Compusary Diphtheria anti-virus injections for Thai and Foriners anouncment today in my village?

[aussieinthailand]

My wife has just informed me that an announcement on community load speaker system that today and tomorrow there is a compulsory Diphtheria anti virus injection that everyone must have including foreigners,

My answer was firstly she is on several medications and she needs to find out if this will have any adverse affects for her health?

Secondly I said I will NOT be letting some one inject me with anything that I'm not completely confident and satisfied with.

And am I legally required to have the injection? Or would that be a violation of humane rights as I am not a Thai national?

Also has any one heard of any Diphtheria out break in Thailand?

Any info would be appreciated,

Cheers.

[Rooo]

Moved to Health.

[HeijoshinCool]

Diphtheria is a bacteria, but I'm with you; I refuse to take vaccinations, and so does my wife. And even if it were a law, which I doubt, they'd have a fight on their hands to jab me. My body. I decide what goes into it, and I don't trust people I don't know.

Maybe you should take a two day road trip?

There was a reported outbreak a few years back, in Buri Ram, I think. But me, I still wouldn't take a vaccination.

[cdmtdm]

what area is the village ? Isaan ?

[Mario2008]

3 posts commenting on moderation removed.

[Sheryl]

This is the first I have heard of this.

There have been diptheria outbreaks in northern Thailand and Issan in the recent past but I don't know about a current one. It is possible, and of course the "cool" season is when it would strike.

As for "anti-virus" I an only suppose this is the influenza vaccine. I have not heard of that being compulsory anywhere, though it is certainly advisable.

The only medications I can think of that would make either of these vaccines contraindicated would be immuno-suppressants.

I doubt it is really "compulsory" in the legal sense, more likely freely available and strongly encouraged. Such distinctions are easily lost in translation from Thai to English.

[h90]

Must have?

There is no must have......

[Sheryl]

The distinction between "should", "must" and "ought to" is often not clear in Thai either linguistically or culturally.

He can refuse the vaccine if he wants to, though personally I'd jump at the chance for a free flu shot.

[h90]

The distinction between "should", "must" and "ought to" is often not clear in Thai either linguistically or culturally.

He can refuse the vaccine if he wants to, though personally I'd jump at the chance for a free flu shot.

Well, both me, my wife and my parents, no one can recall the last time they had a flu (so at least 20 years). So I would definitely not use it.

But it seems there are other people who get it once a year. Would be interesting why there are such big differences.

[attrayant]

Without firm clinical data and bloodwork on you and your family, we can only guess. But the most likely explanation is that you've benefited from herd immunity - the fact that a large percentage of the population continues to have themselves vaccinated and because of this, you simply haven't come into contact with anyone who was infectious over the past twenty years. But your justification (that you've never caught the flu in the past and therefore never will in the future) is a bit of a risky gamble on your part. What makes you so sure that you'll never come into contact with a carrier?

Of course there will always be some tiny portion of the population at both ends of the bell curve. Those who never get vaccinated and don't seem to get sick, and at the other end of the curve, those that get sick often no matter how many shots they get. Count your lucky stars that you seem to be at the right end of the bell curve.

Edited November 27, 2014 by attrayant

[h90]

Without firm clinical data and bloodwork on you and your family, we can only guess. But the most likely explanation is that you've benefited from herd immunity - the fact that a large percentage of the population continues to have themselves vaccinated and because of this, you simply haven't come into contact with anyone who was infectious over the past twenty years. But your justification (that you've never caught the flu in the past and therefore never will in the future) is a bit of a risky gamble on your part. What makes you so sure that you'll never come into contact with a carrier?

Of course there will always be some tiny portion of the population at both ends of the bell curve. Those who never get vaccinated and don't seem to get sick, and at the other end of the curve, those that get sick often no matter how many shots they get. Count your lucky stars that you seem to be at the right end of the bell curve.

Well 20 years ago no one was vaccinated in my home country. The last 10 years in Thailand: I have no clue how many are vaccinated here.

Yes of course it is gamble....but worst thing that may happen is getting the flu....

[Issangeorge]

Not sure if I can post this, but an interesting read. http://www.realfarmacy.com/johns-hopkins-scientist-reveals-shocking-report-flu-vaccines/

[attrayant]

It would be nice if you put some context around it. It's not really on topic for this thread.

It's important to bear in mind that despite the British Medical Journal's authoritative reputation in the medical world, feature columns printed in that journal are not research but rather "news & views." It is easy for readers unfamiliar with that publication to confuse claims made in feature articles for peer-reviewed research findings.

It's also worth noting that contrary to what the Realfarmacy story says, Johns Hopkins University had nothing to do with this "blistering report." Peter Doshi is neither a virologist nor a epidemiologist, but rather an anthropologist who completed a fellowship in comparative effectiveness research at Johns Hopkins. He conducted no research about influenza or vaccines at Johns Hopkins, nor does he speak for the university on that subject. He's not a scientists and doesn't do any clinical research. This is a classic appeal to authority. The Realfarmacy story calls him a scientist in order to make him seem like a credible authority.

He's also an AIDS/HIV denier.

Read more at Snopes.