FILE PHOTO: Vials of the Pfizer-BioNTech Comirnaty coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine are pictured in a General practitioners practice in Berlin, Germany, April 10, 2021. REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand is negotiating to buy five to 10 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer Inc and BioNTech, the country's prime minister said on Tuesday.

 

The doses are expected to be delivered between July and the end of the year, Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha told reporters.

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2021-04-20

 

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

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I sure hope they follow thru on this and it is available.

Willing to pay no problem, just don't want the other option jabs.

5 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

Thailand is negotiating to buy five to 10 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer Inc and BioNTech, the country's prime minister said on Tuesday.

he isn't credible; could just be an email, if even that

Five to ten million doses, so, who gets the Pfizer and who gets the Chinese gunk???

5 minutes ago, YetAnother said:

he isn't credible; could just be an email, if even that

There are some things that should not be written in emails!

13 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

delivered between July and the end of the year

 

That's a fairly wide window right there !

Note the key word: "negotiating"

 

Nothing ordered, finalized, so on, unfortunately.

 

Take this with a grain of salt.

All the vaccine manufacturers are maxed out with current orders.

 

Sorry k. Prayuth you are way too late to the party.

 

There might be some spare J&J or Az doses available from countries who are scared of an absolutely miniscule risk of blood clots. 

 

Thailand just has clots.

What is this?  Innoculations against 2.5 or 5 million people, that's it.  You need to jabs for it.

This is nothing.  

This isn't even a start.  This is ridiculous.

Thailand seeks five-ten million doses of Pfizer vaccines

 

FILE PHOTO: People queue to be tested for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), as the country deals with a fresh wave of infections after tackling earlier outbreaks, in Bangkok, Thailand April 16, 2021. REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand is seeking between five and 10 million doses of Pfizer and BioNTech's coronavirus vaccine, its prime minister said on Tuesday, as the government seeks to shore-up supplies while battling its fastest-spreading outbreak so far.

 

Thailand has been credited for its swift containment of its earlier infection waves, but has yet to start mass COVID-19 vaccinations, with just under 572,000 people inoculated with first doses so far.

 

"We're still waiting for quotations and terms and conditions," Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha told reporters, adding the targeted delivery period for the Pfizer-BioNtech vaccines was July to year-end.

 

His government has been criticised for its slow procurement of vaccines and over-reliance on that of AstraZeneca, which Thailand expects to be available from June.

 

Authorities on Tuesday assured the public there were sufficient hospital beds for the rising number of coronavirus patients, amid a third wave of infections that has reached all 77 of its provinces.

 

Thailand's policy of hospitalising all who test positive for COVID-19, even without symptoms, has prompted concern about its capacity should the number of patients with severe symptoms surge.

 

"We can guarantee you a bed within 24-48 hours," Somsak Akksilp, Director-General of the Department of Medical Services, told reporters.

 

He said asymptomatic patients and some with mild symptoms would be moved to field hospitals, or "hospitels" - hotels converted into care facilities.

 

Authorities have also drawn up an alternative plan to allow patients with less serious symptoms to self-isolate at home if new daily infections surpass 10,000 and hospitals cannot cope.

 

There are currently more than 9,000 Thai hospital beds available, up from 7,000 last week, officials said. The government has asked hospitals to double or increase by 50% their intensive care capacity.

 

Authorities on Tuesday reported 1,443 new cases and four new deaths, bringing total infections to 45,185 with 108 fatalities. A third of Thailand's cases have come this month, with record infections on most days last week.

 

The current wave includes the highly transmissible B.1.1.7 variant, which is blamed for big jumps in infections in many countries, including nearby in the Philippines, where hospitals are struggling.

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2021-04-20

 

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

- Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

5 to 10 million between July and the end of the year you say??

 

nah he's telling porkies again, he has to be in  news saying something or his fragile ego will get dented, a truly pathetic creature unfit to run a bath let alone a country....

3 hours ago, PatOngo said:

Five to ten million doses, so, who gets the Pfizer and who gets the Chinese gunk???

I doubt that this stuff will be distributed throughout the country.

Quite a logistic challenge with the ultra cold storage.

So not only will it be for prime payers but also at prime locations, private hospitals at few centers.

For cheap(er) you will get Astra Zeneca which is planned to be the main mass vaccine.

I wouldn't hesitate to take AZ if there is a practical benefit of the vaccination regarding travel and the like.

whats there to negotiate...if you care about your people just get it

3 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

We're still waiting for quotations and terms and conditions

 

Nothing to see here. Move along!  ????

Good news. As more and more Americans get vaccinated, very soon The Pfizer, Moderna, and J&J production will become available to the world. Good to be negotiating now so that they are at the front of the line. 

3 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Authorities have also drawn up an alternative plan to allow patients with less serious symptoms to self-isolate at home if new daily infections surpass 10,000 and hospitals cannot cope.

I intend to self isolate anyway if I have or suspect I have Covid. There's no way they are hauling me away to to a hospital or one of those holding pens!

Thailand is not in a position to negotiate and Pfizer is not making  "bid".  Thailand must go and pay whatever the cost is. No discussion.  Other countries are in line and willing to pay the Pfizer price. The arrogance of the Thai government is astounding. Delusional to think that a company with a product in high demand is going to bid or negotiate on a small order of vaccine. Thailand  needs Pfizer vaccine. Pfizer does not need Thailand. The people who have the financial means will go to other country to get vaccine access.

4 hours ago, Blumpie said:

What is this?  Innoculations against 2.5 or 5 million people, that's it.  You need to jabs for it.

