LAAB Injections Begin for Immunocompromised

by Paul Rujopakarn

BANGKOK (NNT) - The Ministry of Public Health has ordered its provincial offices to survey the number of patients eligible for LAAB injections in each province. Authorities say LAABs are effective against the original strain of COVID-19 as well as substrains that are currently active.

The first LAAB batch will be allocated to kidney failure patients who require dialysis, as well as organ and bone marrow transplant patients.

These patients can consult their doctors for advice on receiving an LAAB injection. After the initial group has had their LAABs administered, the health ministry will expand its target to cover those at risk of developing severe symptoms or dying from COVID-19.

LAABs have been certified for emergency use in the United States and United Kingdom, with Thailand’s Food and Drug Administration giving emergency use approval on June 27th.

According to AstraZeneca, LAABs are 83% effective at reducing the risk of symptomatic COVID-19.

There are an estimated 500,000 immunocompromised patients currently in Thailand, about 200,000 of whom are cancer patients receiving chemotherapy and radiotherapy.