Is bivalent covid vaccine available?

[Goodboybkk]

Dear all,

 

Is bivalent covid vaccine available?

Thanks

[proton]

In Bkk at the dermatology hospital Victory monument, dont think I will bother with it

[jayboy]

7 hours ago, proton said:

In Bkk at the dermatology hospital Victory monument, dont think I will bother with it

 

Edited April 16, 2023 by jayboy
Response deleted

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

On 4/16/2023 at 10:52 AM, proton said:

In Bkk at the dermatology hospital Victory monument, dont think I will bother with it

AFAIK, the vaccination program at the Institute of Dermatology ended just before Song Kran, and I've seen no indication it will be continuing there post-SK.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

That said, while I haven't seen much of anything lately from the national MoPH on COVID vaccine availability, the Bangkok local government a week or so back put out an announcement that Pfizer COVID booster vaccines, including the newer bivalent ones, would be available every Friday afternoon from 1 to 3 pm at the BMA's 69 public health centers.

 

They also seem to be offering the same vaccines at the BMA's dozen public hospitals, though it looks like those have varying hours. Supposedly offered either on a walk-in basis or by appointment using the QueQ mobile app. Has to have been at least 4 months since your last COVID vaccination.

 

Here's a Google Translate version of their Thai announcement:

 

"Bangkok invites people to get vaccinated against COVID-19, a booster needle
For people aged 5 years and over, all nationalities
Open for walk in or book an appointment via the QueQ application.
Every Friday except public holidays from 13.00 - 15.00
At 69 public health service centers or 12 hospitals under Bangkok

Source: Department of Health, Bangkok"

 

The following graphic of the announcement includes, in TH, the names and other details of the dozen BMA public hospitals involved under the green-colored entries..

 

 

Source link:

Edited April 18, 2023 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

The BMA doesn't seem to do a very good job of presenting an easy to find EN  version with the particulars of their various hospitals... But this list seems to emcompass most of them:

 

1. BMA [Klang] General Hospital

2. Taksin Hospital

3. Charoen Krung Pracharak Hospital

4. Luang Phor Taweesak Chutinataro Uthit Hospital

5. Wetchakarunrat Hospital

6. BMA Lat Krabang Hospital

7. Ratchaphiphat Hospital

8. Sirindhorn Hospital

9. Bangkhuntian Geriatric Hospital

 

http://www.msdbangkok.go.th/HOMEENG.html

 

[jayboy]

I hope the complacency being shown in Thailand does not lead to needless suffering.Vulnerable people should receive the bivalent vaccine.

 

See the report in yesterday's New York Times which has been authorized by the paper to reproduce.

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/18/health/covid-booster-shots-seniors.html?unlocked_article_code=gBS69Ikru9pE-KO8jbd3FPa3QFzx-_SlVqKzld9kuyMTY6oGG7gRyf2DBuJaEUlSQzLQHyYS8RLJ9fBwaZuEHcAWIhb0-Du2IQheQSC1796Q9mYVsWsze3shOzImhj6ieaUOLYDr0P8Bg1uc5zzefX6UGkSkejGlYjhUqJPiAou1jDjF12Fjka0G2Hq0KzlHHUwk8cZlG6tQzbOkLzO8Ox9vOYrFLsnU1jPmlg3f2aGDCwSX-1oYR7uwClly4qIlL8o9OYFvmpoEbRlVmxKv-BQtGkCTHvOdleTkRm-Ckn7XkNHgsJ8jFyKTES__ZdcnMdd6iOEjfjnVOiea-ho8jb8NhK8&giftCopy=0_NoCopy&smid=url-share

Edited April 19, 2023 by jayboy

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

4 hours ago, jayboy said:

See the report in yesterday's New York Times which has been authorized by the paper to reproduce.

 

Worth noting:

F.D.A. Authorizes Another Covid Booster Shot for People Over 65

April 18, 2023

The Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday authorized an additional round of bivalent booster shots for adults who are 65 and over as well as people with compromised immune systems. The effort is to ensure ongoing protection against Covid, which is still claiming more than 1,300 lives each week.

...

The agency said people who are 65 and older who have not had a bivalent booster shot in at least four months may get another one. For those who are immunocompromised, additional doses of the bivalent vaccine can be given two months after the last shot. Those who are unvaccinated can get a single dose of the bivalent booster, the agency said."

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/18/health/covid-booster-shots-seniors.html

 

It's interesting that Thailand's current policy on the bivalent boosters is actually broader than the one in the U.S.  Here, you don't need to be 65+ in order to qualify for the bivalent booster. You just need to have gone at least 4 months since your last prior shot.  Here, you just need to be able to FIND the newer vaccine....

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

A private hospital in BKK offering the Pfizer bivalent vaccine on a couple of upcoming dates:

 

 

[Goodboybkk]

How much is that at private hospital?

