Far-flung U.S. citizens clamour for vaccines from embassies

[Phulublub]

6 minutes ago, Misty said:

Hmm, if there were a famine in Thailand and the Thai gov't was issuing plans to feed its citizens but telling all others to get to the back of the line, what could possibly go wrong?

 

Except that the Thai Gvernment is not saying this.  Maybe if the Western world freed up a few more doses rather than hoarding quite so many, we would all be in a better position.

 

PH

[vinny41]

1 hour ago, Kleepanna said:

It can be done easily first the staff has already been trained they vaccinated themselves. 2 online registration will allow advance proof of citizenship by uploaded valid passport.3 citizens show up by approved transport a car to embassy open parking lot. 4 staff verification of passport against the online registration. Citizens sign waiver understand side affects. Dose given and citizens wait 15 minutes to ensure they feel ok. Done and if the embassy uses the Johnson and Johnson vaccines 1 visit is all that's required.

And built into the waiver that you sign, that you agree if complications occur that require hospitalization you agree to be transported to the nearest US base for treatment, if the  US  Government decide to have their own vaccination process then they must own the entire process not piecemeal

[Misty]

8 hours ago, waders123 said:

I don't think any American sees the Embassy as a hospital.  "The primary purpose of an embassy is to assist American citizens who travel to or live in the host country." , this statement was taken from https://diplomacy.state.gov/diplomacy/what-is-a-u-s-embassy/ website.  US citizens in a "host" country should be offered vaccinations for covid-19 in that country to assist them in staying alive.   After all, the US government doesn't stop asking for taxes from citizens while they are traveling or residing in another country so they deserve the same respect, benefits, and vaccines as afforded to citizens living at home.    

 

I agree. The US embassy could organize an effort.  But it doesn't have to execute it itself. there are plenty of other resources that could be called on to help carry it out. 

 

For example, besides the local Thai health care system, the US military has a humanitarian mission.  Remember the USAF officer who was briefing on the "thai cave rescue" effort: https://www.airforcemag.com/us-airmen-played-key-role-in-thai-cave-rescue/

 

There are plenty of other humanitarian examples, major and minor. These include the US military providing aid against Ebola in W. Africa, etc: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_United_Assistance    https://www.army.mil/humanitarian/medical.html

 

When I served, we relished these types of missions as being a welcome divergence, a real world mission, and a chance to train to think outside the box.  Now I'm just a lowly US taxpayer helping to fund these things, and asking for consideration from my government...

[Misty]

31 minutes ago, Phulublub said:

Except that the Thai Gvernment is not saying this.  Maybe if the Western world freed up a few more doses rather than hoarding quite so many, we would all be in a better position.

 

PH

 

Really?  It's a front page, top of the fold story in one of today's English language newspapers.

 

Western world ordered and paid for the vaccines they are using, and Western tax dollars funded their research. To the best of my knowledge, Thailand has yet to order Western vaccines such as Moderna, Pfizer or J&J.

[Lucifer999]

FAR FLUNG US citizens ? 

[joe jadore]

On 5/13/2021 at 10:37 AM, Pilotman said:

why? Logistically simple and a contracts with one of more local hospitals to administer the vaccine. It could be done easily they just cant be arsed. 

Each embassy could employ ONE nurse to inject the vax, my dog could do it. DHL is not complicated. 

 

Anyhoo, I want to know how the hell do us "white devils" register for the vax. Mor Prom app is NOT doable, for me, I've tried, tried, tried, I really do not want to enter any hospital unless it's unavoidable. 

 

Surely my passport, yearly visa, 90 day reports, 5 year x 2 licenses, car/bike, proof of residency certificate, is ENOUGH already!?

 

Where do I go? 

[Chiang Mai Bill]

23 hours ago, placnx said:

The US Embassy has a list of many US citizens residing here, those who have registered. For any who have not, it would be an incentive to do so if they knew it could be a way to get vaccinated. As for concerns about HIPAA confidentiality, expats could download a form and send it back to Embassy by post.

Mmmmm. I wonder how the US Embassy will be able to contact those US citizens that have not registered -- if they don't know where they are or their names even -- and inform them that they should register ''a form'' and then post it to them?

