2m doses of Pfizer vaccine arrive today, student vaccinations start next week

[webfact]

 

Two million doses of the Pfizer mRNA vaccine arrived in Bangkok this morning from the United States.

 

Thailand’s Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, who was at the Suvarnabhumi International Airport this morning to observe the arrival, told the media that this batch is part of the 30 million doses ordered by the Thai government for this year, with six million more doses to arrive in October on a weekly basis.

 

The Pfizer vaccine will be administered to up to 5 million youngsters, aged from 12 to 18.

 

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Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/2m-doses-of-pfizer-vaccine-arrive-today-student-vaccinations-start-next-week/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2021-09-29

 

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[rbkk]

Why 2 doses of Pfizer for the students and not 1 dose?

Quotes from links......

"Single jab recommended for 12 to 15-year-olds by UK's top doctors"

"Children aged 16 to 18 have only been told to get one dose currently."

https://www.bbc.com/news/health-58547659

 

Why not vaccinate the primary school kids as well?

"The Pfizer/BioNTech coronavirus vaccine is "safe, well tolerated" and produces a "robust" antibody immune response in children aged five to 11, according to the findings of a US trial."

https://www.bbc.com/news/health-58623062

 

[Gold Star]

I am surprised Anutin actually showed up for the photo op. He should be nothing but embarrassed with a huge loss of face as this points out their worst blunder: missing the opportunity to buy Pfizer early on when he could and instead relying on AZ to deliver, then trying to make up the shortfall with Chinese vaccines, and then finally giving in to order Pfizer.

 

Today's moment points out just how late in the game the arrival is of the first mRNA shipment purchased in Thailand really is, as this should have happened many many months ago, in the 10's of millions of doses.

 

Given that we missed most of the pandemic early on, we might have even been able to miss the worst of the fourth wave had we been properly vaccinated early enough.

 

Some other countries have already fully vaccinated their populations with Pfizer for the most part, and are in the process of needing boosters already. Although not without problems, they will have given themselves the best chance to emerge from this first.  

 

One day we all eventually realize and learn to accept that this virus is not going to go away and will always be with us as a bad and  sometimes deadly version of the flu, and try to protect the vulnerable in our populations on a regular basis with the inclusion of it in our annual flu booster vaccines.

 

Meanwhile, we continue to struggle through this with restrictions, and millions suffering hardship, as we chew through the millions of Chinese vaccines ordered. At present, we can only give the appearance of doing something however small by putting the Chinese vaccines into arms, before moving on to the next best ones, then finally to the mRNA that produce the highest immune response.

 

<snip>

 

We have a long way to go yet from being over this thanks to their poor choices.

 

 

Edited September 29, 2021 by Jai Dee
Link to Bangkok Post removed as per Forum Rules

[Pedrogaz]

This means that my appointment for jab 2 might well go ahead next week.

[mtls2005]

Not too bad. Contract signed July 20, for 20 mm (initial order, another 10 mm ordered August 21).

 

Shows what you can do when you actually place an order. And so much for the lack of availability.

 

 

 

 

[ncc1701d]

Any chance someone can link the same news is in a Thai publication?

[malthebluff]

The Pfizer vaccine will be administered to up to 5 million youngsters, aged from 12 to 18.

What about the 18 to 26 aged students at university they are more likely to be going out shopping or to bars or clubs and mixing with others. Seems theres going to be a huge gap between teens and the elderly 

 

[hioctane]

6 hours ago, malthebluff said:

The Pfizer vaccine will be administered to up to 5 million youngsters, aged from 12 to 18.

What about the 18 to 26 aged students at university they are more likely to be going out shopping or to bars or clubs and mixing with others. Seems theres going to be a huge gap between teens and the elderly 

 

I believe 18+ can already get the vaccine.

[hioctane]

7 hours ago, mtls2005 said:

Not too bad. Contract signed July 20, for 20 mm (initial order, another 10 mm ordered August 21).

 

Shows what you can do when you actually place an order. And so much for the lack of availability.

 

 

 

 

It is a combination of faster production and everyone else already getting their orders filled.

[malthebluff]

2 hours ago, hioctane said:

I believe 18+ can already get the vaccine.

22 year thai daughter and student still waiting put name down on most apps and at university not heard anything all her friends are the same 

[Rampant Rabbit]

12 hours ago, Pedrogaz said:

This means that my appointment for jab 2 might well go ahead next week.

had  mine yesterday out  in the  boonies Sam  Roi  Yot  Hospital

[BangkokReady]

15 hours ago, mtls2005 said:

Not too bad. Contract signed July 20, for 20 mm (initial order, another 10 mm ordered August 21).

Yup.  Could have probably had them June/July if they'd ordered once the third wave hit and we found out how bad Sinovac was, or far sooner if they had wanted to vaccinate seriously while all was quiet.

 

Very sad.

[pseudorabies]

19 hours ago, rbkk said:

Why 2 doses of Pfizer for the students and not 1 dose?

Quotes from links......

"Single jab recommended for 12 to 15-year-olds by UK's top doctors"

"Children aged 16 to 18 have only been told to get one dose currently."

https://www.bbc.com/news/health-58547659

 

Why not vaccinate the primary school kids as well?

"The Pfizer/BioNTech coronavirus vaccine is "safe, well tolerated" and produces a "robust" antibody immune response in children aged five to 11, according to the findings of a US trial."

https://www.bbc.com/news/health-58623062

 

Again, as we saw with Moderna back in June, Anutin moves to procure mRNA vaccines only after the press exposes his inaction.  Its sad that his department couldn't see the inherent value in 2mil doses of one of the better vaccines for free.  

 

I suspect that the reason it is going to students is that Anutin may fear a well-powered comparison between the effectiveness of Sinovac and mRNA vaccines among adults in Thailand.  If it were to come out that Pfizer is much more effective it could cause (more) problems for him. 

[walt1]

I was able to get the Pfizer vac thru Medpark in BKK. The boy is scheduled for Pfizer next week. Paid for Sinopharm for wife and daughter on October 6th, now wonder if should wait for Pfizer for them. 

[rbkk]

1 hour ago, pseudorabies said:

Again, as we saw with Moderna back in June, Anutin moves to procure mRNA vaccines only after the press exposes his inaction.  Its sad that his department couldn't see the inherent value in 2mil doses of one of the better vaccines for free.  

 

I suspect that the reason it is going to students is that Anutin may fear a well-powered comparison between the effectiveness of Sinovac and mRNA vaccines among adults in Thailand.  If it were to come out that Pfizer is much more effective it could cause (more) problems for him. 

I think I'm right in saying that at the time of ordering the Pfizer it was the only vaccine approved for the student age ranges.

[DrPhibes]

10 hours ago, hioctane said:

I believe 18+ can already get the vaccine.

Where?  No source of availability for anyone under 50 here for Pfizer in Chiang Mai that I can find.

[DrPhibes]

Is 1 million of the 2 the Pfizer the US already said was ready to deliver through donation but there was a paperwork problem of the US wanting Thailand to ask for it and Thailand saying the US has to ask permission to donate it?