By Natthaphon  Sangpolsit

    

BANGKOK (NNT) - The Ministry of Public Health is urging people who have received two doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine to get a third dose from the same brand as a booster to protect against the highly transmissible Omicron coronavirus variant.

 

Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, citing academic studies, said on Friday (Dec 24) that those who receive three AstraZeneca jabs are at greatly reduced risk of contracting the Omicron strain.

 

He also noted that Thailand, with its own AstraZeneca manufacturing facilities, will be able to deliver 61 million doses by year-end, with another 60 million to be delivered at the start of 2022.

 

Dr Opas Karnkawinpong, director-general of the Department of Disease Control (DDC), meanwhile said findings by researchers at Oxford University in the UK indicated that three AstraZeneca doses provide the same efficacy against the Omicron strain as two provide against the Delta variant.

 

He added that rollouts of Pfizer jabs for children aged 5-11 will not be rushed due to injections requiring consent from parents.

 

Dr Apisamai Srirangson, assistant spokeswoman for the Center for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA), said the agency is also working with Oxford University to develop a vaccine specifically for the Omicron variant.

 

-- © Copyright NNT 2021-12-27

 

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So, countries of the world buying a billion doses of chinese gunk seems to have been a bit of a waste of time and country budget

Are we promoting the AstraZeneca facility here or is a 3rd AZ the way to go now ? My Moderna boost is tomorrow ( 2 x AZ prior ), I've read many articles stating mRNA vaccines are the best option for booster if available over another viral vector........

14 minutes ago, CANSIAM said:

Are we promoting the AstraZeneca facility here or is a 3rd AZ the way to go now ?

I also have same question.

BTW how long after 2nd AZ shot is your planned booster.

9 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

I also have same question.

BTW how long after 2nd AZ shot is your planned booster.

It will be 97 days after 2nd AZ. I made the date change after the new 3-6 month announcement. 2 months earlier than original booking...... little nervous about it, should be ok and no idea what the dose volume they use ! 

1 hour ago, CANSIAM said:

Are we promoting the AstraZeneca facility here or is a 3rd AZ the way to go now ? My Moderna boost is tomorrow ( 2 x AZ prior ), I've read many articles stating mRNA vaccines are the best option for booster if available over another viral vector........

My daughter the nurse practitioner said get the Moderna as a booster if I have been jabbed with 2 AZ.

And I'll ask again. Where can I get an astrazeneca booster shot near Sattahip, so not have to drive to Bangkok? 

4 minutes ago, Gandtee said:

And I'll ask again. Where can I get an astrazeneca booster shot near Sattahip, so not have to drive to Bangkok? 

 

 

Try Wat Yan hospital.

 

No issue in 'switchinf' from Bangkok, but check first that they have the vaccines.

3 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

So, countries of the world buying a billion doses of chinese gunk seems to have been a bit of a waste of time and country budget

It is easy to be a smart-ar5e in hindsight.

 

Sinovac is recognised by WHO and was deemed to be effective against the original strain of COVID .

 

 

4 hours ago, webfact said:

BANGKOK (NNT) - The Ministry of Public Health is urging people who have received two doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine to get a third dose from the same brand as a booster to protect against the highly transmissible Omicron coronavirus variant

So why is my local health authority stating that if 2X Astra have been administered the booster will be Pfizer?

Astra booster is only for the Sino/Astra combo?

4 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

So, countries of the world buying a billion doses of chinese gunk seems to have been a bit of a waste of time and country budget

That's debatable.. especially here in Thailand.

I'm sure it'd benefited many... if you get my drift.

2 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

I also have same question.

BTW how long after 2nd AZ shot is your planned booster.

My local health authority is stating 3 months after 2 AZ jab for the booster.

8 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

So why is my local health authority stating that if 2X Astra have been administered the booster will be Pfizer?

Astra booster is only for the Sino/Astra combo?

Because, as always the memo has not trickled down through channels.   Just like when I went to MedPArk and walked in to see about the booster I was told to wait until notified as it was still 6 months from the date I received my last jab until a booster was needed.  The goal posts have changed because of Omicron and many won't budge until they are told to.

8 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

My local health authority is stating 3 months after 2 AZ jab for the booster.

This is small clip from health department Oz government.

 

"There is still a significant amount of protection even after six months and that is why the booster program has been launched as an option for people who received their second dose more than six months ago and they can go and get it.".

 

That was made in November.

Seems some different/mixed messaging.

6 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

This is small clip from health department Oz government.

 

"There is still a significant amount of protection even after six months and that is why the booster program has been launched as an option for people who received their second dose more than six months ago and they can go and get it.".

 

That was made in November.

Seems some different/mixed messaging.

 

Dec 23rd & 24th my local health authority held a booster inoculation programme at the Rajabhat University for anyone who had received two vaccinations the 2nd being no less than 3 months.

2X astra your got Pfizer

Sino/astra combo you got AZ

 

 

3 hours ago, CANSIAM said:

Are we promoting the AstraZeneca facility here or is a 3rd AZ the way to go now ? My Moderna boost is tomorrow ( 2 x AZ prior ), I've read many articles stating mRNA vaccines are the best option for booster if available over another viral vector........

