A person receives China's Sinovac coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine at the Central Vaccination Center, inside the Bang Sue Grand Station, in Bangkok, Thailand, May 24, 2021. REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Vaccine hesitancy has risen sharply in Thailand opinion polls show, just weeks away from the start of a mass inoculation programme and as the country fights its deadliest COVID-19 outbreak.

 

Reasons for the rise in vaccine hesitancy were unclear in the polls, but there are widespread complaints at government disorganisation, delays in getting vaccines and reliance on Sinovac and locally made AstraZeneca doses.

 

Thailand has reported 135,439 infections and 832 deaths since the pandemic began last year.

 

In January, 83% of Thais surveyed by polling firm YouGov were willing to be vaccinated, but by May that dropped to 63% in the same poll, lower than Vietnam and the Philippines at 83% and 66% willingness, respectively.

 

Thai-based Suan Dusit Poll on Sunday echoed the YouGov findings of rising vaccine hesitancy, with 64% of respondents willing to be vaccinated, compared with 66% in January.

 

Dissatisfaction with the military-backed government's vaccine strategy has been building for months.

 

"People are worried about the vaccines that the government procured. It's not that we don't want to get shots, but there is hesitancy," Facebook user Than Tongkum wrote under a government announcement encouraging vaccinations.

 

Asked by Suan Dusit poll for their views on Thai vaccinations, only 57% of respondents believed they would help develop immunity and reduce the virus impact, while 59% worried about side-effects.

 

With Thailand's main vaccination drive, which is due to start June 7, relying heavily on AstraZeneca, respondents had 66% confidence in the shot, fourth behind U.S.-developed vaccines, with Pfizer top at 75%.

 

Thailand aims to inoculate 70% of its population by year-end, a level its tourist hotspots must also reach locally before reopening to vaccinated foreign visitors.

 

Registration is ongoing for the first 16 million people including those over 60 or with health conditions.

 

So far, 7.8 million people have registered.

 

Government spokesman Anucha Burapachaisri said he believes the vaccines will be embraced once the inoculation programme starts.

 

"As Thailand receives more doses, there will be more vaccine sites, which will help create awareness among the public after they see large numbers of vaccinations do not lead to serious side effects," he told Reuters.

 

Actress Araya "Chompoo" Hargate sparked controversy after she posted to her 10.5 million followers on Instagram saying she chose Sinovac.

 

"Can't help but think this is government PR," wrote user iloveurdadmaybe.

 

Among the concerns is perception that Sinovac has a low efficacy rate.

 

"Just hearing that it's Sinovac that's only 50% safe and 50% effective," wrote Facebook user Dang Juntawan.

 

"Injections are on chance. If you're unlucky you'll die."

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2021-05-25

 

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I think if the person in respond would do more action instead talk every day different things, more people still would believe.

Another big issue in my opinion is, that the government wait(ed) to long to accept other vaccines!

Quote

With Thailand's main vaccination drive, which is due to start June 7, relying heavily on AstraZeneca, respondents had 66% confidence in the shot, fourth behind U.S.-developed vaccines, with Pfizer top at 75%.

 

So only 66% confident in the AstraZeneca shot so what about Sinovac no numbers published? That would be interesting.
In any case as soon as AstraZeneca is available I'll happily take it compared to Sinovac which I wouldn't take if they paid me. One thing I've noticed they always try and merge Sinovac and Astrazeneca in any PR propaganda news.

 

 

where i am, most of the 18 to 29 year old demographic are not getting the vaccine. 

 

 

Covid: Pfizer and AstraZeneca jabs work against Indian variant - study

 

"The Pfizer and AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccines are highly effective against the variant identified in India after two doses, a study has found.

 

Two jabs of either vaccine give a similar level of protection against symptomatic disease from the Indian variant as they do for the Kent one.

...

The Pfizer vaccine was found to be 88% effective at stopping symptomatic disease from the Indian variant two weeks after the second dose, compared with 93% effectiveness against the Kent variant.

The AstraZeneca jab was 60% effective against the Indian variant, compared with 66% against the Kent variant.

 

(more)

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-57214596

 

The Pfizer numbers above look very good. However, I don't know if I'd say the AZ vaccine being 60% effective against the Indian variant two weeks after the second dose as "highly effective."  But, better than 50%, and better than nothing.

 

 

1 hour ago, DirtyHarry55 said:

So only 66% confident in the AstraZeneca shot so what about Sinovac no numbers published? That would be interesting.

 

If I recall right, the Sinovac was pretty much below almost all the others in one of the Thai public opinion polls the other day...

