Thailand to receive 3.5 million more doses of Sinovac vaccine in May

[webfact]

FILE PHOTO: A health worker prepares to administer the Sinovac coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine at the Samut Sakhon hospital in Samut Sakhon province, Thailand, February 28, 2021. REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand will next month receive another 3.5 million doses of Sinovac Biotech's coronavirus vaccine, a senior health official said on Friday, as the country seeks to shore-up supplies amid its biggest outbreak so far.

 

One million doses will arrive on May 6 and two million more are due by the end of May, said Witoon Danwiboon, head of the Government Pharmaceutical Organization (GPO).

 

An additional 500,000 doses would be donated by the Chinese government, he told a briefing.

 

Thailand's latest coronavirus outbreak, which includes the highly transmissible B.1.1.7 variant, has accounted for about half of its overall cases and deaths during the pandemic, with 36,290 infections and 109 fatalities in April alone.

 

Health authorities reported 1,583 new cases and 15 more deaths on Friday and said 250 patients were on ventilators.

 

Thailand has yet to start its mass vaccination drive but has been administering the 2.5 million doses of the Sinovac vaccine it has received so far mainly to health workers or people deemed at risk of exposure.

 

The mass vaccinations will rely heavily on 61 million shots of AstraZeneca's vaccine to be produced locally from June.

 

Drug distributor, Zuellig Pharma, has submitted a request for emergency use authorisation and to import the Moderna vaccine to Thailand, a health ministry source told Reuters.

 

If approved, it would be the fourth vaccine authorised for use in Thailand.

 

The Thai government has also started discussions with representatives of Sinopharm about its vaccine, Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said.

 

Thailand has also approached India's Bharat Biotech and Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer's and the makers of Russia's Sputnik V.

 

(Reporting by Panarat Thepgumpanat and Chayut Setboonsarng; Editing by Martin Petty)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2021-05-01

 

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[realfunster]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

The Thai government has also started discussions with representatives of Sinopharm about its vaccine, Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said.

 

Thailand has also approached India's Bharat Biotech and Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer's and the makers of Russia's Sputnik V.

 

Outstanding work !

 

"On 13 January 2020 , the Ministry of Public Health announced the first confirmed case of COVID"

[Jimbone]

It's unfortunate that Thailand seems to be relying, at present, on Sinovac, one of the worst vaccines one could receive. And, if I remember correctly, the reason they are so late in getting vaccines was because they didn't pre-order, but wanted to wait to make sure the vaccines worked (and, in consequence, pay a higher price).  While Sinovac may be better than nothing, with so many others available, why go for one of the worst? 

[DonaldBattles]

22 minutes ago, Jimbone said:

It's unfortunate that Thailand seems to be relying, at present, on Sinovac, one of the worst vaccines one could receive. And, if I remember correctly, the reason they are so late in getting vaccines was because they didn't pre-order, but wanted to wait to make sure the vaccines worked (and, in consequence, pay a higher price).  While Sinovac may be better than nothing, with so many others available, why go for one of the worst? 

Sinovac is on the bottom of the effectiveness list. It also has a record of causing blood clots. Why would anyone in their right mind want to use it. What about the kick back from China to those who buy it. Thailand needs to forget Sinovac. June 1 a new Thai factory will open producing AstraZeneca. Why take a chance with cheap Chinese junk? Wait till the end of May.

[Poet]

2 minutes ago, DonaldBattles said:

June 1 a new Thai factory will open producing AstraZeneca. Why take a chance with cheap Chinese junk?

Because this is Thailand and the factory will almost certainly not be opening on June 1st.

The generals need to be able to announce that they are ready to restart mass tourism by June, when Westerners start receiving their vaccine passports and will be eager to make bookings. If a solid announcement, including dropping the quarantine requirement for the second half of the year (July 1st onwards), is not ready by June, they can kiss goodbye to this year's high season.

