People waiting for paid mRNA vaccines asked to get free Pfizer jabs at state facilities

[dutchman]

never trust any fool by his promesses and this one is the biggest of them all.

A liar a cheat talking BS and now try confisticate the moderna for other purpose of his friend

 

[4MyEgo]

3 minutes ago, asiasurfer said:

Anyway, I always said that it is unwise to pay a private hospital for a vaccine which isn't there, yet. I expected before that a vaccine will become available for free sooner or later.

That is what I call leaving yourself wide open.

 

The private hospitals will deliver, as they have been administering the vaccines that they have been receiving as they come in.

 

For me who paid in June, I was fortunate enough to receive Pfizer thanks to the USA donation, now if the USA didn't donate Pfizer to us expats, what were my options, Sinovac, Sinopharm both made in China and AZ made in Thailand, maybe for you, not for me and many others.

 

When the private hospital calls us, pretty soon for our Moderna doses that we have paid for, I will be pushing mine back for March/April as a booster, if that cannot be done, then I will take it as a booster earlier than expected, as for the 2nd dose, couldn't care less.

 

If your into freebies by the Thai government, then that means you depend on them and all I can say to that is, better you than me, as I have never depended on governments, I am above that.

[Kerryd]

One of the private hospitals I booked with a couple months ago just sent an message telling my that my "queue" number can make a booking between now and later March.
I'm just waiting for a friend to book their appointment so we can travel at the same time.

If successful, then I'll cancel my booking with Bangkok Pattaya Hospital. I don't expect there to be a hassle with the refund.

[sbf]

17 hours ago, fdsa said:

may I know the name of even a single facility where Pfizer is freely available? I could even pay for it.

 

Here on Phuket it's "sorry no double Pfizer, only first Sinovac second Pfizer", and I'm not willing for anything that begins with Sino...

I couldn't get vaccinated in a timely manner on Phuket as my visa extension was issued in another province. I had to change my immigration address to Phuket and then wait out a 3 month period which would have seen me become eligible about now to apply for my first shot. Not wishing to delay vaccination for this period of time, I travelled to Bangkok - got two shots of Pfizer three weeks apart in September. The only problem was I could not return to Phuket until two weeks after the 1st shot under the rules as they were then. Luckily I had things to do in other provinces, so waited out of province until my second shot and returned to Phuket fully vaccinated.

 

Free at Medpark Hospital, Bangkok although I am not sure of they are currently operating this scheme. Check their website. I would happily have paid. None of the other apps - Expatvac etc came through for me. I am happy that I decided on this course. Our youngest tested positive after catching Covid at school last week, and is now in quarantine on Phuket. The rest of the household tested negative but we were all vaccinated. 

[Chris.B]

2 hours ago, 10baht said:

But they will let you transfer (sell-up to you) it to a needy person who did not originally sign up for one. 

Okay, come on then, tell me you are a needy person!  

[MrJ2U]

Something against Moderna.

 

I assume no kickbacks.

 

 

[Kerryd]

One of the private hospitals I booked with a couple months ago just sent an message telling my that my "queue" number can make a booking between now and later March.
I'm just waiting for a friend to book their appointment so we can travel at the same time.

If successful, then I'll cancel my booking with Bangkok Pattaya Hospital. I don't expect there to be a hassle with the refund.

[bradiston]

I'm able to postpone my available Moderna jab until April 2022. But having had the cocktail of 2 Sinovac and 1 AstraZaneca, I wonder what Anutin's medical advice would be. The hospital in question, with regards to the 4th shot in question, says "not recommended", so perhaps the unmedically trained minister should watch his words when it comes to urging people to do something the hospital would advise against.

[recom273]

21 hours ago, Chris.B said:

"Thailand’s Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul is urging unvaccinated people, who are waiting for Pfizer or Moderna vaccines booked with private hospitals, to cancel their bookings and get free jabs of Pfizer vaccine at state vaccination facilities."

