June.  But doesn't look like it.

 

So.  Our choices will be AZ or the Chinese one.  If you're at risk, these are OK jabs.  I'd rather have Pfizer, Moderna or J&J.  But doesn't look like that will happen here until next year.

[Jeffr2]

9 minutes ago, internationalism said:

what private hospitals are aiming for a long time is sinovac, they even gave price 1600b per shot.

There suppose to be first batch 1mln, and another 9mln follow up.

But now sinovac turns out ineffective for the UK strain.

So AZ from the government sometimes end of year, if you are in a risk group (or living on sandbox islands phuket, samui, also pattaya, CM), but if any hiccups the next year

A good article to read.  These variants are going to be a big problem.  They're becoming more wide spread, and deadlier.  With more to come. 

 

https://www.businessinsider.com/covid-19-vaccines-efficacy-variants-south-africa-uk-brazil-2021-3

 

 

[Phillip9]

2 hours ago, Jeffr2 said:

A good article to read.  These variants are going to be a big problem.  They're becoming more wide spread, and deadlier.  With more to come. 

 

Mainly just a fear mongering article.  The 3 US vaccines were at or near 100% effective at preventing severe disease for all variants.

 

AZ was not good against the SA variant, and not much data is available for sinovac.

[Jeffr2]

2 minutes ago, Phillip9 said:

 

Mainly just a fear mongering article.  The 3 US vaccines were at or near 100% effective at preventing severe disease for all variants.

 

AZ was not good against the SA variant, and not much data is available for sinovac.

Agreed.  But we don't really know, do we?  They've not been tested in mass.  Nor for long terms.  So nobody really knows.

 

Yeah, the lack of data for AZ and Sinovac is troublesome.

 

In the end, all prevent from you dying, or getting super sick.  But it's not 100% known with the variants.

 

Interesting article:

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/science/coronavirus-vaccine-tracker.html

 

In January, scientists grew concerned about the emergence of fast-spreading variants that might be able to evade antibodies. Tests on a variant called P.1, first identified in Brazil, showed that Comirnaty would likely work against it as well. However, researchers found that antibodies produced by Comirnaty are somewhat less effective against another variant called B.1.351, first identified in South Africa. On Feb. 26, the companies announced a study to develop a B.1.351-specific booster.

[rabas]

15 hours ago, ExpatOK said:

 

"There is no U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved vaccine to prevent COVID-19 "

 

The vaccines have been made available in the US under Emergency Use Authorization.

 

 

Yes, that's what I want! An emergency vaccine.

 

[Jeffr2]

25 minutes ago, rabas said:

 

Yes, that's what I want! An emergency vaccine.

 

I think that's what many are forgetting.  All these jabs were rushed.  Only available because of emergency authorizations.  Who knows what the long term consequences will be?

[AlfHuy]

On 4/10/2021 at 9:35 AM, wasabi said:

I have been considering returning to the USA next month to get vaccinated but if it's only a matter of waiting til June to get it here in Thailand that would be preferable. So not buying plane tickets yet but also keeping expectations very low. My preferred choices would be Moderna, Pfizer or J&J vaccines not Sinovac or AstraZeneca.

Travelling to US just to get a vaccine?

That's a very expensive one.

[AlfHuy]

12 hours ago, gearbox said:

They are busy vaccinating Thais in Samui and Phuket in order to open for tourists mid year. The goal is to achieve herd immunity. For us who live in those places there are 3 options - they vaccinate us, pretend that we are not here, or move us out ????

or ship you out on a deserted island.

[shdmn]

Now that the Thai gov't is allowing private hospitals to buy vaccines I think they will start offering that to farangs.  It probably won't be cheap though.

Edited April 11, 2021 by shdmn

[Jeffr2]

7 minutes ago, shdmn said:

Now that the Thai gov't is allowing private hospitals to buy vaccines I think they will start offering that to farangs.  It probably won't be cheap though.

Only 3 have been approved so far.  J&J, Sinovac and AZ.  J&J won't be here until the end of the year, at the earliest.  Moderna and Pfizer are not approved.

 

Our best bet will be AZ as it will be produced locally.  Hopefully, we'll get some by the end of June.  Or so.

