As countries weigh risks of mRNA vaccines, Thailand pushes ahead with Pfizer purchase

[webfact]

 

By Pear Maneechote

 

Thailand is set to import at least 20 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine by the end of the year in a bid to curb the country’s worst coronavirus outbreak yet. But with several countries investigating reports of the mRNA vaccine’s side effects on young adults, it is still the best vaccine for the country’s youth?

 

Thailand began its approval process for the Pfizer-BioNTech, an mRNA Covid-19 vaccine with an efficacy rate of 95 per cent, back in June, according to the country’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA). 

 

If all goes well, the country will be importing around 20 million doses of the mRNA vaccine by the end of this year, according to the Ministry of Public Health (MOPH). The vaccines will be encouraged for 12 to 18 year olds and frontline medical workers, as mRNA vaccines are known to be safer, more effective, and provide long-term immunity to Covid-19 and its various variants. 

 

Full story: https://www.thaienquirer.com/29421/as-countries-weigh-risks-of-mrna-vaccines-thailand-pushes-ahead-with-pfizer-purchase/

 

-- © Copyright Thai Enquirer 2021-07-06

 

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[RichardColeman]

20 minutes ago, webfact said:

 

If all goes well, the country will be importing around 20 million doses of the mRNA vaccine by the end of this year,

Nothing in the governments response to covid vaccine purchase 'goes well'.  I have little faith that they will get this order any more than them producing the AZ quantities to their own promise dates

 

[smedly]

36 minutes ago, webfact said:

If all goes well, the country will be importing around 20 million doses of the mRNA vaccine by the end of this year

Just in time for Christmas 

 

Stellar effort 

[tingtong]

Since fatality rate of 12-18 yo group is really the lowest of all pretty much....shouldn't focus the effort rather medical staff and core workers age group of 30-50 if anything?

 

I know, most will argue old first. Probably old Westerners mostly.

But Thailand being Thailand, most old ppl have no pension, and literally eat if their working adult kids send them money.

 

Either case, once again a 6 months timeline....by end of year...

Meanwhile at current rate 5000 a day gets infected, that is 150.000 a month, 900.000 by end of year.

And the rate is accelerated only the past weeks, with high chance to continue up.

 

 

[ezzra]

6 months wait in a midst of raging horrible and deadly pandemic is a long time to wait specially that every other country in the world is also desperately looking to procure the same product, what else can be done? nothing much...

[welshguy]

Jeez...

 

"By the end of the year", thats all we ever hear  about.

It should have all been ordered well before now, pitifully slow response.

[daveAustin]

Didn't think we were allowed to discuss--acknowledge even--the side effects of the great P! But, alas, it is as fickle as the 'lesser' bitch. Reality being, of course, they all give rise to potential side effects and esp to those with a decent immune system kicking back with a strong response. Neighbour, nurse, ended up in bed for a week suffering horrible neuralgia. Not knocking it (they've both done wonders), but guess if the brits had a hand in it, it would have already been trashed eh. You know who you are! 

[ikke1959]

Why an very expensive vaccine for kids and for the weak and vulnerable a cheap one??? 

[Puwa]

54 minutes ago, welshguy said:

Jeez...

 

"By the end of the year", thats all we ever hear  about.

Get ready for "Q1, Q2..."

[sezze]

4 minutes ago, ikke1959 said:

Why an very expensive vaccine for kids and for the weak and vulnerable a cheap one??? 

It is way cheaper then the Moderna one . J&J should be on buying list , as it requires only 1 shot , which would be good for opening "sandbox" .

1 hour ago, smedly said:

Just in time for Christmas 

 

Stellar effort 

 

53 minutes ago, welshguy said:

Jeez...

 

"By the end of the year", thats all we ever hear  about.

It should have all been ordered well before now, pitifully slow response.

20 million dosis by end of Y , does not mean 30 December , 20 million are delivered . In Europe Pfizer is very reliable on weekly deliveries , only 1 hickup happened and that was due to expanding producing plant . AZ was the weakest of the EU cycle , they never delivered what they said they would have done .

Yes should have been 100 million dosis by the end of this week , like in all countries , but everybody wants , can't just magically appear in your fridge . They have got to be made , requires lots of chemicals , checks , paperwork , transport ... Lets just be happy that they bought Pfizer , 20 million of them , since they are among the best ( or even best ) of vaccines available and 20 mill is 10 million people who are protected as best as possible atm .

[nkg]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Thailand is set to import at least 20 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine by the end of the year

 

Yes, 20 million is a bit pessimistic. I think it will be 50 or 100 million, maybe more.

[Thailand]

The French were able to get it and even vaccinate most of their citizens inThailand. 