 

That means absolutely nothing about that particular vaccine's effectiveness. But it does confirm that Thais spend a lot of time watching YouTube videos.

 

1 hour ago, snoop1130 said:

"Just hearing that it's Sinovac that's only 50% safe

????

The truth is the Thai people don't want sinovax anyone with a fair amount of Thai friends can see that by looking at their facebook timeline. 

 

That is the bottom line no matter how they try and spin it.

Bearing in mind that there is another thread running explaining that AZ vaccine shots are being spaced 16weeks apart, instead of the manufacturer recommended 8 weeks, and the 12 weeks utilized by the UK for a period of time, plus another thread about production issues at the local AZ factory (volume issues, not quality), then the vaccine hesitancy may not be such a problem in the short term. At the moment there isn’t enough vaccine to go round.

 

the Government May say otherwise, but if there is enough vaccine, why the delayed second shots and, anecdotal evidence, why can’t I get mine? Can’t even register.

 

the vaccine hesitancy is a medium term issue. First of all, get the vaccine to those who are willing to take it. Those people will go along way to convincing the doubters.

 

but without enough vaccine ????‍♂️

I find it interesting in the historical times of crisis, non western countries always seem to rely on western countries to bail them out.  Yet, in normal times they will bad mouth them and spit in their face.  

Is it because people are woke, or because of the vaccines their government is providing them with.

 

I Australia they only have 1% of the population vaccinated, their population is 26 million and they are trying to give them AZ, but no one wants it.

19 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

I find it interesting in the historical times of crisis, non western countries always seem to rely on western countries to bail them out.  Yet, in normal times they will bad mouth them and spit in their face.  

Not overgeneralizing much are you?

Your post reminds me of similar bitter remarks from those expats who complain how disrespectfully they are treated by Thais.

I wouldn't say those who are skeptical about the vaccines being offered are woke, I would say they are awake... Trust in the media and governments around the globe are at an all time low... People are searching elsewhere for information and are questioning the official narrative... 

https://www.healthline.com/health-news/how-vaccine-hesitancy-could-prolong-the-pandemic

How Vaccine Hesitancy Could Prolong the Pandemic

 

 

Covid vax hesitancy is mainly the result of lack of openness on the part of the Govt and the pharma companies in explaining clearly, backed by statistical sources that are credible, what side effects and fatalities have been recorded for each of the vaxes that are available (or may be made available in Thailand in the near future). Alongside that an explanation is needed of the risks involved for people with certain medical conditions, by age and gender.

 

Instead the risks are being systematically downplayed and worse, anybody who asks for the data or points out the known risks is labeled an ‘anti-vaxxer’, an ‘idiot’, or a lot worse. Huge sums of money are being poured into propaganda messages that aim to marginalize what has clearly become the MAJORITY opinion, also known as ‘vaccine hesitancy’.

 

In the USA the White House announced earlier this month that 100 million people were fully vaccinated. The highest estimate I have read so far is that 37% of the US population has been vaccinated. As vaxes are readily available in the US, that means that as many as 63% are hesitant there too.

 

Despite attempts to try to turn these numbers into a political issue, it is clear that Covid vax hesitancy is driven by other factors altogether. For example in the US 40% of the population identifies as Republican and according to a recent poll reported in The Hill, only 30% of Republicans said they would not get the vax. So at a stretch that equates to only 12% of American vax hesitants that might be accused of political motives in that decision.

 

In any case, vax hesitancy is found in other countries with no interest in US politics and that includes Thailand and Thai people.

 

All over the world it is those who are independent thinkers and who value freedom of thought and information, who are most likely to ask questions and to hold back if they are not getting the answers that reassure them. It is the conformist thinkers, those who favour authoritarianism, who are most likely to accept the Govt wishes unquestioningly. I see this often in the views expressed by certain posters on TV.

The hesitancy gets exacerbated queueing up in +40c only to be told there never was any vaccine in the first place ????

24 minutes ago, Antonymous said:

In the USA the White House announced earlier this month that 100 million people were fully vaccinated. The highest estimate I have read so far is that 37% of the US population has been vaccinated. As vaxes are readily available in the US, that means that as many as 63% are hesitant there too.

Where do you do your reading? Or rather where don't you do your reading. First off, "fully vaccinated" means having gotten 2 doses of those vaccines that require 2 doses. The figure for the entire US population for people who have had 1 or 2 doses is 49%

https://ourworldindata.org/coronavirus/country/united-states

In addition lots of people still aren't eligible for the vaccine, like children under 12. And it's only very recently that the 12-15 age group has been added.