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

But the private hospitals won't allow cancellations!

 

Where and when will the Pfizer vaccinations be available?

 

Just had my first dose of AZ today, there was a choice of straight and combination doses of sino or AZ or Pfizer .. In a walk up clinic, in a covered marketplace, in Khon Kaen. I’m not too sure who organised it, all the staff were wearing special T-shirts. 
 

Got to say, I was skeptical about availability and numbers of people, but it was good - we scoped it out yesterday and there were some westerners there, but none today - they weren’t really equipped to handle westerners, no English forms, no real English spoken - but it wasnt a problem. We wouldn’t have heard about it if the missus didn’t see a Facebook post on Monday night, again all in Thai.
 

It seems that availability of non-sino vaccines is good, no one was forcing me to take a mixed dose and the environment was mostly controlled, just a few locals that didn’t understand queues and social distancing. These were my requirements before attempting vaccination.

It’s all out there, you need to keep your ear to the ground to find out where.

[cjinchiangrai]

20 hours ago, Karma80 said:

Yes, spot on. Sadly, I got Sinovac in Phuket at a time when the sandbox was opening. That or nothing, so seems better than nothing..

The booster here was an AZ 20% dose intradermal shot - no thanks. Not that I don't think it wouldn't be effective, but nobody is going to recognize that and it would muck up any chance of a decent booster or revaccination. Not available now anyway.

 

So, the Moderna shot will be a booster if it turns up. Or more likely, as many friends I know here, I will take a trip back home and get vaccinated completely again. Just properly this time.

The WHO has recognized the combination. Acceptance is still pending in the EU but the US has already agreed. I got the same combo and was told yesterday that there will be a Pfizer booster at six months. Not sure it is needed but whatever. Not afraid of needles, just pneumonia. 

 

I like the idea of mixing vaccines, only one of them needs to train the immune system.

[Fadgie3]

I registered for the free vaccine jab's months ago and I am still waiting for a time date and place. My Thai wife and my stepdaughter have not received any information about the vaccine program in our area. They talk the talk and seem to do very little regards getting people vaccinated in mass. They should be using every means at their disposal to get people vaccinated and that should include using armed forces doctors, nurses. With walk in stations where you can go in every area of the country. But I doubt that that would happen, their priorities are not the people of the country but tourism and only what they are prepared to open up for tourists. Surely the priority must be the people and getting them vaccinated. 

 

[arithai12]

21 hours ago, BritManToo said:

They were certainly available in Chiang Mai in October and November.

I had my second free Pfizer at Promanada last week.

I know farang friends who got free Pfizer shots at Royal Flora already in September, and as you say in Promenada just after.

[Chris.B]

1 minute ago, arithai12 said:

I know farang friends who got free Pfizer shots at Royal Flora already in September, and as you say in Promenada just after.

Many farangs got Pfizer in September through Expatvac. It's hardly a secret! 

[arithai12]

35 minutes ago, bradiston said:

I'm able to postpone my available Moderna jab until April 2022. But having had the cocktail of 2 Sinovac and 1 AstraZaneca, I wonder what Anutin's medical advice would be. The hospital in question, with regards to the 4th shot in question, says "not recommended", so perhaps the unmedically trained minister should watch his words when it comes to urging people to do something the hospital would advise against.

When did you get your AZ? The booster campaign in Europe is targeting people who are at 5-6 months after their last shot. The hospital might be wrong in this case.

[arithai12]

1 minute ago, Chris.B said:

Many farangs got Pfizer in September through Expatvac. It's hardly a secret! 

Never said it was a secret, I was merely referring to the quoted post.

[Chris.B]

29 minutes ago, recom273 said:

It’s all out there, you need to keep your ear to the ground to find out where.

So what are you trying to say? The millions of Thai people who booked Moderna are wrong because it (Pfizer) is all out if they keep their ears to the ground!  ????????????

