Covid vaccines for children - where?!

[Na Fan]

According to Pfizer, the vaccines are now available (and according to Bangkok Hospital also recommended) for children above 6 months. 

 

But, I can't seem to find a hospital that has them for kids?

 

Does anyone know where to go to get them for 3/6 year olds? Outside of Thailand would even be an option, I guess if there's some silliness going on again.

 

Cheers

[EVENKEEL]

As a parent I ask you why you'd give a child an unnecessary vaccine for children. 

[Na Fan]

1 hour ago, EVENKEEL said:

As a parent I ask you why you'd give a child an unnecessary vaccine for children. 

Unnecessary? 

 

Daughter had it when she was 3 and half, and she went through a horrible ordeal.

[Sheryl]

 The newest vaccine ever brought into Thailand  is the Pfizer-BioNTech Comirnaty XBB.1.5, and that, only some places have; the ones I know of are all in Bangkok. The newer 2024-2025 Pfizer vaccine is not available. 

 

The XBB 1.5 vaccine will  still be of some help especially in completely unvaccinated children who have never had COVID (these will be a minority, see below). Older vaccines, which might be all that one can find outside of Bangkok, might still help but are not approved in Thailand for children under current guidelines; only the Pfizer-BioNTech Comirnaty XBB.1.5 is approved for chldren under current Thai guidelines. 

 

Last I heard (admittedly about  year old info) these places had the XBB1.5:

Mahidol University Thai Travel Clinic 

Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute 

Bumrungrad Hosptal

 Praram 9 Hospital

quite possible some other large private hospitals in Thailand now have it too

 

 HOWEVER, these have only the adult formulation.  As you likely know, the dosage for children is different from adults. 3 mcg dose for your 3 year old and 10 mcg dose for your 6 year old.  The vaccine is otherwise the same and per  the guidelines of the Thai Pediatric Society, if the pediatric formulation is unavailable, fractional dose can be used i.e., they can give a partial amount of adult dose vial.  Therefore even if a hospital or clinic does not have the 3 or 10 mcg dose, they can use a partial quantity of the adult dose -- but you'd want to make sure they understand this and calculate correctly.  And they will probably end up wasting most of the vial, which if quantities are scarce, they may be unwilling to do. Do not expect anyone answering phone or email to know this, they will likely answer only that they do not have the pediatric vaccine, which is technically true.  Doctor may or may not be willing to partial dose from use adult vial , and it would take direct doctor order to make that happen. Which you may or may not be able to get.

 

While the official COVID vaccine guidelines have not so far changed, the current outbreak is of an extremely contagious but unusually mild  (for most people) variant. A recent study found that 80% of young children in Thailand already have immunity to COVID. This study has not yet been peer reviewed or published in a scientific journal but it has been widely publicized in the general media and a Chulalongkorn researcher even took the unusual step of posting it on Facebook.  While any change in guidelines remains to be seen, pretty much everyone knows about this finding and it will probably influence provider behavior/willingness to use a fractional dose from an adult vial to vaccinate a child if there are no special risk factors present. 

 

If you have not already, you can try asking Bumrungrad and Praram 9. Do not ask if the have the  pediatric vaccine (they don't); ask if they have Pfizer-BioNTech Comirnaty XBB.1.5 vaccine available. If they do, ask if they will administer fractional dose based on age to children (better yet, go and ask this in person -- Thais tend to always say no to anything they are unsure of, and whomever you could reach by phone or email will not be a decision maker).

 

If it is any comfort, your 6 year old, having already had COVID for sure, probably has good immunity and your 3 year old also likely (80% chance) has some immunity, and the current strains are much less severe than what was around when your now 6 year old got it.

 

Of course if either of your children has special risk factors due to chronic disease, or if there is an older person in the same household with unusual risk factor that needs to be protected,  that changes matters and best to go see a pediatrician at a hospital you know has the XBB.1.5 vaccine in stock to press your case. 

 

 

 

 

[Na Fan]

Thank you for the phenomenal response @Sheryl

 

The Bangkok hospital in Pattaya also has Comirnathy from Pfizer, and, as you say, only the adult dose. And they have not been offering (via email) to administer a partial dose. 