I've had 3 x AZ (1 in UK in mid April, 1 in TH in early July, 1 in UK in early Nov). I wanted a 'complete' vax cert from one country hence the 3rd shot in UK. That was before Omicron but guess I can count it as a booster. Didn't have any reaction to any of the shots. I did catch Covid here in late September but it was very mild.

 

I also read an article recently that cited Dr Clive Dix, former chairman of the UK Vaccine Task Force, when stating "The AstraZeneca adenovirus vaccine scores well on cell memory and may ultimately protect better than messenger RNA jabs such as Pfizer-BioNTech, now that we are relying more on this second line of defence. He believes the UK should have stuck with AstraZeneca for mix-and-match boosters."

[Article is here but it's behind a paywall: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2021/12/23/prof-lockdowns-apocalyptic-omicron-claims-undermine-faith-vaccines/]

 

Who knows. I don't care whether I catch it (again) if the vaccines provide good protection against serious illness. There's so little clarity around this, though, because so many studies talk about protection from "symptomatic infection", which runs the gamut from sniffles for a day to intubation in ICU.

 

So 3 x AZ or 2 x AZ + 1 of something else? I suspect both options work well but I'm not a clinical virologist and I suspect the issue of a 3rd booster will soon be supplanted by the issue of a 4th, 5th, 6th etc booster ...

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reality: Authorities recommend a third dose of whatever they have going and it's certainly not peer-reviewed science.

But, does it matter now? I suspect most ex-pats are just after a regime that is widely accepted for travel at this point.

This from yesterday seems a bit different from today's recommendation......

The Thai government has decided on booster dose timing. Those who had their first two doses of Sinovac or Sinopharm may choose AstraZeneca, Pfizer, or Moderna for their booster four weeks later. Those who had two AstraZeneca doses may choose Pfizer or Moderna for their booster three months later, while those who received two Pfizer or two Moderna doses can choose either vaccine for their booster six months later.

1 hour ago, hotchilli said:

So why is my local health authority stating that if 2X Astra have been administered the booster will be Pfizer?

Astra booster is only for the Sino/Astra combo?

Because supplies of Moderna are getting low? It was earlier announced that from the New Year the option of Moderna  would not be available anymore.

First it was called for Moderna or Pfizer as the third shot. Now third Astra shot on top of 2 AZ after all? Apparently there aren't enough Moderna and Pfizer shots available? Then Astra or what?

So the vaccination recommendations are more than unclear, which one is really the most sensible.

31 minutes ago, tomacht8 said:

First it was called for Moderna or Pfizer as the third shot. Now third Astra shot on top of 2 AZ after all? Apparently there aren't enough Moderna and Pfizer shots available? Then Astra or what?

So the vaccination recommendations are more than unclear, which one is really the most sensible.

The third AZ booster comes after 2 AZ jabs now based upon an Oxford study that was published recently and show the efficacy of a Third AZ jab is up there with both Pfizer and Moderna Boosters.

Sh*t happens, I got a Pfizer-booster only two days ago on top of my two AZ jabs...

 

However, I'm very happy and thankful to Thailand that gives me vaccinations...

19 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

The third AZ booster comes after 2 AZ jabs now based upon an Oxford study that was published recently and show the efficacy of a Third AZ jab is up there with both Pfizer and Moderna Boosters.

is illogical for me. two Astra shots do not help against Omicron after 3 months, but now the third shot with the same active ingredient should help. Again for 3 months? On the whole, the protective effect of the vaccinations is extremely short. 2 times Pfizer then 3 shots after 6 months. In terms of temporal protection, Pfizer seems to be better.

Just now, tomacht8 said:

is illogical for me. two Astra shots do not help against Omicron after 3 months, but now the third shot with the same active ingredient should help. Again for 3 months? On the whole, the protective effect of the vaccinations is extremely short. 2 times Pfizer then 3 shots after 6 months. In terms of temporal protection, Pfizer seems to be better.

I just reported what was put out in the main news that's all.  My daughter, the nurse practitioner recommends a miderna boost for those who have 2 AZ jabs already   I will get one in 3 weeks while in the US.

Where can you register for Booster jab AZ now seems main website for vacations all say full now?

 

I want to get a booster in Bangkok hopefully?

 

Cheers

 

 

4 hours ago, hotchilli said:

So why is my local health authority stating that if 2X Astra have been administered the booster will be Pfizer?

Astra booster is only for the Sino/Astra combo?

Yea , down here in Hat Yai same 2x AZ got the 3rd Pfizer 7 days ago.

BKK Hospital BKK Moderna Vaccine reservations have been temporarily suspended. "Excessive vaccine reservation and limited amount of allocated vaccines suspended from 21 December at 10pm onwards. Customers who made appointments 22 December - 6 January 2022 services are provided as scheduled" its on their website to read.......... 

Where can Phizer or Moderna boosters be arranged in Chiang Mai?

Where can Phizer or Moderna boosters be arranged in Chiang Mai?

6 hours ago, hotandsticky said:

Sinovac is recognised by WHO and was deemed to be effective against the original strain of COVID

Yes, the same people who said it was not a pandemic, did not recommend chinese non travel and who appear to be white washing the chinese virus by agreeing the chinese do not have to provide their data