[shdmn]

10 hours ago, Jeffr2 said:

Only 3 have been approved so far.  J&J, Sinovac and AZ.  J&J won't be here until the end of the year, at the earliest.  Moderna and Pfizer are not approved.

 

Our best bet will be AZ as it will be produced locally.  Hopefully, we'll get some by the end of June.  Or so.

They will probably be able to get AZ from the Serum institute in India sooner than that.  The Indian gov't put a hold on exports for now but Serum needs to sell to private hospitals to help subsidize innoculating the local population.  So I think that hold on exports is only to gov'ts ordering very large quantites with discounts.  If there are private institutes willing to pay top dollar they will probably sell a few million here and there.

 

By top dollar I am talking only about $3-$5 a shot.  Thai hospitals will probably sell it for 10x that.

Edited April 11, 2021 by shdmn

[Jeffr2]

9 hours ago, shdmn said:

They will probably be able to get AZ from the Serum institute in India sooner than that.  The Indian gov't put a hold on exports for now but Serum needs to sell to private hospitals to help subsidize innoculating the local population.  So I think that hold on exports is only to gov'ts ordering very large quantites with discounts.  If there are private institutes willing to pay top dollar they will probably sell a few million here and there.

 

By top dollar I am talking only about $3-$5 a shot.  Thai hospitals will probably sell it for 10x that.

India is offering the jabs to any who want to pay for it.  Initially, I considered going there for a long holiday and get a shot.  But now, with the virus raging there, no way!!!  And no clear path for getting back here after that long holiday.

[Farang123]

1 hour ago, Jeffr2 said:

India is offering the jabs to any who want to pay for it.  Initially, I considered going there for a long holiday and get a shot.  But now, with the virus raging there, no way!!!  And no clear path for getting back here after that long holiday.

Have you ever  been to India, my friend?  It's no place you would want to go for medical treatment.  Especially at a time like this.

 

Best wishes.

[Speedo1968]

I have been trying to find out "What heart issues make it unadvisable to have the vaccine".
I recently had a pacemaker fitted.
No one seems to be sure.
My local area outside Banphai - south of Khon Kaen has just had it's first Covid cases.

[Jeffr2]

16 minutes ago, Speedo1968 said:

I have been trying to find out "What heart issues make it unadvisable to have the vaccine".
I recently had a pacemaker fitted.
No one seems to be sure.
My local area outside Banphai - south of Khon Kaen has just had it's first Covid cases.

I'd pop over to the covid forum and pose that question.  A good one!

[rcuthbert]

India's pharmaceutical companies mass produce safe effective hep C   medicines. The trick is to buy medicines from the correct sources. I see no evidence that said companies would produce an inferior vaccine.

Research is the key.

[Phillip9]

6 hours ago, Jeffr2 said:

India is offering the jabs to any who want to pay for it.  Initially, I considered going there for a long holiday and get a shot.  But now, with the virus raging there, no way!!!  And no clear path for getting back here after that long holiday.

 

There is also the small problem that India's borders are closed to foreigners unless you meet one of a few special exceptions.

[lumpinipark]

On 4/10/2021 at 7:14 AM, ExpatOK said:

It's important to remember that none of these vaccines are approved in the US. 

 

The Pfizer vaccine fact sheet says the following, 

 

"The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine is an unapproved vaccine."

 

and

 

"There is no U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved vaccine to prevent COVID-19 "

 

The vaccines have been made available in the US under Emergency Use Authorization.

 

https://www.fda.gov/media/144414/download

 

Why is this important? 

[Farang123]

3 hours ago, rcuthbert said:

India's pharmaceutical companies mass produce safe effective hep C   medicines. The trick is to buy medicines from the correct sources. I see no evidence that said companies would produce an inferior vaccine.

Research is the key.

The point is not whether India can produce safe vaccines.  They can and they do most likely have some decent health care facilities.  However right now the hospitals are literally overflowing with people.  I saw a video they are lying on the ground in the waiting rooms, all sick with covid and there are no doctors in the hospital.  India is chaotic even when things are normal.  Now it's absolutely out of control.  You can check bbc news for a recent video from yesterday about the situation in India.

 

Good luck to everyone!

[Jeffr2]

43 minutes ago, lumpinipark said:

Why is this important? 

Because we have no idea if there are long term health consequences with them.  Kinda scary, especially for the mRNA ones, which are an entirely new technology.