Is Thai AZ vaccine acceptable for entry to the UK without quarantine?

[Scouse123]

Thailand as we know, is Amber listed for UK visits.

 

There is definitely conflicting and confusing interpretations of the UK government website. We could do with clarification either from an Embassy source or somebody that has actually done it. I have Googled and looked on the government website, which is confusing and unclear on this area.

 

Bearing in mind we are not in the EU and so their rules are different and it seems, even in the EU, rules vary from country to country.

 

If I go to the UK as a vaccinated person, the UK is saying that after the test on Day 2, a clear Covid test in advance, and a filled in passenger locator form, that I do not have to undergo 10 days of home quarantine.

 

Some TVF members are saying we are classed as unvaccinated because the Thai AZ is not recognized by the UK? That to me, would be harsh, very harsh.

 

What about entry to all international students etc? Can they not come in either? I feel there is something amiss here or false information being relayed.

 

Some are even saying Thailand cannot be trusted to hold the ' standards ' required by AZ.

 

Let's be honest here, Thailand has some of the finest hospitals in the world and some of the best and most knowledgeable doctors in the world. I should know, I trusted them for a major operation and they saved my life at Bumrungrad hospital in 2005 and I am still here.

[Eff1n2ret]

Quarantine and testing if you've been in an amber list country - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

 

That guidance is quite clear, although you or I may not agree with it. Irrespective of what vaccine you've had, arriving from Thailand, an amber list country, requires you to quarantine and test on arrival. Only if you've been vaccinated in the UK, the EU or the USA can you avoid quarantine.

[Eff1n2ret]

Edit of the above:-

The wording they use is "Quarantine on arrival at home or at the place you're staying" - so you don't have to go to one of those ghastly quarantine hotels.

[Johnny Mac]

It's not confusing at all, it's very simple. If you arrive from a non EU or US country you have to quarantine, regardless of needles.

[Eff1n2ret]

Has anyone who has travelled into the UK in the last couple of months kept a copy of the "Passenger Locator Form" that you have to submit? I'd be interested to see it. I started the online application, but gave up when they required an explanation of why I would only accept SMS texts rather than phone calls - as if I'm going to keep my DTAC number open all day. Normally I buy a simcard when I get there.

I was just wondering if there's any workaround if you transit, say, Amsterdam and say you've been staying there. I guess there isn't.

[jojothai]

3 minutes ago, Eff1n2ret said:

 why I would only accept SMS texts rather than phone calls - as if I'm going to keep my DTAC number open all day. Normally I buy a simcard when I get there.

I did not see any way round it and put my thai mobile. You can buy a sim in the stores. I did this, then changed the mobile number on the passenger locator form site. It was possible to do it.

However they still called me on my thai mobile. After them repeatedly trying i had to answer in the end. They said they could not see any change. I gave them enough verbal criticism that they did not call me again.

However, they did send somebody a few days later to check that i was at the address for isolation.

However what you could do, is get somebody in uk to buy a sim now and put that uk sim number that you will have. Get them to load some credit. When you get the sim You can activate a package with the credit. Get the sim sent / given to you in uk when you arrive.

[theoldgit]

18 minutes ago, Eff1n2ret said:

I was just wondering if there's any workaround if you transit, say, Amsterdam and say you've been staying there. I guess there isn't.

 

If you have been in, or tansited through, and Amber list country within ten days prior to arrival in the UK the rules still apply, we'd considered travelling via Singapore, but that Idea was quickly scuppered.

 

The UK Embassy has added this para on their newsletter "NHS COVID Passes/Vaccine Passports are currently not available for people who have been vaccinated outside of the UK. The UK government however recognises it needs to consider how to treat British Nationals who have been vaccinated overseas. Work is ongoing to determine which non-UK vaccines may be recognised".

 

I note that some hotels near LGW, and maybe others, are now offerring self-isolation hotel-packages

[jojothai]

15 minutes ago, theoldgit said:

The UK Embassy as added this para on their newsletter "NHS COVID Passes/Vaccine Passports are currently not available for people who have been vaccinated outside of the UK. The UK government however recognises it needs to consider how to treat British Nationals who have been vaccinated overseas. Work is ongoing to determine which non-UK vaccines may be recognised".