This is nothing.  

This isn't even a start.  This is ridiculous.

Surely, there aren't that many senior police, army, civil servants and other good and influential people.  Even after all their extended families have been jabbed, there may be quite a few doses left over.

 

Mind you the administrative costs may be quite high, and will of course have to be recouped...

must be really hurting to have to spend money on the people 

 

I am sure there will be a filter applied

1 hour ago, Patong2021 said:

Thailand is not in a position to negotiate and Pfizer is not making  "bid".  Thailand must go and pay whatever the cost is. No discussion.  Other countries are in line and willing to pay the Pfizer price. The arrogance of the Thai government is astounding. Delusional to think that a company with a product in high demand is going to bid or negotiate on a small order of vaccine. Thailand  needs Pfizer vaccine. Pfizer does not need Thailand. The people who have the financial means will go to other country to get vaccine access.

Everything is always subject to negotiation, Thailand might , I emphasize, Might not have a strong negotiating  position, but it does have one. 

6 hours ago, bkk6060 said:

I sure hope they follow thru on this and it is available.

Willing to pay no problem, just don't want the other option jabs.

There will be a lot more supply once the US, UK, and EU get most of their people vaccinated.   I think that could start happening in the next couple months.  So Thailand negotiating for delivery starting in July sounds realistic.

8 hours ago, PatOngo said:

Five to ten million doses, so, who gets the Pfizer and who gets the Chinese gunk???

My guess is anyone willing to pay for it will be able to eventually get Pfizer/Moderna from private hospitals.  They won't be vaccinating the masses for free with Pfizer because it costs a lot more than AstraZeneca. So maybe they will only use that for critical care and front line workers.

 

AstraZeneca is cheaper to make and not selling for a profit.  I think it only costs around $3.  I think Pfizer/Moderna go for about $20 a shot.  Thai private hospitals would probably try sell it for at least 3x that.

8 hours ago, galt1967 said:

Note the key word: "negotiating"

 

Nothing ordered, finalized, so on, unfortunately.

 

Take this with a grain of salt.

555, I don't believe one word this man says, its all propaganda to keep the population quite, and make them think the government is doing something, 

They have been negotiating deals with vaccine manufacturers for a year now, according to them, and yet we get a dribble of deliveries, and the proof is that only 1% of the population has been vacciated todate, this Government is pathetic, and either hasn't got the money to purchase vaccine or doesn't want to spend the money on the population... 

18 minutes ago, Soikhaonoiken said:

555, I don't believe one word this man says, its all propaganda to keep the population quite, and make them think the government is doing something, 

They have been negotiating deals with vaccine manufacturers for a year now, according to them, and yet we get a dribble of deliveries, and the proof is that only 1% of the population has been vacciated todate, this Government is pathetic, and either hasn't got the money to purchase vaccine or doesn't want to spend the money on the population... 

Many 1st world countries are having problems getting sufficient vaccine as well.  They can only make so much.  Supply and demand.  Production is slowly ramping up so it will get better over time. 

 

Pfizer seems to really be ramping up their production now.  Not sure what the heck is going on with AstraZeneca and Moderna.  They seem to be flailing.  Both are new to vaccine production on a large scale and it shows.  However, J&J also seems to be flailing. They have a long history of large scale vaccine production so they have no excuse.  Some other large manufacturers are jumping in to help out like GlaxoSmithKline and Sanofi so that should help on the production end of things over the next few months.

Pfizer/BioNTech now think they can make 2.5 Billion doses this year, up from 2 billion.  A new plant came on-line in Germany. 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

New capital investments at Moderna’s manufacturing facilities expected to increase 2022 capacity to approximately 1.4 billion doses at the 100 μg dose

Moderna also increases its 2021 base plan to 700 million doses and is working to supply up to 1 billion doses in 2021

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

J&J/Janssen is floundering a bit recently.  It sounds like Merck & Co. is going to help out.

Nobody realizes Pfizer vaccine is a crazy idea for Thailand?
It´s a mRNA vaccine. It takes handling even European countries have problems with. It requires freezing temperatures well below a normal freezer, even under transport. The smallest shake of the vaccine take away all effect. Personel has to get special training to handle this vaccine and evenso large parties of the vaccine has to be discarded because of slight mishandling.

There is a great risk people in Thailand is only getting a placebo injection with no active ingredients. To a very high price. This vaccine is expensive.

Astra Zeneca and Jansen vector vaccine is the way to go in developing countries.

6 hours ago, Lingba said:

whats there to negotiate...if you care about your people just get it

Installment plan. 

4 hours ago, Soikhaonoiken said:

555, I don't believe one word this man says, its all propaganda to keep the population quite, and make them think the government is doing something, 

They have been negotiating deals with vaccine manufacturers for a year now, according to them, and yet we get a dribble of deliveries, and the proof is that only 1% of the population has been vacciated todate, this Government is pathetic, and either hasn't got the money to purchase vaccine or doesn't want to spend the money on the population... 

Yeah. Come to think of it, didn't Thailand have a big order with AstraZeneca that was delayed by the export embargo in the EU? If so, that should be coming eventually, or was that order just a dream? 

12 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Thailand is negotiating to buy five to 10 million doses of the COVID-19

This is April 2020 right? I must have read the date on the headline wrong - I thought it said 2021, silly me.

8 minutes ago, KhaoYai said:

This is April 2020 right? I must have read the date on the headline wrong - I thought it said 2021, silly me.

They are waiting for the producing countries to be vaccinated so that they can buy the vaccine a fire sale prices. 

It is as simple as that.