Immunocompromised US teacher stuck in Thailand without access to vaccine

[Liverpool Lou]

On 8/9/2021 at 6:53 PM, smedly said:

On 8/9/2021 at 6:34 PM, Thingamabob said:

I've not had any difficulty getting the Astra Zeneca vaccine in Thailand, but maybe I've not understood what her problem is.

why don't you share your experience - I have my doubts it was as easy as you claim - maybe your situation is very unique compared to the rest of us - for example you may be employed and your empoyer arranged it for you - not typical of most people on here 

I'll share my experience, I registered, as did many other on thailandintervac.com, the Bangsue site and with MedPark online.   Got three appointments offering AZ (Phayathai 2, MedPark and Bangsue), had the first vaccination 2 weeks ago and get the second in a few weeks.  I am not employed, I arranged it myself via the various sites for 60+ foreigners.

[Liverpool Lou]

On 8/10/2021 at 1:49 AM, Albert Zweistein said:

Lots of people criticize this lady but no one knows what kind of cancer she was suffering of. Could have been lung cancer making her more vulnerable to Covid.

Everyone who read the link in the OP knows!   She had breast cancer, completing treatment in 2019.

[Liverpool Lou]

On 8/10/2021 at 1:05 PM, gk10012001 said:

The opening photo shows here without a mask and dealing with Children.  Children often carry more germs and diseases than other people because they interact all over the place, are notorious for putting their hands in their nose, mouth, etc. 

Possibly pictured before she left for treatment which was completed in 2019.

[Liverpool Lou]

6 hours ago, AgentSmith said:

Why do posts like these keep showing up? Why don't people find their way to the actual sources of information that clearly show these vaccines are perfectly available to foreigners? It seems that many prefer to stick in their own circles whining about how difficult it all is while in reality it is very simple. Thailandintervac.com points the way to several hospitals in Bangkok where you can simply make an appointment and get the jab. The woman in the article can do the same thing. Actually I've notified the news paper of the original article to tell her but haven't heard back. Well it's fine if people want to keep deluding themselves. I don't really care. But I wish they would stop propagating this nonsense on the web.

Excellent.

[Albert Zweistein]

36 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Everyone who read the link in the OP knows!   She had breast cancer, completing treatment in 2019.

Thanks Lou but I knew already, some other members informed me so you are too late.

[smedly]

37 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

I'll share my experience, I registered, as did many other on thailandintervac.com, the Bangsue site and with MedPark online.   Got three appointments offering AZ (Phayathai 2, MedPark and Bangsue), had the first vaccination 2 weeks ago and get the second in a few weeks.  I am not employed, I arranged it myself via the various sites for 60+ foreigners.

do you live in Bangkok, do you really expect people from all over the country to book and travel  possibly hundreds of KM to get a vaccine, sorry but I am not prepared to do that, I live in isolation for several weeks now to protect myself from getting infected - I will take the risk to travel to a local hospital to get vaccinated - I have already registered with expatvax who as I undrstand it will be providing local vaccination sevices. 

 

People who live in Bangkok and Phuket have been finding it much easier to get a jab - why exactly is that and more importantly it is fundamentally wrong  

[AgentSmith]

6 hours ago, smedly said:

I don't live in Bangkok and have no wish to travel there right now

 

so get off your soapbox 

That is fine but that is your choice. It is perfectly possible to get vaccinated and acquire maximum immunity. I deemed it necessary to do so and will be fully vaccinated by the end of September. I'm not gonna wait for a jab in my hometown. The entire country is turning dark red soon and there is simply no safe spot left anyway. Vaccination is the only true protection from this disease. Worth a thousand masks so to speak. If the whole country was this adamant to get their shots we'd be out of this hell hole soon enough.

[AgentSmith]

44 minutes ago, smedly said:

People who live in Bangkok and Phuket have been finding it much easier to get a jab - why exactly is that and more importantly it is fundamentally wrong  

mRNA vaccines need to be stored at a very low temperature. That makes transport and distribution rather difficult. It's much easier to let people travel to a few large facilities instead of trying to spread these vials and their fragile content all over the country.

 

6 hospitals in Bangkok now administer Pfizer to foreigners.

[bkkcanuck8]

11 minutes ago, AgentSmith said:

mRNA vaccines need to be stored at a very low temperature. That makes transport and distribution rather difficult. It's much easier to let people travel to a few large facilities instead of trying to spread these vials and their fragile content all over the country.

 

6 hospitals in Bangkok now administer Pfizer to foreigners.

I don't want people traveling all the way down to a dark red zone then back up here ????   If they a mobile vaccination unit, that would be good enough I would think.  The vials are kept in the original pack in dry ice which is sufficient -- the distribution is a pack contains 195 vials and each vial 10 doses, the pack is kept cold using dry ice which needs to be replenished every 30 days or so.   I believe the vial has to be used all at once, but the pack can be used over a period of time.