Edited November 25, 2021 by Chris.B

[Srikcir]

21 hours ago, Karma80 said:

Yes, spot on. Sadly, I got Sinovac in Phuket at a time when the sandbox was opening. That or nothing, so seems better than nothing..

The booster here was an AZ 20% dose intradermal shot - no thanks. Not that I don't think it wouldn't be effective, but nobody is going to recognize that and it would muck up any chance of a decent booster or revaccination. Not available now anyway.

 

So, the Moderna shot will be a booster if it turns up. Or more likely, as many friends I know here, I will take a trip back home and get vaccinated completely again. Just properly this time.

If you prepaid for a full Moderna shot (ie., 1st/2nd jab) and use it as a booster, you're still out of the money. The booster is only a half dose. 

[Chris.B]

21 hours ago, Karma80 said:

So, the Moderna shot will be a booster if it turns up. Or more likely, as many friends I know here, I will take a trip back home and get vaccinated completely again. Just properly this time.

Expatvac started on 1st August calling for all foreign residents to register and receive vaccinations which turned out to be 2 shots of Pfizer from the USA. How comes you and your "many" friends didn't get "properly" vaccinated then?

Edited November 25, 2021 by Chris.B

[patman30]

ahhhhh, the illusion of choice....????‍♂️

[Srikcir]

If you prepaid for a covid 19 vaccine, no longer need it because it's delivery was so delayed ( ie., by government failure to be only one to import the vaccine) and out of concern with of the aggressive Delta variant got your vaccinations from other more available sources (ie., free Pfizer), you cannot allegedly get a refund. So the Ministry of Health will not intervene.

What about the Police?

Suppose I make an appointment with the hospital for my paid jabs despite already receiving 2 jabs elsewhere. Show up with an empty cup and tell the nurse to shoot the vaccine jab into my cup paid for and delivered as contracted. Why not, I own the vaccine? 

Hypothetically, the nurse refuses. Does that not then constitute theft to withhold possession of a product you paid for? Would such be grounds for theft that might be grounds for criminal theft?

Furthermore, by what right would the hospital then decide to hold your vaccines for other potential users, whether offered again for sale, free or discarded?

 

 

[RichardColeman]

If people could not see this coming they must have problems spotting the sun rising every day !

[billd766]

20 hours ago, fdsa said:

may I know the name of even a single facility where Pfizer is freely available? I could even pay for it.

 

Here on Phuket it's "sorry no double Pfizer, only first Sinovac second Pfizer", and I'm not willing for anything that begins with Sino...

Up here in Kamphaeng Phet they were giving out Pfizer for both jabs and it was free so I got my 2 jabs then.

[billd766]

3 hours ago, Russell17au said:

I got Pfizer shot 1 on 27th Sept and shot 2 on 18th Oct at Bangkok Hospital in Khon Kaen for free, but you had to register at the hospital and it was for foreigners only and it was limited numbers available and since then, nothing.

In Kamphaeng Phet during the same period Pfizer was available to anybody, Thai or farang but you had to be registered at your nearest hospital, not necessarily the main government one.

 

Both times I went I was the only farang.

[bradiston]

1 hour ago, arithai12 said:

When did you get your AZ? The booster campaign in Europe is targeting people who are at 5-6 months after their last shot. The hospital might be wrong in this case.

No, I think the hospital is right. They simply notified me that my pre-booked Moderna jab was now available if I wanted it, without reference to my jab history. But when I asked them about my previous jabs, they said the combination I would end up with, ie 2 Sinovac, 1 AstraZaneca, 1 Moderna, is not currently recommended, although another hospital has suggested a 6 month or greater gap should be ok. So I've decided to wait and see if the guidelines change, and ignore them if they don't. I can postpone the Moderna for up to 6 months. But I'll probably take it after 3. If I drop dead I'll post a note here.