That does not seem to match what i have read many times earlier and i had not been payong attention to changes. so people need to check.

I understood that the vaccination requirement was that you have to be vaccinated with a vaccine approved and authorised by uk/eu etc. The thai AZ is not because it is produced here.

Moderna should be ok.

If they say you have to be vaccinated in a specific country then that is ludicrous as it means that people vaccinated in the rest of the world that have received the same vaccine are discriminated against.

Surely that cannot be correct.

Needs some checking.

Edited August 15, 2021 by jojothai
Add detail

[2long]

1 hour ago, Scouse123 said:

Let's be honest here, Thailand has some of the finest hospitals in the world and some of the best and most knowledgeable doctors in the world. I should know, I trusted them for a major operation and they saved my life at Bumrungrad hospital

Bumrungrad is ONE hospital, and yes a very very good one... but just one.

It's fair to say that with a junta government and constant bovine manure & unfulfilled promises spouting from the government's Health Ministry, that it would be fair for civilised countries' governments to doubt the quality of anything made here, including vaccines.

 

But I do tend to agree with you about it being harsh, and let's face it, a British national residing in Thailand has no chance to get any vaccine that's on the UK's good list! If 10 days' home isolation, I'd be ok with that... but not paying for a hotel.

[Eff1n2ret]

4 minutes ago, jojothai said:

Surely that cannot be correct.

Needs some checking.

"You must have been fully vaccinated under one of the following programmes:

• UK vaccination programme, approved by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA)
• UK vaccine programme overseas, approved by the MHRA
• an approved vaccination programme in Europe or the USA – not all are recognised in England"      

That's what it says in the document I quoted originally. You may not agree with it, I don't, but no amount of "checking" will change that. Just for info "UK vaccine overseas" means British Overseas territories, the Channel Islands and Isle of Man, and, of course, crown servants based overseas. So our own dear British Embassy staff, who may have had  Astra Zeneca jabs here, can waltz in with no restrictions while you and I must suck it up, because we're second class citizens.

[theoldgit]

15 minutes ago, jojothai said:

That does not seem to match what i have read many times earlier and i had not been payong attention to changes. so people need to check.

I understood that the vaccination requirement was that you have to be vaccinated with a vaccine approved and authorised by uk/eu etc. The thai AZ is not because it is produced here.

Moderna should be ok.

If they say you have to be vaccinated in a specific country then that is ludicrous as it means that people vaccinated in the rest of the world that have received the same vaccine are discriminated against.

Surely that cannot be correct.

Needs some checking.

 

You'll need to take that up with the British Embassy, good luck with that.

 

The fact remains that if you enter the UK from Thailand, an Amber Listed country, or transit through an Amber country, you are required to self isolate, not quarantine, self isolate for ten days following your arrival in the UK, or five days if you purchase a "test to release" package, and prove negative.

 

The UK Government Website clarifies further

 

This applies if you’re fully vaccinated under either:

• the UK vaccination programme
• the UK vaccine programme overseas
• an approved vaccination programme in Europe or the USA - not all are recognised in England

[Gottfrid]

1 hour ago, Eff1n2ret said:

Quarantine and testing if you've been in an amber list country - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

 

That guidance is quite clear, although you or I may not agree with it. Irrespective of what vaccine you've had, arriving from Thailand, an amber list country, requires you to quarantine and test on arrival. Only if you've been vaccinated in the UK, the EU or the USA can you avoid quarantine.

So, then it´s just to go down in Germany for a night, and arrive from EU the day after.

Edited August 15, 2021 by Gottfrid

[theoldgit]

7 minutes ago, Gottfrid said:

So, then it´s just to go down in Germany for a night, and arrive from EU the day after.

 

If you're travelling from Thailand, or any other Amber listed country, you'd need to stay in Germany for ten nights before you travelled to the UK, assuming Germany would let you stay in the first place.

 

Residents of countries are only permitted to enter Germany if they serve in an important role or if they have an urgent need to travel, Thailand isn't on that list.

[Gottfrid]

8 minutes ago, theoldgit said:

 

If you're travelling from Thailand, or any other Amber listed country, you'd need to stay in Germany for ten nights before you travelled to the UK, assuming Germany would let you stay in the first place.