[Chiang Mai Bill]

6 hours ago, Kleepanna said:

It can be done easily first the staff has already been trained they vaccinated themselves. 2 online registration will allow advance proof of citizenship by uploaded valid passport.3 citizens show up by approved transport a car to embassy open parking lot. 4 staff verification of passport against the online registration. Citizens sign waiver understand side affects. Dose given and citizens wait 15 minutes to ensure they feel ok. Done and if the embassy uses the Johnson and Johnson vaccines 1 visit is all that's required.

Yep! It's possible -- but you haven't mixed with many of our countrymen to realize that they either don't care or haven't got the intelligence to follow 'complicated' instructions!

[placnx]

4 hours ago, vinny41 said:

And built into the waiver that you sign, that you agree if complications occur that require hospitalization you agree to be transported to the nearest US base for treatment, if the  US  Government decide to have their own vaccination process then they must own the entire process not piecemeal

So you also mean the Embassy staff are sent abroad for medical care should the need arise?

[Phulublub]

2 hours ago, joe jadore said:

Anyhoo, I want to know how the hell do us "white devils" register for the vax. Mor Prom app is NOT doable, for me, I've tried, tried, tried, I really do not want to enter any hospital unless it's unavoidable. 

You wait for the English language version, which is in course of production, to be announced and use that.

 

PH

[John Drake]

8 minutes ago, Phulublub said:

You wait for the English language version

 

And wait, and wait, and wait, and wait . . . .

[John Drake]

I realize that there sometimes is a a fine line between diplomacy and sucking up. But this guy is about a mile over that line, deep into sucking up territory. Thanks for nothing, Mike.

 

 

[placnx]

31 minutes ago, Chiang Mai Bill said:

Mmmmm. I wonder how the US Embassy will be able to contact those US citizens that have not registered -- if they don't know where they are or their names even -- and inform them that they should register ''a form'' and then post it to them?

Shouldn't it be obvious that expat Americans need to follow the vaccination issue by reading newspapers, this forum, word of mouth, or other news sources? It should be big news if the Embassy embarks on a vaccination program and asks Americans to make contact online.

[Phulublub]

21 minutes ago, John Drake said:

 

And wait, and wait, and wait, and wait . . . .

Or take a trip to Chiang Mai

 

 

[Liverpool Lou]

On 5/12/2021 at 9:23 PM, asiacurious said:

On 5/12/2021 at 7:52 PM, sqwakvfr said:

Logistically not feasible.  What would an embassy do?  Set up a mass vaccination site on embassy grounds?  Not likely.  Security to enter any US Embassy(especially now) is cumbersome.  Also, the embassy would then have o set up a process to register, verify and book time slots for the vaccination.  Could the embassy hire local medical staff to vaccinate only it's citizens?  It could turn into a diplomatic nightmare.  If it got really bad in any country the only real assistance the embassy would provide is emergency evacuation(anyone remember those flights from Japan to Travis Air Force Base in 2020?).  Of course even embassy operated evacuations are not free.  As I recall the US Embassy charged each evacuated person from Japan approximately $4400.  

 

This is issue is Dead on Arrival.  

Expand  

 

Logistically very feasible.  How many expats from the US do you think there are in Thailand?  No need to enter very far onto the grounds.  Set up a big tent outside of the buildings.  Safer for unvaccinated people to not congregate inside of buildings anyway.  Appointment system?  Are you kidding?  This is so easy to do.  Easy to automate confirmation emails.  Military medics can be brought in to administer vaccines if needed, but local nurses could also be hired.

"There are no official figures on Americans living in Thailand, but Democrats Abroad estimates it as tens of thousands".

[Liverpool Lou]

On 5/12/2021 at 9:26 PM, asiacurious said:

When it comes to the US government vaccinating it's citizens abroad, the question should not be, "can they?"   The question should be, "why aren't they?"

 

Why such a can't do attitude on these pages?!  

Thaivisa members have no say in what the US government can, or can't, do here.   A different attitude wouldn't get them vaccinated.

[canthai55]

6 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

"There are no official figures on Americans living in Thailand,

Seems funny if true

EVERY passport is scanned on arrival in LOS. Easy enough to count the American ones, or Canadian, or whoever.

[Liverpool Lou]

On 5/12/2021 at 9:57 PM, Misty said:

Should be a cakewalk for a country that can organize Cobra Gold in the middle of a pandemic. 

The training for the military defence of Thailand and the US is a bit more important than a few inoculations of whingers.