1 hour ago, bkk6060 said:

I find it interesting in the historical times of crisis, non western countries always seem to rely on western countries to bail them out.  Yet, in normal times they will bad mouth them and spit in their face.  

Yep they forgot quite fast all the westerners that donated lots of money and came to help save their lives and clean up after the tsunami didn't they? 

 

Oh and the specialist cave divers from all over the world that came to save the kids from the cave. 

 

No. It's just "farrang no good. Farrang smell etc etc" even from the highest levels of government.

 

 

In the U.S. State where I live, vax is readily available. Over 40% are fully vaccinated and over 50% have had a jab.  But I note a downward trend in shots given per day for the month of May.  A few states have offered shots and a free chance at a lottery to get people interested.  I hope Thailand can keep people interested.

 

 

3 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Thailand has reported 135,439 infections and 832 deaths since the pandemic began last year.

 

832/135,439=0.00614 or 0.6%

99.4% survival rate so far IF you get infected, on one hand

On the other hand an experimental injection hastily produced by China 

odds would have to be alot worse than that before I would even consider the sinovac. i dont blame Thais a bit for being hesitant.

The  vast majority of Thai I know and have asked or been offered an opinion about  being vaccinated is that they actually genuinely want but have been made hesitant  by all the negativity in general .

What surprise is there in that  if  "Flat Earthers" are  also given media credence for the sake of reportable contraversy ?

3 hours ago, covidiot said:

where i am, most of the 18 to 29 year old demographic are not getting the vaccine. 

 

Might need to pay them to do it. Why not?

2 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Might need to pay them to do it. Why not?

Offer them 50% off bar fines !!

 

4 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Vaccine hesitancy has risen sharply in Thailand opinion polls show, just weeks away from the start of a mass inoculation programme and as the country fights its deadliest COVID-19 outbreak.

That problem is the level of outright lies and misinformation coming from the government, their ministers, and bureaucrats that average people simply don't trust either "experts" or "leaders."  First it's "Flip" and then it's "Flop."  We have vaccines, we don't have vaccines.  Register, then don't register.  We're doing great, we're doing lousy so close down and mask up.  Vaccines are 100% safe and effective, but then Thais read about adverse reactions in other countries.  Locally produced Astrazenaca will save us all, locally produced Astrazenaca isn't being produced yet but we don't even care if it's produced because we have "contracts!"

They had a vaccine hesitancy problem before this if you actually talked with the locals especially in rural Thailand.  Just this week there were articles about polls where everyone in Thailand was registering and planning to get a shot, now in this article "vaccine hesitancy is rising."  Flip and Flop.

Yeah.  I can understand exactly why Thais are 'hesitant.' 
All they are fed is unending promises and then excuses. Unending propaganda which after a look around to international media sites then pokes holes in the local narratives.  Of course they don't trust the upper crust calling the shots.
At the end of the day (or by year's end) the government will mandate vaccinations with the threat of prison for those who fail to abide. That's my crystal ball.   Then the population will have another reason to detest and distrust their "leaders." 

Off-topic, baiting and bickering posts and replies removed.  

 

4 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

"As Thailand receives more doses, there will be more vaccine sites, which will help create awareness among the public after they see large numbers of vaccinations do not lead to serious side effects,"

But what if they do?  In the West families and community are not close knit. You may here about a friend of a friend.
In Thailand, especially in villages - ever one knows everyone else's business.  If there are adverse reactions to the vaccines, especially the Astrazenaca vaccine, , they won't need to go into a Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System.  They will be transmitted via the Thai Village Inter-Family Communication System.  Then look out.

All the talk about vaccines being completely safe better be 100% true, because if it is not, most of Thailand will figure it out in a hurry.  I hope nobody's pants are on fire. 

My Mother-in-law is in her 80's and lives in a village, she will not take a vaccine and most of those in the village won't, at least of the older and more vulnerable group.   Most of what they are basing it on is word of mouth reports.   Most of those reports are untrue.   

 

The next off-topic, baiting, bickering post will earn a suspension.  

 

Not my view the views of at least 142 friends of friends.

 

Also thousands of others I am seeing from the Thai people themselves not speculation.

 

Lets leave it at that.

 

The Thai people do not appear to want Sinovax.

3 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

"The Pfizer and AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccines are highly effective against the variant identified in India after two doses, a study has found.

 

There's the rub.

 

The proposed 16 week wait for the second AZ shot doesn't exactly inspire confidence in the program.