Part of the narrative will be that Thailand has already innoculated its most vulnerable citizens. It does not matter that the Chinese vaccine is ineffective, or that several blood clot deaths will have to be covered up. All that matters is the narrative.

[Fex Bluse]

16 minutes ago, Poet said:

If a solid announcement, including dropping the quarantine requirement for the second half of the year (July 1st onwards), is not ready by June, they can kiss goodbye to this year's high season

 

Good Morning 

 

Agree with the narrative. 

 

If the officials think tourism will be back soon, they are mistaken. There is no possibility of Thailand having anything looking like a high season this year. Zero chance. 

 

The globe is in crisis. People are broke. The pandemic rages on with mutating strains that can easily infect again and again. We are possibly on the brink of major military conflicts in 3 separate parts of the world. 

 

A return to heavy tourism in Thailand is YEARS away, not months. 

Edited May 1, 2021 by Fex Bluse

[ExpatOilWorker]

5 minutes ago, Fex Bluse said:

 

Good Morning 

 

There is no possibility of Thailand having anything looking like a high season this year. Zero chance. 

 

The globe is in crisis. People are broke. The pandemic rages on with mutating strains that can easily infect again and again. We are possibly on the brink of major military conflicts in 3 separate parts of the world. 

 

A return to heavy tourism in Thailand is YEARS away, not months. 

Totally agree with you. It is only a matter of time before the Indian variant makes its way through Myanmar. It has already found its way to Europe. 

 

Health authorities in the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Romania, Switzerland and Belgium have detected cases of the so-called Indian variant, formally known as B.1.617.

[rabas]

15 minutes ago, ExpatOilWorker said:

Totally agree with you. It is only a matter of time before the Indian variant makes its way through Myanmar. It has already found its way to Europe. 

 

Health authorities in the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Romania, Switzerland and Belgium have detected cases of the so-called Indian variant, formally known as B.1.617.

 

One case of the vicious Brazilian P.1 variant has already been found in ASQ, reported on April  23, 2021. This is probably why they restored the 14 day quarantine. It was discovered on day 6.

 

I doubt Sinovac's effectiveness with P.1. 

 

Edited May 1, 2021 by rabas

[Stormfish]

31 minutes ago, Poet said:

Because this is Thailand and the factory will almost certainly not be opening on June 1st.

The generals need to be able to announce that they are ready to restart mass tourism by June, when Westerners start receiving their vaccine passports and will be eager to make bookings. If a solid announcement, including dropping the quarantine requirement for the second half of the year (July 1st onwards), is not ready by June, they can kiss goodbye to this year's high season.

Part of the narrative will be that Thailand has already innoculated its most vulnerable citizens. It does not matter that the Chinese vaccine is ineffective, or that several blood clot deaths will have to be covered up. All that matters is the narrative.

People travelling on vaccine related passports will still have to be tested as they can be host to the virus.Letting them in would be catastrophic.

[Poet]

35 minutes ago, Fex Bluse said:

People are broke.

Almost all analysts agree that there is massive pent-up demand. Thanks to unprecedented levels of money printing, most people in the West continued to receive money while furloughed. Many others continued to do their jobs from home. All spent far less money than usual as they were unable to go to bars, restaurants, non-essential shopping, vacations etc.

If you want an exact metric, check how levels of household debt (mostly credit cards) have been paid down over the past 400 days. When people clear their credit cards, it puts them in a good mood to ... use their credit cards!

I am not saying that everyone has prospered, and the money-printing will be a heavy burden on future generations, but plenty of people have plenty of money right now, and they are eager to blow some dough on exotic vacations.
 

35 minutes ago, Fex Bluse said:

The pandemic rages on with mutating strains that can easily infect again and again.

So far, no mutation has emerged that renders the vaccines ineffective. I have read papers that explain why it is almost impossible for any mutation to achieve that. The reason why the Indian variant is being played up is that Western governments are extremely worried that, with the clear success of the vaccines so far, the public will prematurely drop their caution. The governments need to get their younger age groups vaccinated first.