I'll go talk to their infectious disease specialist and see what they say.

 

You've been super helpful, thank you! 

 

Have a splendid weekend

[Sheryl]

31 minutes ago, Na Fan said:

Thank you for the phenomenal response @Sheryl

 

The Bangkok hospital in Pattaya also has Comirnathy from Pfizer, and, as you say, only the adult dose. And they have not been offering (via email) to administer a partial dose. 

I'll go talk to their infectious disease specialist and see what they say.

 

You've been super helpful, thank you! 

 

Have a splendid weekend

 

Make sure it is Comirnaty XBB.1.5, as there are early versions still around.

[anrcaccount]

@Sheryl thanks for your usual sensible advice.

 

In my home countries (x2), which have very strong, well respected health systems, covid vaccines are not recommended for children under 18 without existing complex health conditions.

 

So for the vast majority of children, covid vaccines are not recommended. 

 

Does Thailand offer different public health guidance?

 

 

[Na Fan]

54 minutes ago, anrcaccount said:

@Sheryl thanks for your usual sensible advice.

 

In my home countries (x2),

 

 

 

which countries are those? 

 

The US has just released some questionable "advise"...

[Magictoad]

10 hours ago, EVENKEEL said:

As a parent I ask you why you'd give a child an unnecessary vaccine for children. 

We don't think they are unnecessary and we don't trust your medical qualifications. I trust doctors and nurses who incidentally; wear masks throughout the hospitals, everywhere in the hospital.  Because masks stop airborne infections. Please stop using this forum for your looney anti vax campaign.  I guess you are an American

because no British fall for these conspiracy theories.  They just go to their doctor twice a year to get their free vaccinations on the NHS.

Respectfully yours

[Sheryl]

2 hours ago, anrcaccount said:

@Sheryl thanks for your usual sensible advice.

 

In my home countries (x2), which have very strong, well respected health systems, covid vaccines are not recommended for children under 18 without existing complex health conditions.

 

So for the vast majority of children, covid vaccines are not recommended. 

 

Does Thailand offer different public health guidance?

 

 

Current Thai Pediatric Guidelines (2024) include vaccination of children but there is no mass vaccination  campaign for anyone at this time let alone children.

 

As already mentioned  Thailand also  does not have the newest version of vaccine.

 

The government has really not formulated  a coherent response to this latest outbreak yet.  No new guidelines issued and if anything is being done on vaccine procurement it has not been publicized. 

 

Given the recent study findings it can safely be said that there will not be any mass vaccination of children in Thailand unless the epidemiological or  clinical picture significantly changes. 

 

The main argument for mass COVID vaccination of children is not child health per se (though the benefits do outweigh the risk in  children, the overall risk is is very low unless the child  has other health problems) but epidemic control: children live in families and can easily infect other members some of whom may be elderly and/or high risk. Infections in childten -- easily acquired at school - can fuel spread of infection in the ovrerall population. 

 

Public health / publicly funded disease control measures are one thing, individual clinical decision making is quite another.  A number of vaccinations recommended by the Pediatric Society of Thailand are not (at least as yet) part of the public vaccine schedule, but they remain recommended and can be obtained, for a price, at private facilities. Parents can and do make individualized choices for their children. OP had a bad experience with severe COVID in one of his children some years backs and wants to vaccinate themboth now. Nothing wrong with that, even if there is no mass vaccination campaign underway or justification on public health grounds. Public health measures are basef on the iverall population and , of necessity, always take cost benefit into account, and (unfortunately) are also not exempt from political considerations. 

 

 

[anrcaccount]

7 hours ago, Sheryl said:

Current Thai Pediatric Guidelines (2024) include vaccination of children but there is no mass vaccination  campaign for anyone at this time let alone children.

 

As already mentioned  Thailand also  does not have the newest version of vaccine.

 

The government has really not formulated  a coherent response to this latest outbreak yet.  No new guidelines issued and if anything is being done on vaccine procurement it has not been publicized. 

 

Given the recent study findings it can safely be said that there will not be any mass vaccination of children in Thailand unless the epidemiological or  clinical picture significantly changes. 

