Thailand scraps plan for 16-week dose gap on AstraZeneca vaccine

[webfact]

FILE PHOTO: A health worker shows a vial of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) as Thailand start a mass inoculation at a gymnasium inside the Thammasat University in Pathum Thani, Thailand June 7, 2021. REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha/File Photo

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand has abandoned its plan for a 16-week gap between doses of the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine and will opt for a shorter interval of 10 to 12 weeks instead, a senior health official said on Friday.

 

The government, which plans to use the AstraZeneca vaccine for most of its inoculations, had sought to reach more people faster by stretching the gap to 16 weeks, beyond the 12 weeks maximum approved by the European Medicines Agency.

 

A 16-week interval has not been tested in human trials.

 

But Sophon Mekthon, the public health minister's assistant, told Reuters Thailand's communicable disease committee wanted to revert to the previous interval, adding that it could still be extended in future if necessary.

 

Thailand started its mass COVID-19 immunisation campaign last week and has administered 7.2 million doses since February.

 

A royal-owned Thai firm has partnered with AstraZeneca to make its vaccine locally, but has experienced delays, also impacting Taiwan, Malaysia and the Philippines.

 

Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul on Friday said the government would receive 10 million AstraZeneca doses monthly from July until its quota of 61 million doses is met. Thailand has also been using Sinovac's vaccine.

 

The rush for vaccines came as Thailand was hit by its most severe wave of coronavirus infections in early April, months before the start of its immunisation drive.

 

It has secured 105.5 million doses so far and will procure 50 million more next year, authorities have said.

 

(Reporting by Panarat Thepgumpanat; Writing by Patpicha Tanakasempipat; Editing by Martin Petty)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2021-06-19

 

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[bipper]

Like the EU they need to reduce it to 8 weeks or mix with Pfizer to deal with the Delta variant but of course thet don't have that option with the narrow homegrown AZ route they took.

[DrJack54]

Does this count as a flip flop or just an adjustment.

Mind you if manufacturers of AZ recommend X weeks and Thailand comes up with Y weeks only to change back to X then Yup pretty much another back flip.

[sammieuk1]

It will more likely be 12 months than 12 weeks unless someone gets a grip ????

[colinneil]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

 Thailand has abandoned its plan for a 16-week gap between doses of the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine

Plan !!!! What plan? Never has been any plan, just make things up almost daily, the bunch of clowns running, no ruining things here, could not organize a leg over in a brothel.

[Excel]

1 minute ago, colinneil said:

Plan !!!! What plan? Never has been any plan, just make things up almost daily, the bunch of clowns running, no ruining things here, could not organize a leg over in a brothel.

And that's just the point isn't it, members of this administration from the top down appear to spend most of their time in pseudo brothels or pretending they live in one.

[ThailandRyan]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

secured 105.5 million doses so far and will procure 50 million more next year, authorities have said.

 

Secured but not obtained in its possession.  Let's be transparent please. They can barely keep the vaccination centers open without canceling appointments due to a lack of vaccines.

[Crossy]

So how does this change of policy affect the millions who have already had their first Az jab and obtained a 16 week appointment?

 

[mtls2005]

Simply amazing.

 

3 hours ago, webfact said:

But Sophon Mekthon, the public health minister's assistant, told Reuters Thailand's communicable disease committee wanted to revert to the previous interval, adding that it could still be extended in future if necessary.

 

 

So a secretary "wants" to change the vaccination policy from an unsupported 16 weeks to "10 or 12 weeks"?

 

 

I'd say you can't make this sort of stuff up, but clearly the MoPH feels otherwise.

 

 

[MasterBaker]

why invent bicycle? studies are conducted with much larger numbers and different mutations in US ans EU, don't waste time and save yourself an embarrassment

[club]

I had complaining about this for weeks. They finally caved. Somebody should let the mayor of Phuket know. He seems to think one jab of AZ is full vaccination. 

[smedly]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

The government, which plans to use the AstraZeneca vaccine for most of its inoculations, had sought to reach more people faster by stretching the gap to 16 weeks

more people faster ?????