This week, Israel, whose vaccine program had a two-month headstart and has made the Pfizer vaccine available to all adult age groups, has reached a rolling seven-day average of ten infections per million. This is low enough to be considered "zero Covid" by countries such as Singapore and South Korea. Many countries, such as Ireland, have already dropped the quarantine requirement for vaccinated Israelis. There is no scientific argument, for any country, against allowing entry to VVVs (verifiably vaccinated visitors) coming from a country with extremely low levels of infection.

The EU voted through their vaccine passport plan on Thursday, after agreeing reciprocal standards with the US. They will trial it this month and officially launch it throughout the EU on June 1st. National governments, under tremendous pressure from their citizens, will roll it out as quickly as possible. It is likely that, once again, the US and UK will be ahead of them.

By the start of July, most Western countries will be in roughly the same position as Israel, including having internationally recognized vaccine passports.
 

35 minutes ago, Fex Bluse said:

We are possibly on the brink of major military conflicts in 3 separate parts of the world. 

Tourists don't care.
 

35 minutes ago, Fex Bluse said:

A return to heavy tourism in Thailand is YEARS away, not months. 

If it is true that variants are going to rip apart the West's recovery, that Israel's success pressages, then it is pretty much game over for the world economy.

Again, however, there is no evidence that any variant of Covid-19 can render the effective vaccines (Sinovac not included in that category) ineffective and it is considered highly unlikely by credible scientists (the ones not on TikTok).

We clearly see the world very differently, but it is clear to me that mass tourism is about to bounce back hard during the second half of this year in the countries that decide to recognize vaccine passports and drop quarantine requirements.


 

Edited May 1, 2021 by Poet

[Bkk Brian]

11 minutes ago, rabas said:

 

One case of the vicious Brazilian P.1 variant has already been found in ASQ, reported on April  23, 2021. This is probably why they restored the 14 day quarantine. It was discovered on day 6.

 

I doubt Sinovac's effectiveness with P.1. 

 

I also question Sinovac's effectiveness with the UK strain, its never been tested for that before.

[anchadian]

1 hour ago, Jimbone said:

It's unfortunate that Thailand seems to be relying, at present, on Sinovac, one of the worst vaccines one could receive. And, if I remember correctly, the reason they are so late in getting vaccines was because they didn't pre-order, but wanted to wait to make sure the vaccines worked (and, in consequence, pay a higher price).  While Sinovac may be better than nothing, with so many others available, why go for one of the worst? 

Anutin has stated that people cannot choose which vaccine they have due to the concern over side effects of the shots, presumably Sinovac.

[Poet]

22 minutes ago, Stormfish said:

People travelling on vaccine related passports will still have to be tested as they can be host to the virus.Letting them in would be catastrophic.

The effective vaccines all significantly reduce transmission, by 66% in the case of Pfizer.

Vaccinated passengers arriving from countries with "zero covid" levels of infection, on planes carrying only vaccinated passengers and crew, are no risk. No one will be getting tested.

The current quarantine system, despite all the testing, is far more risky.

Where all the infection is coming from, however, is the continuos flow of migrants over the uncontrolled land borders with countries where the pandemic is truly out of control. The variant misguidedly refered to as the "UK variant" actually came in from Cambodia, not Liverpudlians swimming ashore.

 

[Cake Monster]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Thailand has yet to start its mass vaccination drive but has been administering the 2.5 million doses of the Sinovac vaccine it has received so far mainly to health workers or people deemed at risk of exposure.

Many of these Doses of Vaccine will have been " wasted " on inoculating people who are outside of these categories.

People have been Inoculated that are not at risk, and are able to pay for Vaccines through Cronyism or some other means.

Just a couple of days ago, some guy posted on here, who said he was from Samui, reckoned he had already had 2 jabs, and said it was because he was in the Tourist Industry, and had been offered the Vaccines by Local Health Officials.