 

The main argument for mass COVID vaccination of children is not child health per se (though the benefits do outweigh the risk in  children, the overall risk is is very low unless the child  has other health problems) but epidemic control: children live in families and can easily infect other members some of whom may be elderly and/or high risk. Infections in childten -- easily acquired at school - can fuel spread of infection in the ovrerall population. 

 

Public health / publicly funded disease control measures are one thing, individual clinical decision making is quite another.  A number of vaccinations recommended by the Pediatric Society of Thailand are not (at least as yet) part of the public vaccine schedule, but they remain recommended and can be obtained, for a price, at private facilities. Parents can and do make individualized choices for their children. OP had a bad experience with severe COVID in one of his children some years backs and wants to vaccinate themboth now. Nothing wrong with that, even if there is no mass vaccination campaign underway or justification on public health grounds. Public health measures are basef on the iverall population and , of necessity, always take cost benefit into account, and (unfortunately) are also not exempt from political considerations. 

 

 

 

Thank you, yes makes sense.

 

Summary, the covid vaccine is unnecessary for the vast majority of children.

 

However, if parents wish to vaccinate their children they can make this choice, safely, as an individual health decision for their children.

 

 

 

 

[anrcaccount]

8 hours ago, Na Fan said:

which countries are those? 

 

The US has just released some questionable "advise"...

 

Most countries no longer recommend covid vaccination for children (excepting those with severe existing conditions). 

 

UK, Germany, Australia..... many more examples. 

[EVENKEEL]

7 hours ago, Magictoad said:

We don't think they are unnecessary and we don't trust your medical qualifications. I trust doctors and nurses who incidentally; wear masks throughout the hospitals, everywhere in the hospital.  Because masks stop airborne infections. Please stop using this forum for your looney anti vax campaign.  I guess you are an American

because no British fall for these conspiracy theories.  They just go to their doctor twice a year to get their free vaccinations on the NHS.

Respectfully yours

I'm guessing you're still wearing a mask everywhere you go. Good for you. My comment was based on facts and statistics. 

 

COVID-19 usually causes mild symptoms in kids — most commonly, fever and cough. Most children recover in one to two weeks with at-home care. But kids with certain underlying medical conditions face a higher risk of serious illness and hospitalization.

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/covid-in-children

 

 

[Hawaiian]

9 hours ago, Na Fan said:

which countries are those? 

 

The US has just released some questionable "advise"...

More than just questionable.  Totally conflicting.  Department of Health & Human Services says one thing and the CDC says just the opposite.  What a mess!

[Captain Flack]

Reported troll posts removed.

 

@JaxxBKK this is the health forum where posters seek advice, not to push your political agenda.

[newbee2022]

On 5/30/2025 at 12:15 PM, Na Fan said:

According to Pfizer, the vaccines are now available (and according to Bangkok Hospital also recommended) for children above 6 months. 

 

But, I can't seem to find a hospital that has them for kids?

 

Does anyone know where to go to get them for 3/6 year olds? Outside of Thailand would even be an option, I guess if there's some silliness going on again.

 

Cheers

I know where to get in Chiang Mai. Where are you at present?

[zepplin]

Are you nuts? Been living under a rock or something? I hope your kids Sue you later n life for giving them poison! 
anyone still believing in the Covid / big pharma tooth fairy is a complete moron! 

Take lemon/bicarb soda shots if you feel a cold coming on  Natural cures are far far better! 

[anrcaccount]

16 hours ago, Magictoad said:

We don't think they are unnecessary and we don't trust your medical qualifications. I trust doctors and nurses who incidentally; wear masks throughout the hospitals, everywhere in the hospital.  Because masks stop airborne infections. Please stop using this forum for your looney anti vax campaign.  I guess you are an American

because no British fall for these conspiracy theories.  They just go to their doctor twice a year to get their free vaccinations on the NHS.

Respectfully yours

 

I'll leave the differing opinions on the effectiveness of PPE aside, but he does have a valid point.

 

"Unnecessary" is the correct description for covid vaccinations for the vast majority of children, and the health authorities of the world broadly agree on that. 

 

Please be aware that that the NHS doesn't offer free covid vaccinations for children, unless in the exceptional case they have a severe condition.