[Liverpool Lou]

On 5/13/2021 at 6:37 AM, Chris888 said:

Only a Democrat would think that US Embassies around the World would supply a vaccine. Always wanting something free.

It's not a case of wanting to get something free, they are, eventually, going to be able to get the vaccine free here.  

[Liverpool Lou]

On 5/13/2021 at 6:40 AM, bristolgeoff said:

Why not they are entitled to vacines  from the us as if they were in the states.Same should apply to other nations too

Should but that's  not the way it works.

[Liverpool Lou]

On 5/13/2021 at 7:18 AM, riverhigh said:

The strong arguement in favor of Americans living abroad is that they pay taxes on their worldly income and are obliged to live by the USA regulations. It's a two street: pay taxes, receive benefit.

That argument collapses immediately when you bear in mind that the US  providing medical benefits to it's expat citizens has never been part of the tax-paying deal.   Why should it be thrown in now?

[Liverpool Lou]

On 5/13/2021 at 7:49 AM, iamariva1957 said:

On 5/12/2021 at 8:16 PM, placeholder said:

Who is they? The embassies of which countries? Is the Thai Red Cross meant to be coopted in the interests of expats? Has it no other functions to perform?

But it is not the Thai Red Cross. It is part of the entire Red Cross organization... not a separate entity.

Yes, it is the Thai Red Cross and it is an independent entity funded entirely by Thailand although it is affiliated with the International Red Cross in the same way that the American Red Cross is also affiliated with the International organisation.  It is a separate entity.

[Liverpool Lou]

On 5/13/2021 at 7:53 AM, iamariva1957 said:

On 5/12/2021 at 9:47 PM, VocalNeal said:

Why do Americans think their Embassy is a hospital. 

Because it is there to "support... inform... and help" it citizens in country.... like all foreign missions are tasked to do.

But it's never been there to provide free medical treatment for it's expat citizens.

[John Drake]

4 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

But it's never been there to provide free medical treatment for it's expat citizens.

 

Yes, it has.  

Quote

When Gary Suwannarat first moved to Thailand in the 1980s, she and her family were vaccinated against hepatitis B, a major public health concern in Asia at the time, on the grounds of the U.S. Consulate in the northern Thai city of Chiang Mai. 

 https://www.voanews.com/east-asia-pacific/overseas-and-overlooked-americans-thailand-seek-vaccines

 

[GinBoy2]

I give up with this topic, but as a parting comment.

 

I'm assuming that those of you arguing for this, you will also be lobbying your representatives to extend Medicare benefits to everyone living overseas, as you have all eloquently said, you pay your taxes, you should receive the same benefits.

 

So I'd be hitting that keyboard pretty hard right now!

[iamariva1957]

9 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

But it's never been there to provide free medical treatment for it's expat citizens.

Well.... in the 70s in Spain during the Cholera epidemic... I and my family received our vaccinations by US Navy and Marine Corpsmen at a US consulate.  So, they certainly do have the capability and the personnel to do it. Besides, they would be given on US soil and as Thais and other nationalities are getting their vaccinations in the US.... so.... if Thailand or anyone else wants to see the US doing for their citizens as some sort of "special treatment"...  so be it.

 

By the way, what is the British Home Office doing?

[iamariva1957]

37 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

That argument collapses immediately when you bear in mind that the US  providing medical benefits to it's expat citizens has never been part of the tax-paying deal.   Why should it be thrown in now?

Rubbish!

[John Drake]

4 minutes ago, GinBoy2 said:

I'm assuming that those of you arguing for this, you will also be lobbying your representatives to extend Medicare benefits to everyone living overseas, as you have all eloquently said, you pay your taxes, you should receive the same benefits.

 

Yes. Why not? Treatment in Thailand being much cheaper than the US would mean cost savings. 

[Liverpool Lou]

On 5/13/2021 at 8:27 AM, bunnydrops said:

deaths per capita, where are you from?

https://www.statista.com/statistics/1104709/coronavirus-deaths-worldwide-per-million-inhabitants/

That link clearly shows that the US does have the highest number of deaths which is what Lacessit said.

Edited May 14, 2021 by Liverpool Lou

[GinBoy2]

15 minutes ago, John Drake said:

 

Yes. Why not? Treatment in Thailand being much cheaper than the US would mean cost savings. 

Then hit the keyboard to your Representatives