I keep looking from that email invitation from the British government but maybe lost in spam! 

[phetphet]

I suppose their only hopes are that either Siam Bioscience can up their production capacity a lot, or other effective vaccines start coming to market from other producers.

Too much worldwide demand at the moment and Thailand has left it too late I am afraid.

[clivebaxter]

How many millions of various vaccines are in the mirage on the horizon now? Maybe they could 'push ahead' and sign that Moderna contract a few weeks earlier.

[ftpjtm]

2 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

Why an very expensive vaccine for kids and for the weak and vulnerable a cheap one??? 

In the US, Pfizer is the only vaccine approved by the FDA for those under 18 years of age. My guess that is the reasoning. 

 

Although I agree Thailand should be using their limited supply of Pfizer for those most vulnerable to the disease including health care workers and the elderly. 

[mtls2005]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

If all goes well,

 

 

Official motto of Thailand.

 

 

[Danderman123]

What does “set to import” mean? Contract signed? 

[OJAS]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Thailand is set to import at least 20 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine by the end of the year in a bid to curb the country’s worst coronavirus outbreak yet.

 

Absolutely pathetic IMHO - a mere drop in the ocean of what's actually required. The Govt's dithering and procrastination in getting a nationwide vaccination programme off the ground continues apace - as does their zeal and gusto in tackling the pandemic through ineffective punitive measures like alcohol sales bans.

 

[mtls2005]

7 minutes ago, Danderman123 said:

What does “set to import” mean? Contract signed? 

 

A committee has yet to be formed.

 

No contract signed, obviously.

 

It's all part of the regime's "Vaccination Plan".

 

 

[jacko45k]

7 minutes ago, Danderman123 said:

What does “set to import” mean? Contract signed? 

It means nothing, it is fluffing..... weasel words when a factual quantitative  statement cannot or will not be made. Are they sitting on the dockside somewhere, or in an airport customs house, waiting for some official to stir and ink his stamp.... of course not. 

[Surelynot]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Thailand began its approval process

It would be interesting to know how this approval process works.......a review of real world data, trials here in Thailand, human challenge trials? 

[mtls2005]

"Approval process" means budget, finding the money to pay for this, and figuring out who gets what skim.

 

Pfizer was approved for emergency use by the Thai FDA, 24 or 25 June 2021, when they were hatching this scheme.

 

 

[kingstonkid]

So does this mean that the country will not be  open for tourists in October with the millions that were going to come?

 

Or silly me did they really mean 2023 when they said October?

 

 

BTW in case you are wondering why they waited so long the government got assurances from their friend Xi that his sinovac would be cheap and save the world. 

 

Edited July 6, 2021 by kingstonkid

[thurien]

when reading the TH government's statements, the following verbs/expressions should be regarded as highly illusive, straightforward misleading most times:

to push forward, to hasten, to rush, about to conclude the deal, direct contact, the answer to the need of people, "not 100 or 200%, no: 1000% sure" (he was a darling clown), totally safe, our experts, straight thinking, consequent action etc.etc.

[BestB]

Thailand has its own AZ production which does not make enough and yet still takes orders and sells to other countries . Other brands are not being imported as additional choice but as main stocks .

 

something is just not right about all this . 
 

one day AZ makes enough , next day buying Sinovac, day after making deals tp buy other brand and rinse and repeat 

[Isaan sailor]

The way things are going, by the end of this year, we will be rushing to Cambodia or Maylasia to get shots of the good vaccines.

[whaleboneman]

1 hour ago, Danderman123 said:

What does “set to import” mean? Contract signed? 

Set to import means they're thinking about it. 

[whaleboneman]

1 hour ago, Surelynot said:

It would be interesting to know how this approval process works.......a review of real world data, trials here in Thailand, human challenge trials? 

Brown envelopes?

[Robsweblinks]

Stupid is as stupid does. Take a chance of getting sick from emergency use vaccine or maybe not getting covid at all. I'll take my chances with the latter.. you trust the Governments to do what is best for you. ????

[placeholder]

52 minutes ago, BestB said:

Thailand has its own AZ production which does not make enough and yet still takes orders and sells to other countries . Other brands are not being imported as additional choice but as main stocks .

 

something is just not right about all this . 
 

one day AZ makes enough , next day buying Sinovac, day after making deals tp buy other brand and rinse and repeat 

Siam Bioscience has a contract with Astra Zeneca to produce doses for said company. Astra Zeneca then sells the doses to countries that have contracted for it. To make the doses, Siam Bioscience depends on the precursors that AZ provides.

According to an article in the Bangkok Post, the problem is that Thailand actually failed to reserve enough doses from AZ in the first place. Hence the shortage.