 

[AgentSmith]

16 minutes ago, bkkcanuck8 said:

I don't want people traveling all the way down to a dark red zone then back up here ????   If they a mobile vaccination unit, that would be good enough I would think.  The vials are kept in the original pack in dry ice which is sufficient -- the distribution is a pack contains 195 vials and each vial 10 doses, the pack is kept cold using dry ice which needs to be replenished every 30 days or so.   I believe the vial has to be used all at once, but the pack can be used over a period of time.

More and more people will live in dark red zones anyway. That's just a matter of time. The delta variant is unstoppable.

[smedly]

30 minutes ago, AgentSmith said:

mRNA vaccines need to be stored at a very low temperature. That makes transport and distribution rather difficult. It's much easier to let people travel to a few large facilities instead of trying to spread these vials and their fragile content all over the country.

 

6 hospitals in Bangkok now administer Pfizer to foreigners.

you need to do a little research

 

and may I also add - take care of yourself and stop trying to tell other people what is best for them because you really have no clue

 

like I said before - get off your soap box the world does not revolve around you - stay safe and do what you think "you" need to do

[AgentSmith]

Just now, smedly said:

you need to do a little research

 

and may I also add - take care of yourself and stop trying to tell other people what is best for them because you really have no clue

 

like I said before - get off your soap box the world does not revolve around you - stay safe and do what you think "you" need to do

I am actually doing a lot of research in my free time. Pubmed is my main source of information on this virus. I am doing my best to keep up with research.

[bkkcanuck8]

3 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Possibly pictured before she left for treatment which was completed in 2019.

It also says she is immuno compromized cancer patient.  My understanding is that having a compromised immune system (which makes you more susceptible to getting sick) can also lead to the cancer itself.  Anyone that has a compromised immune system should be of higher priority -- regardless of visa status. 

[Liverpool Lou]

7 hours ago, bkkcanuck8 said:

It also says she is immuno compromized cancer patient.  My understanding is that having a compromised immune system (which makes you more susceptible to getting sick) can also lead to the cancer itself.  Anyone that has a compromised immune system should be of higher priority -- regardless of visa status. 

She has priority, she's over 60, has pre-existing medical conditions and can get the Pfizer or AZ vaccination by registering for it, just like everyone else can do and has done and has had at least one vaccination.

[bkkcanuck8]

10 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

She has priority, she's over 60, has pre-existing medical conditions and can get the Pfizer or AZ vaccination by registering for it, just like everyone else can do and has done and has had at least one vaccination.

Depends on her visa status, if her teaching work visa has lapsed and she does not have 800,000 baht in the bank then should could be on a tourist visa with indefinite extensions at this point... there is no option for tourist visas to register that I know of.

[Liverpool Lou]

2 minutes ago, bkkcanuck8 said:

13 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

She has priority, she's over 60, has pre-existing medical conditions and can get the Pfizer or AZ vaccination by registering for it, just like everyone else can do and has done and has had at least one vaccination.

Depends on her visa status, if her teaching work visa has lapsed and she does not have 800,000 baht in the bank then should could be on a tourist visa with indefinite extensions at this point... there is no option for tourist visas to register that I know of.

Then that would be her problem if she let her visa lapse!

[bkkcanuck8]

33 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Then that would be her problem if she let her visa lapse!

Even if she has no control over it?  Like no school willing to sponsor her because too many days of no classes.... 

[Liverpool Lou]

1 hour ago, bkkcanuck8 said:

2 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Then that would be her problem if she let her visa lapse!

Even if she has no control over it?  Like no school willing to sponsor her because too many days of no classes.... 

Well, it's certainly no on else's fault, she is not "stuck in Thailand without access to vaccine" and she has no reason to go to the press, apparently with the expectation of special treatment, as she can register and get the vaccination just as everyone else in her exact situation, myself included, is able to do and have done.

[Liverpool Lou]

2 hours ago, bkkcanuck8 said:

2 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

She has priority, she's over 60, has pre-existing medical conditions and can get the Pfizer or AZ vaccination by registering for it, just like everyone else can do and has done and has had at least one vaccination.

Depends on her visa status, if her teaching work visa has lapsed and she does not have 800,000 baht in the bank then should could be on a tourist visa with indefinite extensions at this point... there is no option for tourist visas to register that I know of.

There is the option of her returning to the US and have the vaccination that she wants, in that case, she's not "stuck" here.

[WEBBYB808]

On 8/10/2021 at 2:01 AM, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

Per the U.S. CDC re someone with this woman's situation:

 

"If you have a condition or are taking medication that weakens your immune system, you may NOT be fully protected even if you are fully vaccinated. Talk to your healthcare provider."

 

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/international-travel-during-covid19.html

 

The article reads, that she can't get a vaccine,  which is untrue.  Not that it's dangerous  for her to get.