1 minute ago, smedly said:

offset 100/1 by the recent mass exodus of foreigers that decided it was no longer prudent to remain in Thailand ( I personally know of 7) plus add to that the massive reduced spending due to restrictions recently imposed makes BT400m is pocket change

Oh. You can add me! I'm leaving too.

11 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

My wife's 70+ year old mother, who lives upcountry, has been talking regularly with my wife about the virus and vaccines situation. The M-I-L, lord knows where she gets her news, doesn't want to go anywhere near the Sinovac vaccine and seems to have convinced my wife to be hesitant about getting vaccinated in general.

 

You can say plenty of things about the Sinovac vaccine and argue about the different efficacy findings and lack of credibly reliable data especially regarding the newest variants..  But I do think it's unarguable that for an older person, the Sinovac vaccine is certainly at a minimum better than nothing.

 

(But, that's also NO kind of argument in favor of the Thai govt. continuing to buy and dispense it if other better alternatives are available.)

 

They also have a global network as a source of all types of info and the trust in the central authority is pretty low out here so that might include any info coming from those sources.

16 minutes ago, anchadian said:

The Cabinet recently agreed to procure 10.9 million additional Sinovac doses at a cost of B6.1 billion.

?..................B6.1b

Has anyone managed to buy a Covid test kit from their local pharmacy yet? they were said to be available this week but I havent seen any at the moment.

12 minutes ago, FarFlungFalang said:

I might be driving the Mrs FFF to Bangkok next month so I might have to check out the requirements as well.Good luck on your trip!

Gf kids and their husband/wife out of hospitals after treatment. now 14 day hospitel Qtine in kalasin before ret. to home in bkk.where they must do another 14 days. Seems very cautious if this is the standard procedure.They all will relocate back to Kalasin and Qtn again.

2 minutes ago, smedly said:

?..................B6.1b

Surely you didn't think it's cheap to import cheap vaccines through government offices, did you?

 

17 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

You can say plenty of things about the Sinovac vaccine and argue about the different efficacy findings and lack of credibly reliable data especially regarding the newest variants..  But I do think it's unarguable that for an older person, the Sinovac vaccine is certainly at a minimum better than nothing.

I don't want any vaccine as they are relatively untested and new and generally experimental, but if I do take that risk (which I will) I want to make sure that it is one that offers me good protection - IMO sinovac does not offer me that.

7 minutes ago, jvs said:

The second reason is more important,

If you get vaccinated with Sinovac and it is not very effective you may still get Covid and

get very sick.

Just having one shot will not protect you but how long do you have to wait for the second shot?

 

Ya, I'm glad I didn't face that kind of situation, but I did face a similar one...

 

I fortunately managed to score an AZ first shot at the end of June... But as I was heading to that, I kept thinking to myself, what are the chances if I wait and decline that I might be able to get a (probably more effective) Pfizer shot in the near future?

 

In, the end, I decided to go ahead with the AZ shot, basically deciding the near-term Pfizer prospects are too tenuous, and the AZ effectiveness profile even against the Delta variant seems to be OK (65+ percent against symptomatic infection).

 

But even still, now with the batch of 1.5 million U.S. donated Pfizer vaccines due to arrive at the end of this month, I'm sure I'll keep wondering and watching to see, would I end up having any chance to get one of the 150,000 doses to be set aside for foreign nationals if I had passed on the AZ....

 

In the end, for me, sooner and certainty prevailed over later and uncertainty.

 

6 minutes ago, smedly said:

?..................B6.1b

 

560b per dose

2 hours ago, robblok said:

Wonder what kind of services those are ???? 

Som tum cooking at home.

16 minutes ago, The Cipher said:

Cognitive dissonance re: Covid data is intense around here. Anything showing a decline is dismissed as "the numbers are undercounted" where as anything showing an increase in pandemic severity is accepted as de-facto correct. One might call it a pandemic of confirmation bias.

largely based on what we see from countries that actually produce accurate data - the data is published and readily available - apply that profile to Thailand and there is very obviously something wrong

2 hours ago, Bkk Brian said:

Ventilators being withheld for certain patients. Sign of a complete breakdown in services:

 

"Thammasat University Hospital just issued an order on criteria for withholding intubation for elderly #COVID19 patients in critical conditions. Two criteria are the patient is 75 & over & have chronic diseases."
 