With Vaccines in short supply, why was a person in the Tourist Industry fully inoculated, when Tourism is a dead Duck for several Months at least, and with him having little risk of exposure.

I dont blame this guy for getting Vaccinated, as many of us , if  offered, would accept the offer of jabs. The whole system is broken...thats the problem

As I have already said........vaccines wasted

[hotchilli]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Thailand will next month receive another 3.5 million doses of Sinovac Biotech's coronavirus vaccine, a senior health official said on Friday, as the country seeks to shore-up supplies amid its biggest outbreak so far.

The vaccine programme said those over 60 will be first on the list for the vaccine... so they get Sinovac which cannot be administered to over 60's ... great planning.

[Poet]

1 minute ago, hotchilli said:

so they get Sinovac which cannot be administered to over 60's

It can be if you hold them down.

[mahjongguy]

There is a lot of science that needs to be understood before paying any attention at all to the click-bait headlines. 

 

Even just this little bit makes the situation a lot clearer:

" The Sinovac study was to look at how the vaccine works against the entire range of clinical symptoms, from mild infections to severe ones, including death. The efficacy data of about 50% is for very mild disease, requiring no treatment. For infections requiring some medical intervention, it’s about 84% and for moderate-to-severe Covid cases, it’s 100%."

[Cake Monster]

28 minutes ago, Bkk Brian said:

I also question Sinovac's effectiveness with the UK strain, its never been tested for that before.

With many, if not all of the Vaccines, it is a race to Vaccinate people before these Mutations get a real grip, and unleash something that potentially could be far worse than anything seen thus far.

If the Mutations take over, then the Vaccines become virtually useless.

This is the Major priority for getting people Vaccinated quickly.

A concept that has completely escaped some Governments sadly

[CharlieH]

WARNING

 

1) You will not express disrespect of the King of Thailand or any one member of the Thai royal family, whether living or deceased, nor to criticize the monarchy as an institution.

By law, the Thai Royal Family are above politics. Speculation, comments and discussion of either a political or personal nature are not allowed when discussing HM The King or the Royal family.

To breach these rules will result in an immediate ban.

 

[internationalism]

looks, like prayuth's new powers allow him not to inform cabinet and seek their agreement on big decisions and large purchases.

one dose of sinovac is $20 and $70mln is a lot of money to be decided on a whim of one person.

[gearbox]

1 hour ago, rabas said:

 

One case of the vicious Brazilian P.1 variant has already been found in ASQ, reported on April  23, 2021. This is probably why they restored the 14 day quarantine. It was discovered on day 6.

 

I doubt Sinovac's effectiveness with P.1. 

 

 

Sinovac is the only vaccine which has some real world data about effectiveness agains P.1 :

 

https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2021/04/chinese-covid-19-vaccine-maintains-protection-variant-plagued-brazil

 

None of the other vaccines have real world data against P.1 , only "lab" studies. Probably expected, as P.1 is still mostly in Brazil.

Edited May 1, 2021 by gearbox

[gearbox]

1 hour ago, Bkk Brian said:

I also question Sinovac's effectiveness with the UK strain, its never been tested for that before.

 

It is effective....Turkey's cases are 75% UK variant.

 

https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Coronavirus/COVID-vaccines/Turkey-says-China-s-Sinovac-vaccine-is-significantly-effective

 

The South African is the only variant which lacks data about most of the vaccines except AZ.  The government has ordered Sputnik and Sinopharm vaccines, but the evaluation is ongoing, no real data.

 

From what I've seen the J&J vaccine seem to be a really good vaccine, hopefully the government here can get some.

 

[Danderman123]

38 minutes ago, Cake Monster said:

With many, if not all of the Vaccines, it is a race to Vaccinate people before these Mutations get a real grip, and unleash something that potentially could be far worse than anything seen thus far.

If the Mutations take over, then the Vaccines become virtually useless.

This is the Major priority for getting people Vaccinated quickly.