Ok, that is not how I read this information or the link to Daily News. Of course, I do not know if it´s really true.

Thai made AstraZeneca vax good for visits to France and Germany, says govt spokeswoman - Thailand News - ASEAN NOW formerly Thai Visa Forum

 

[theoldgit]

27 minutes ago, Gottfrid said:

Ok, that is not how I read this information or the link to Daily News. Of course, I do not know if it´s really true

 

Even if it were true, and like you I don't know if it is, you still wouldn't be allowed to stay overnight in Germany to negate the requirement to self isolate for five or ten days on arrival in the UK.

[samtam]

3 hours ago, Eff1n2ret said:

"You must have been fully vaccinated under one of the following programmes:

• UK vaccination programme, approved by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA)
• UK vaccine programme overseas, approved by the MHRA
• an approved vaccination programme in Europe or the USA – not all are recognised in England"      

That's what it says in the document I quoted originally. You may not agree with it, I don't, but no amount of "checking" will change that. Just for info "UK vaccine overseas" means British Overseas territories, the Channel Islands and Isle of Man, and, of course, crown servants based overseas. So our own dear British Embassy staff, who may have had  Astra Zeneca jabs here, can waltz in with no restrictions while you and I must suck it up, because we're second class citizens.

I can't seem to find a list of UK vaccine programmes approved by the MHRA.

It seems very strange to me that MHRA has not approved an AstraZeneca vaccine that is not manufactured in UK. Surely the AZ in UK is the same as the AZ anywhere else?

Edited August 15, 2021 by samtam

[Eff1n2ret]

56 minutes ago, samtam said:

Surely the AZ in UK is the same as the AZ anywhere else?

You and I would think so, I'm sure that the company Astra Zeneca does, and one hopes that common sense will prevail in the near future. However, At the moment, it is the place you have been vaccinated rather than what is breeding your antibodies which dictates the isolation and testing to which you are subject if you wish to set foot in Blighty.

[hotchilli]

21 hours ago, Scouse123 said:

Let's be honest here, Thailand has some of the finest hospitals in the world and some of the best and most knowledgeable doctors in the world. I should know, I trusted them for a major operation and they saved my life at Bumrungrad hospital in 2005 and I am still here

But they have nothing to do with Siam Bioscience?

[PBob]

The actual vaccine is only a part of the 'vaccine programme' its the whole process that includes recording and how you prove that you have been vaccinated.

A piece of paper in a foriegn language will not be enough. Unless someone like the WHO come up with some standard then it depends upon bilateral agreements between countries.

Electronic verification is the way to go, but this will take time. Students in the UK who had first jab in England and second in Scotland had trouble proving that they are fully vaccinated because the systems did not speak to each other.

[Scouse123]

26 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

But they have nothing to do with Siam Bioscience?

 

No, they don't but that was an answer to a different question when some posters were casting doubt on Thailand and its medical facilities.

 

In many ways, Thailand's private medical facilities I would say are in front of the UK in terms of numbers of doctors and standard of available equipment.

 

Now the issues with the vaccine, I find it appalling that the UK dithers and messes about for months with delays in closing their borders allowing countless unnecessary deaths, then we have the old age pensioner and nursing homes scandal regarding Covid, Even with the Indian variant, (first discovered in India, never mind bowing to sensitivities and calling it Delta), it took them ages to close down the flights access to the UK from India and to reassess the dangers it brought, leading to a far greater outbreak.

 

It then tries to take the moral high ground on which countries they will accept vaccinated people from? The bloody vaccine is being produced here under license for SE Asia.

 

They have had a long time to get sorted with a vaccine passport acceptable to all nations be it digital or otherwise to get international flights moving, but No, just further constant dithering.

 

And for the unvaccinated who are refusing the vaccine, that's fine, ban them from travelling, restaurants, bars, public gatherings, concerts etc and working anywhere that involves coming into contact with the public.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 16, 2021 by Scouse123

[actonion]

 The UK is not accepting Thai AZ vaccines for what ever reasons, what about the AZ  vaccines the UK donated to Thailand  last week, they are not accepting  their own vaccines too?