https://twitter.com/PravitR/status/1418236643811594246

 

Truly a sad state of affairs and the beginnings of a crumbling medical infrastructure as far as equipment goes based up the sheer numbers of cases going critical.  Today we took a long walk around the Sathon Area dropping off bags of needed food stuffs and wares to the people we have befriended. At 8 am Rama 4 was packed with vehicles however the MRT was devoid of passengers inside the stations. Tells me folks are still traveling to get to jobs or leaving town.  Neverjave I seen the Silom MRT station empty at the time we crossed from one side of Rama 4 underneath to the other on our deliveries. Yes the parks are closed, but the side soi shops are still open as well as the small Talads. On Silom the banks and food shops are also open.  Looks like business as usual for the morning folk, albeit a reduction in office workers.

10 minutes ago, smedly said:

?..................B6.1b

Mr. Anucha said the Cabinet has also agreed to procure 10.9 million more doses of the Sinovac vaccine, at a cost of 6.1 billion baht, to supply the national COVID-19 vaccination drive, adding that the government will continue its search for supplies of vaccines made using various development technologies. (NNT)

https://www.pattayamail.com/thailandnews/thailand-eyes-free-vaccines-from-us-while-buying-10-million-doses-more-from-sinovac-362678

2 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

I fortunately managed to score an AZ first shot at the end of June.

Are you 100% confident that you will be able to obtain AZ for your second shot in the required time frame?

 

I wouldn't be completely confident. Possible on offer sinovac or nothing.

2 hours ago, Macrohistory said:

CNBC (U.S.)

 

Delta variant is one of the most infectious respiratory diseases known, CDC director says

PUBLISHED THU, JUL 22 20215:19 PM EDT UPDATED 35 MIN AGO
Rich Mendez

The delta Covid variant is one of the most infectious respiratory diseases ever seen by scientists, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday.

 

The variant is highly contagious, largely because people infected with the delta strain can carry up to 1,000 times more virus in their nasal passages than those infected with the original strain, according to new data...

 

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/07/22/delta-variant-is-one-of-the-most-infectious-respiratory-diseases-known-cdc-director-says-.html

 

From the article, for those who denigrated vaccines or said they don't work:

 

"In hospitals around the country, 97% of people admitted with Covid symptoms are unvaccinated, and 99.5% of all Covid deaths are also among the unvaccinated."

10 minutes ago, sapson said:

Has anyone managed to buy a Covid test kit from their local pharmacy yet? they were said to be available this week but I havent seen any at the moment.

as I keep saying - I would rather buy a test kit that told me if I had already had the virus - I don't need a test kit to tell if I have it

Just now, DrJack54 said:

Are you 100% confident that you will be able to obtain AZ for your second shot in the required time frame?

 

I wouldn't be completely confident. Possible on offer sinovac or nothing.

That's my concern as well. You get the first shot and throw the dice for the second? No thanks, I'll self isolate until I'm assured to get two (or three?) jabs of good vaccine.

12 minutes ago, rabas said:

Surely you didn't think it's cheap to import cheap vaccines through government offices, did you?

 

I wonder how much of that Bt6.1 b is buried in someones garden

2 hours ago, cyril sneer said:

so even with these partial lockdowns with pubs, schools etc. there is zero difference...

 

won't be surprised if they ban alcohol again, that was what they thought fixed last years wave

The problem is that it's a soft lockdown and nothing like last years.  Many folks are still traveling around town during the day.  We made our normal Friday trip out putting in 12 kms walking buying necessities that we then delivered to those families we have adopted around us.  To see their faces light up makes our day knowing at least they have food for a few days and the basics to care for themselves.

24 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Are you 100% confident that you will be able to obtain AZ for your second shot in the required time frame?

 

I wouldn't be completely confident. Possible on offer sinovac or nothing.

I don't think they follow AZ with Sinovac. Certainly there is no reason to wait 3 months for a second dose using Sinovac, they would not do that.

 

1 hour ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

fyi.... the ASEAN countries:

 

 

https://ourworldindata.org/covid-cases#daily-confirmed-cases-per-million-people

 

If you look at how many people that has finished the vaccination program in the top 4.

Malaysia 15,4% , Indonesia 6,1% , Thailand 5,1%  and Myanmar 2,8%.

 

Not one single country on that chart is even close to reach 70% which many use as a goal.

Singapore is the one with most vaccinated on the chart.