 

It does seem a bit arbitrary I agree, that hospitals where you book a booster aren't checking your jab history. Same goes for "Dr" Anutin, who recommends dumping Moderna for Pfizer and devil take the hindmost, and the hospitals your hard earned cash. It seems it's left to the patient to figure out what's best for him/her self. I quite like that approach!

Edited November 25, 2021 by bradiston

[recom273]

1 hour ago, Chris.B said:

So what are you trying to say? The millions of Thai people who booked Moderna are wrong because it (Pfizer) is all out if they keep their ears to the ground!  ????????????

Not saying anything.

 

Skimming through this thread, people, just as I was, seem to be unaware that Pfizer and AZ is actually available to the masses and no one is being forced to accept sinovac or a mix. It’s criminal that we have to rely upon the jungle telegraph or Facebook to find out, but such is this country and a decentralized health service. 

[bradiston]

2 hours ago, recom273 said:

Just had my first dose of AZ today, there was a choice of straight and combination doses of sino or AZ or Pfizer .. In a walk up clinic, in a covered marketplace, in Khon Kaen. I’m not too sure who organised it, all the staff were wearing special T-shirts. 
 

Got to say, I was skeptical about availability and numbers of people, but it was good - we scoped it out yesterday and there were some westerners there, but none today - they weren’t really equipped to handle westerners, no English forms, no real English spoken - but it wasnt a problem. We wouldn’t have heard about it if the missus didn’t see a Facebook post on Monday night, again all in Thai.
 

It seems that availability of non-sino vaccines is good, no one was forcing me to take a mixed dose and the environment was mostly controlled, just a few locals that didn’t understand queues and social distancing. These were my requirements before attempting vaccination.

It’s all out there, you need to keep your ear to the ground to find out where.

Exactly!

[renaissanc]

Astra Zeneca and Pfitzer have come to "my" tambol. I'll use the paid-for Moderna as the 3rd and 4th vaccinations. I'm not going to wait until February when Moderna will be available for me in the queue at the local private hospital then. The hospital won't refund the 3,300 Baht.

[Chris.B]

4 minutes ago, recom273 said:

Skimming through this thread, people, just as I was, seem to be unaware that Pfizer and AZ is actually available to the masses and no one is being forced to accept sinovac or a mix. It’s criminal that we have to rely upon the jungle telegraph or Facebook to find out, but such is this country and a decentralized health service. 

Fake news. Troll. 

[bradiston]

1 minute ago, Chris.B said:

Fake news. Troll. 

Forgive me for saying so, but I think that's nonsense. What he says is true in my experience. I got all my vaccination availability info via either this forum, way back in May for the Sinovac, ditto for the Moderna booking, or, in the case of the AstraZaneca booster, via a chance conversation with a very nice Thai woman who happened to know there was a program of mass vaccination starting at the indoor sports stadium in Pattaya, walk in, open to all.

 

More recently, I have noticed more info coming from central government, ie the MoPH, on government initiatives. But as for private hospitals, unless you're signed up with them, follow their FB pages, download their apps, send them regular SMS, you'd never know they even had a Vax program.

[recom273]

37 minutes ago, Chris.B said:

Fake news. Troll. 

Sad.

 

You think I am making excuses for Anutin and this pathetic government?

 

Sorry, it wasn’t fb. I spoke to the wife, she has friend who is the or-sor-mor which is like the village health rep, who informed her via LINE.
 

On Monday night I said it was a wild goose chase, and was pretty surprised when the wife returned yesterday with an arm of the vaccine of her choice. 
 

i guess you are sore that you paid 2-4K upfront and didn’t get it - No refunds, no guarantees How long have you lived in Thailand and didn’t see that coming?

 

Anyone who is in Khon Kaen and wants an straightforward vaccination, I have nothing more than a location and info that the clinic will be open until 5.00 tomorrow night and then return in a month for new and subsequent jabs. 
 

Troll .. lol