[Scouse123]

30 minutes ago, PBob said:

The actual vaccine is only a part of the 'vaccine programme' its the whole process that includes recording and how you prove that you have been vaccinated.

A piece of paper in a foriegn language will not be enough. Unless someone like the WHO come up with some standard then it depends upon bilateral agreements between countries.

Electronic verification is the way to go, but this will take time. Students in the UK who had first jab in England and second in Scotland had trouble proving that they are fully vaccinated because the systems did not speak to each other.

 

Yes, I agree with you.

 

But they have had plenty of time to allocate resources to find an acceptable electronic way of proving you have been vaccinated to internationally acceptable standards.

 

Also, what do they intend to do with all the foreign Asian students in the UK, make them all quarantine? because the Chinese vaccine is not recognized at all by the UK.

[crazykopite]

I wouldn’t be surprised if the U.K. placed Thailand in the Red Zone in the next few weeks infections are up and deaths are over 200 daily and I doubt they include those who have died at home 

[neilltaylor19]

To muddy the waters even more i wouldnt be surprised and would expect a lot of countries including thr U.K to not accept entry to an a person entering from Thailand who has been vaccinated with a first dose of sinovac followed by a second dose of astra zeneca ( i have yet to hear of any other country in the world doing this ). I have no plans of visiting the U.K for a very long while yet but have already received my first sinovac dose ( i am grateful to get any vaccination offered here by the way ).

[Exploring Thailand]

 

19 hours ago, samtam said:

I can't seem to find a list of UK vaccine programmes approved by the MHRA.

This page states that there are four MHRA approved vaccines, including Astra Zeneca. 

[theoldgit]

4 minutes ago, Exploring Thailand said:

 

This page states that there are four MHRA approved vaccines, including Astra Zeneca. 

 

Yes, for supply and use in the UK

 

The UK Embassy here in Thailand adds, NHS COVID Passes/Vaccine Passports are currently not available for people who have been vaccinated outside of the UK. The UK government however recognises it needs to consider how to treat British Nationals who have been vaccinated overseas. Work is ongoing to determine which non-UK vaccines may be recognised.

[Srikcir]

22 hours ago, 2long said:

Bumrungrad is ONE hospital, and yes a very very good one... but just one.

It's fair to say that with a junta government and constant bovine manure & unfulfilled promises spouting from the government's Health Ministry, that it would be fair for civilised countries' governments to doubt the quality of anything made here, including vaccines.

 

But I do tend to agree with you about it being harsh, and let's face it, a British national residing in Thailand has no chance to get any vaccine that's on the UK's good list! If 10 days' home isolation, I'd be ok with that... but not paying for a hotel.

Bumrungrad Hospital, biggest hospital in SE Asia, was one of 3 in Bangkok that was to receive Pfizer for vaccinations of foreigners per US request as was MedPark Hospital. But seems to date only 6-month old MedPark Hospital got Pfizer, appointments for 2nd jab now being done.

[DavisH]

2 hours ago, actonion said:

 The UK is not accepting Thai AZ vaccines for what ever reasons, what about the AZ  vaccines the UK donated to Thailand  last week, they are not accepting  their own vaccines too?

Your vaccine record (in Thailand) has a lot number for each does you were given. They cna easily check where the dose came from. Whether they will accept donated UK astrazeneca, I don't know.

 

But I suspect the situation will change over time. Otherwise, that will significantly hamper tourism to the UK (if they only accept certain vaccines). The Thai make astrazeneca was already quality checked overseas, so I see it being accepted in the future at some time. The Thai giverment should pull out their finger and do studies on vaccination here - more real data on efficacy is neededl in particular the occurrence of deaths in the vaccinated, and break-through cases. 

[DavisH]

1 hour ago, crazykopite said:

I wouldn’t be surprised if the U.K. placed Thailand in the Red Zone in the next few weeks infections are up and deaths are over 200 daily and I doubt they include those who have died at home 

Thailand should reciprocate, given the number of cases in the UK at the moment. 

[Marco100]

Isn't Astrazeneca Thai Covid Vaccine produced under license , control and management of Astrazeneca ?