It's pretty clear that the lack of vaccinations are a problem after the Delta variant appeared.

 

Not good news ???? 

 

4 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Are you 100% confident that you will be able to obtain AZ for your second shot in the required time frame?

 

I wouldn't be completely confident. Possible on offer sinovac or nothing.

Two different things...

 

1. this being Thailand, I'm confident of nothing. But, I do have a 2nd shot appointment schedule from Phyathai II that was given at the time of my original shot. And it's not until late Sept., (12 weeks after) so hopefully the supply situation will have improved by then.

 

2. I'm pretty certain that people who have received their first shot as AZ are NOT likely to be switched to Sinovac for a second shot.

 

Even though the government is now doing the reverse for 1st shot Sinovac folks, now planning their 2nd shot as AZ..... because of the questions re Sinovac effectiveness against Delta.

 

 

4 minutes ago, rabas said:

 

From the article, for those who denigrated vaccines or said they don't work:

 

"In hospitals around the country, 97% of people admitted with Covid symptoms are unvaccinated, and 99.5% of all Covid deaths are also among the unvaccinated."

Why are those numbers so different to the UK who claim that 60% of those in hospital are unvaccinated?   Since the older and more vulnerable are vaccinated first, and its still possible to end up in hospital with covid even if vaccinated, those numbers from the US sound a bit too good to be true for vaccinated people.    

2 hours ago, Bkk Brian said:

Ventilators being withheld for certain patients. Sign of a complete breakdown in services:

 

"Thammasat University Hospital just issued an order on criteria for withholding intubation for elderly #COVID19 patients in critical conditions. Two criteria are the patient is 75 & over & have chronic diseases."
 

https://twitter.com/PravitR/status/1418236643811594246

 

The Lombardy, Italy, syndrome from Spring 2020. Triage is basically on the basis of "live or die". A truly dreadful state of affairs and a nightmare scenario for doctors and nurses whose own lives are at serious risk on a daily basis. 

Things will get worse before they get better.

2 hours ago, wensiensheng said:

Some 7 day moving average numbers for Asia

 

 

I wish my share dealing account would like the Thailand chart.

8 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

Even though the government is now doing the reverse for 1st shot Sinovac folks, now planning their 2nd shot as AZ..... because of the questions re Sinovac effectiveness against Delta.

That's what fuelled my concern.

Wasn't it decided (suggested) that the front line medical personnel would receive an AZ booster. 

 

Let's hope AZ available to all those that already have received AZ first shot.

5 minutes ago, James105 said:

Why are those numbers so different to the UK who claim that 60% of those in hospital are unvaccinated?   Since the older and more vulnerable are vaccinated first, and its still possible to end up in hospital with covid even if vaccinated, those numbers from the US sound a bit too good to be true for vaccinated people.    

Different vaccine, mRNA versus AZ. Also more older people in the US may have refused vaccines. They contribute more towards hospitalizations.

 

Both help explain the difference.

1 minute ago, DrJack54 said:

That's what fuelled my concern.

Wasn't it decided (suggested) that the front line medical personnel would receive an AZ booster. 

 

They did talk about giving AZ to previously Sinovaced medical staff... But more recently, they've also talked about using their share of the upcoming U.S. Pfizer doses as boosters for medical staff... So it's become fuzzy to me which they're actually going to end up using.

 

The medical staff lately seem to have been pushing hard for the mRNA Pfizer doses as their boosters.... So I'm guessing that should help relieve any pressure demand on the AZ side.

 

3 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

They did talk about giving AZ to previously Sinovaced medical staff... But more recently, they've also talked about using their share of the upcoming U.S. Pfizer doses as boosters for medical staff... So it's become fuzzy to me which they're actually going to end up using.

 

The medical staff lately seem to have been pushing hard for the mRNA Pfizer doses as their boosters.... So I'm guessing that should help relieve any pressure demand on the AZ side.

 

Thailand’s ‘Fed-up Doctors’ group is demanding the country switch to mRNA vaccines amid reports that even medics double vaccinated with the Chinese-made jab are being infected with the Delta variant of the coronavirus

 

Health care workers have been angered by a leaked memo showing experts fear giving doctors Pfizer jabs donated by the United States could undermine confidence in Sinovac

https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3140979/coronavirus-thai-doctors-want-pfizer-vaccines-amid

Several off topic posts have been removed.