A concept that has completely escaped some Governments sadly

As a point of information, none of the currently known variants emerged after significant numbers of people were vaccinated. That means that the current variants are not likely to breach the immunity of the vaccinated.

 

The problem will come when a variant appears that evolved among vaccinated individuals.

[Jeffr2]

41 minutes ago, Bkk Brian said:

I also question Sinovac's effectiveness with the UK strain, its never been tested for that before.

I believe it's been tested, and has about the same effectiveness.  50% or so.  Of course that was reported by their Brazilian partner.  So who really knows. 

 

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

 

 

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41577-021-00556-5

 

Quote

The efficacy of CoronaVac/Sinovac inactivated virus vaccine in Brazil, where 75% of infections were with the P.1 variant, was estimated at around 50% against symptomatic infection⁹.

 

[gearbox]

46 minutes ago, Cake Monster said:

Many of these Doses of Vaccine will have been " wasted " on inoculating people who are outside of these categories.

People have been Inoculated that are not at risk, and are able to pay for Vaccines through Cronyism or some other means.

Just a couple of days ago, some guy posted on here, who said he was from Samui, reckoned he had already had 2 jabs, and said it was because he was in the Tourist Industry, and had been offered the Vaccines by Local Health Officials.

With Vaccines in short supply, why was a person in the Tourist Industry fully inoculated, when Tourism is a dead Duck for several Months at least, and with him having little risk of exposure.

I dont blame this guy for getting Vaccinated, as many of us , if  offered, would accept the offer of jabs. The whole system is broken...thats the problem

As I have already said........vaccines wasted

 

Yup....around 30% of the Thais in Samui had 2 Sinovac jabs already.  My gf had her second one last week. I know quite a few people below 30 vaccinated...not in any risk group.  Trying to vaccinate the tourist spots first is wrong, the tourists are not coming anyway. The jabs should go to the health staff and other risk groups.

[clokwise]

Thais (and Chinese) will get a shock when they discover they can't travel to Europe with Sinovac or Sputnic vaccines, as they are not approved by the EU.

 

https://fortune.com/2021/04/26/europe-travel-vaccinated-americans-vaccine-us-eu-china/

[simon43]

1 hour ago, Poet said:

...but it is clear to me that mass tourism is about to bounce back hard during the second half of this year in the countries that decide to recognize vaccine passports and drop quarantine requirements.
 

 

I hope your optimism turns out to be true.  I'm a realist.  I expect further outbreaks of new and virulent Covid strains across the world, that will continue to greatly affect the world economy and individual's own finances.

 

I'm guessing around 2025 before mass tourism returns - and I'm being optimistic!

[Bkk Brian]

31 minutes ago, gearbox said:

 

Sinovac is the only vaccine which has some real world data about effectiveness agains P.1 :

 

https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2021/04/chinese-covid-19-vaccine-maintains-protection-variant-plagued-brazil

 

None of the other vaccines have real world data against P.1 , only "lab" studies. Probably expected, as P.1 is still mostly in Brazil.

This is pre print and still only interim results, best to wait for the final peer reviewed version before making conclusions

https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.04.07.21255081v1

 

 

[rabas]

32 minutes ago, gearbox said:

 

Sinovac is the only vaccine which has some real world data about effectiveness agains P.1 :

 

https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2021/04/chinese-covid-19-vaccine-maintains-protection-variant-plagued-brazil

 

None of the other vaccines have real world data against P.1 , only "lab" studies. Probably expected, as P.1 is still mostly in Brazil.

 

Found 49.6% effective in a large group of medical workers in an area that has 75% P.1 variant cases.  So similar to original trial.

 

[RJRS1301]

56 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

The vaccine programme said those over 60 will be first on the list for the vaccine... so they get Sinovac which cannot be administered to over 60's ... great planning.

Maybe it is considered the over 60s are the most expendable in the mass trials for effective vaccines, and the chinese vaccine is deemed least effective anyway