 

They still aren't getting it - fully vaccinated is 2x doses 

 

How you roll out this vaccine is to pick the group that need it most and complete 2x doses with them, then you select the next priority group and 2x doses for them, if you have surplus vaccine then you branch out a little during the 3 week period between doses 

 

what a ##### mess

[hotchilli]

2 hours ago, colinneil said:

Plan !!!! What plan? Never has been any plan, just make things up almost daily, the bunch of clowns running, no ruining things here, could not organize a leg over in a brothel.

I can hear the "Benny Hill" music playing in the background.

[clivebaxter]

2 hours ago, Crossy said:

So how does this change of policy affect the millions who have already had their first Az jab and obtained a 16 week appointment?

 

Please rebooking on our introvac registration site, thank you for your inconvenience ????

[Caldera]

That's good news. Increasing the gap to 16 weeks wasn't exactly a brilliant decision.

[alanrchase]

But it will be at least 16 weeks before you can get the first jab.

[bert bloggs]

Well had my jab on the 9th it had been cancelled but the day before the wife got a message on her phone that they now had the vacine and for me to come next day,lets hope they do the same now and make it 12 weeks

[Enzian]

 

So say if I get lucky and my AZ really happens next week, why can't I then, if Bumrungrad offers a Pfizer in Sept. or Oct., jump on that and go on with life? Then in early Nov., I extend my Non-O for a year and leave this madhouse for several months.

[Isaan sailor]

“Quick, send in the clowns.

Don't bother, they’re here…”

Barbra Streisand 

Send in the Clowns

[brianthainess]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

A 16-week interval has not been tested in human trials.

So WHAT ! we are Thai therefore we have much better ideas that any one else on the planet, and we will hide any problems that may result from this. 

[Road Warrior]

it's a good thing thailand don't plan to send men to the moon ???

[ph0enixrising]

For everyone who already recieved their first jab, the second one was automatically scheduled/appointment date given 16 weeks out...

Rescheduling everyone?!?!?   or just hoping people will show up at the right date?  (whatever that will be in a couple of months)  lol

[connda]

8 hours ago, bipper said:

Like the EU they need to reduce it to 8 weeks or mix with Pfizer

How many of these mixing different brands of vaccines have been fully tested in human trials, and yet they do it anyway.

[alien365]

While I'm happy to hear this, I will take it with a pinch of salt. They could easily revert back to the 16 weeks over the next 10 week period if that's what the Tsar wants. 

[trainman34014]

Had my first one last Sunday and when they gave me the 16 week appointment o told the Nurse that will be useless as the first one will have lost its effect by then.  She said it will change and Hospital will call you when more AZ available.

[bipper]

5 hours ago, Crossy said:

So how does this change of policy affect the millions who have already had their first Az jab and obtained a 16 week appointment?

 

Probably by phone call. They're getting delivery from Thai Bioscience now and they know the dangers of the Delta variant. 

[KhaoNiaw]

18 minutes ago, ph0enixrising said:

For everyone who already recieved their first jab, the second one was automatically scheduled/appointment date given 16 weeks out...

Rescheduling everyone?!?!?   or just hoping people will show up at the right date?  (whatever that will be in a couple of months)  lol

 

I had my first shot on 10 June and was given an appointment for exactly 12 weeks' time on 2 September. 

[mtls2005]

Just now, KhaoNiaw said:

 

I had my first shot on 10 June and was given an appointment for exactly 12 weeks' time on 2 September. 

 

Vaccine? Sinovac or AZ?

 

With AZ most folks got +16 weeks, seen some with 12.

 

 

[bipper]

2 hours ago, bert bloggs said:

Well had my jab on the 9th it had been cancelled but the day before the wife got a message on her phone that they now had the vacine and for me to come next day,lets hope they do the same now and make it 12 weeks

We have  to give them some credit.  A lot of this is happening all over the world. Appointments made based on future supply promises.

 

AZ was ordered on Friday to supply 50 million doses to EU already paid for.

 

Mind the Brits are spinning it AZ won...childish stuff all round it seems.

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/56483766

[Thomas J]

9 hours ago, webfact said:

It has secured 105.5 million doses so far and will procure 50 million more next year, authorities have said.

What does "secured" mean.  Sounds like a term used to be deceptive.  Secured being in possession of is totally different than secured meaning on order to arrive at an undetermined date in the future.