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Another BKK opportunity for the Pfizer bivalent vaccine, according to a FB post from the TH National Vaccine Institute:

 

"Currently, Naradur Institute is also open to provide Covid 19 vaccination service.

You can inquire for more information at Naradur Nursing Institute. Tel. 02-590-3427."

 

This appears to be referring to the Bamrasnaradura Infectious Diseases Institute in Nonthaburi run by the government. The graphic below says they began offering the vaccinations in early March and are being offered on weekdays from 8:30 to 3:30 pm. Location is Building 9 on the first floor.

 

http://bamras.ddc.moph.go.th/landing/

 

 

https://www.facebook.com/nvikm/posts/pfbid0mm4WcwyWNjaZLCmTDkprnpMKES8W1kpz4gycrCF194pqx9jqcq2fHNR2KjPjekz3l

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 19, 2023 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[khokhols]

On 4/16/2023 at 10:52 AM, proton said:

In Bkk at the dermatology hospital Victory monument, dont think I will bother with it

Might be a good idea.

 

"According to “The Science,” the bivalent booster is better than the monovalent shot because it targets multiple variants. What the FDA fails to mention is that according to the government’s own sequencing data, the Omicron strains targeted by the bivalent boosters no longer exist.

Here’s a screen shot of the updated CDC variant tracker that shows the Omicron BA.4/BA.5 strains being present in 0.0% of the current population."

 

https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#variant-proportions

 

 

 

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

1 hour ago, khokhols said:

Might be a good idea.

 

 What the FDA fails to mention is that according to the government’s own sequencing data, the Omicron strains targeted by the bivalent boosters no longer exist.

Here’s a screen shot of the updated CDC variant tracker that shows the Omicron BA.4/BA.5 strains being present in 0.0% of the current population."

 

1. the current variants are still variations of the earlier Omicron variants that the bivalent vaccines were developed for, so there's still relevance, and better relevance than the original, pre-Omicron COVID vaccines.

 

2. the key governments and vaccine makers are already planning for yet a newer version of COVID vaccines to be rolled out later this year based on the more currently circulating COVID variants.

 

It's going to end up being much like the annual flu vaccine, where a new, updated version of the COVID vaccine is developed each year based on wherever the COVID virus ends up heading.

 

How and whether Thailand will participate in that upcoming cycle of new, updated COVID vaccines remains an unknown at this point, as they have tended to follow far behind places like the U.S. and U.K. in terms of COVID vaccine deployments. 

 

Because everything COVID vaccine related right now for Thailand is a paid for import.... not something they themselves have developed and can economize on.

 

 

 

 

Edited April 20, 2023 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

On 4/20/2023 at 5:02 PM, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

How and whether Thailand will participate in that upcoming cycle of new, updated COVID vaccines remains an unknown at this point, as they have tended to follow far behind places like the U.S. and U.K. in terms of COVID vaccine deployments. 

 

BTW, this issue above seems to have been clarified some in recent weeks amid the current Song Kran surge of new COVID cases and hospitalizations.

 

Various reports from the Thai MoPH lately have been talking about their newly adopted policy to widely offer an ANNUAL COVID vaccine at least this year and next year, ideally ahead of the rainy season each year.

 

MoPH has been much more active the past couple weeks in publicizing, mostly in Thai language materials, the various government hospitals in BKK and various other provinces where the COVID vaccines are being offered right now...

 

At some locations, those seem to be the original versions of the COVID vaccines, whereas at other locations, they've specified that they also have the newer bivalent vaccines on offer.

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

From a MoPH post yesterday via Google Translate:

 

"National Committee on Communicable Diseases Approved the plan for the next phase of the COVID-19 vaccination service, which is an annual COVID-19 vaccination for the public (2023 - 2024), which will be injected in 2023 as the first year, 1 injection per year, recommended before the rainy season. or since April Because it is expected that the infection will spread a lot during the rainy season.

 

Any type/version of the approved vaccine can be used. without counting how many needles The Ministry of Public Health has nearly 20 million doses of vaccines available to people who want to inject and can receive the COVID-19 vaccination along with the influenza vaccine."

 

Source:

Edited April 29, 2023 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Also Rajivithi Hospital in Bangkok:

 

Per Google Translate:

 

"Rajavithi Hospital Open for online registration Moderna bivalent booster and immunomodulatory vaccine (LAAB)
For people aged 12 years and over.

Click https://bit.ly/3s9n1Fj or Walk in every Monday - Friday (except public holidays).

Time: 8:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. at the injection room, 1st floor, Thosaminthrathirat Building,

Rajavithi Hospital

 

Source:

 

 

Edited April 29, 2023 by TallGuyJohninBKK