Is Thailand’s booster program losing race against fast-mutating COVID?

[webfact]

 

By Thai PBS World’s General Desk

 

Thanks to constant mutations, the COVID-19 virus is still several steps ahead of vaccine developers. While researchers have managed to develop vaccines that are effective against the original strain of the new coronavirus and major variants like Delta, global mass vaccination efforts have failed to halt the raging pandemic.

 

This is because the virus continues to evolve, spawning new mutations that evade the defences of currently available vaccines.

 

As a result, the global infection rate remains at nearly one million confirmed COVID-19 cases per day, with thousands of deaths. Since the pandemic began, COVID-19 has claimed some 6.45 million lives across the world.

 

Hope for a new vaccine?

 

Earlier this week, the United Kingdom became the first country to approve a next-generation booster, Moderna’s mRNA-1273.214, for general use. The UK expects to start distributing this new vaccine before the end of the year.

 

Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/is-thailands-booster-program-losing-race-against-fast-mutating-covid/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2022-08-20

 

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[connda]

Be safe.  Get the new generation shots when they come out.

[rwill]

3 hours ago, connda said:

Be safe.  Get the new generation shots when they come out.

Not when they come out but when they arrive in Thailand which most likely will be months later.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Unless I've missed it somewhere, I've seen very little to nothing from the Thai government thus far on what kind of second generation  Omicron vaccines they plan on acquiring, and when they might become available.

 

The UK approved a new vaccine that's based on the original BA.1 Omicron variant. The U.S. probably within the next month is expected to approve new vaccine or vaccines based on the more recent BA.4/BA.5 variants.

 

From what I've read, the vaccine manufacturers have already been producing the new vaccines. So at least in the U.S., once approval is given, there are supposed to be supplies available for immediate use.

 

Based on past history, unless the Thai government has been unusually and quietly proactive, it's' probably going to be some months down the line... But who knows at this point.

 

[swm59nj]

Hopefully the updated vaccine will be available in Thailand soon.  But yes it could take a while for approval here. 

[MrJ2U]

6 hours ago, rwill said:

Not when they come out but when they arrive in Thailand which most likely will be months later.

I'm sure they'll be a lag.

Anutin and the GPO are laggards at best.

 

Bangkok Hospital Udon Thani took down payment for Moderna's next generation of vaccines last year. 

 

Hopefully sooner than later. 

[hotchilli]

18 hours ago, connda said:

Be safe.  Get the new generation shots when they come out.

So Thailand that'll be around 2024?

[bangon04]

4 hours ago, hotchilli said:

So Thailand that'll be around 2024?

depends on China??

[mommysboy]

What we need to remember is that even the existing vaccine drastically reduces serious morbidity in seriously at risk populations. It can and does save thousands of lives.

 

I agree though, an updated version will be long overdue in Thailand.

 

 

Edited August 24, 2022 by mommysboy