Like many Thais, veteran journalist Wichit Chaitrong had been looking forward to getting a government-provided COVID-19 jab for months – but not anymore. He changed his mind after hearing the government rollout will use Sinovac for the first dose and AstraZeneca for the second – a mix-and-match formula untried by any other country. Thai PBS World

Like many Thais, veteran journalist Wichit Chaitrong had been looking forward to getting a government-provided COVID-19 jab for months – but not anymore. He changed his mind after hearing the government rollout will use Sinovac for the first dose and AstraZeneca for the second – a mix-and-match formula untried by any other country.

"I will look for a safer option," Wichit said. "I am going to explore alternative vaccines from now on".

This jab mix-and-match was the last straw, especially after his vaccination booking was cancelled for an unspecified timeframe.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has approved Sinovac and AstraZeneca vaccines for emergency use. However, its guidelines say the same brand should be used for both doses.

Thai strategy a world first  

On Friday, the Center for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) gave the go-ahead to the Sinovac-AstraZeneca mixed-jab policy. Vaccinees will get Sinovac for their first jab, followed by a dose of AstraZeneca three or four weeks later. Although some other countries have started experimenting with the mixed-shot policy, none has ever combined China-made vaccines with Western brands.

Mixed-shot policy also coincided with news that AstraZeneca can only deliver about half of its monthly vaccine target of 10 million doses.

Sinovac vaccine – also known as CoronaVac – was developed in Asia by Chinese researchers. As an inactivated vaccine, it uses a time-tested method.

In contrast, Anglo-Swedish pharmaceutical firm AstraZeneca developed its vaccine in the West in collaboration with Oxford University. It uses the viral vector method to inoculate humans against COVID-19.

Germany is among countries that have decided to combine AstraZeneca jabs with another vaccine brand, but no nation has ever mixed it with Sinovac.

Rationale for unprecedented combo

Thai health authorities say the Sinovac-AstraZeneca combination will boost recipients' immunity more quickly. On July 15, the mixed-shot idea was also backed by deans of 10 medical schools, in their capacity as advisers to the CCSA.

They reported that 1,102 Thais have already received a shot of Sinovac followed by a shot of AstraZeneca, due to various reasons including serious side effects from the first dose. The Public Health Ministry monitored them and found that none developed serious reactions or died after receiving the two jabs.

Also, Chulalongkorn University's Faculty of Medicine checked the immunity of 36 of mixed-jab vaccinees, while the Medical Sciences Department checked 17 others. Lab tests on these samples showed this unique vaccine combination raised immunity levels by eight times compared with recipients of two Sinovac shots. The combination is therefore expected to be 80 per cent effective in preventing symptomatic infections with the Delta variant.

Delta is currently wreaking havoc across the world. This highly-contagious variant is also propelling the fourth wave of COVID-19 in Thailand, where the daily caseload is nearing 10,000 with between 50 and 100 deaths every 24 hours.

Thai AstraZeneca vaccine production falls short of target, likely delay till May 2022

BANGKOK (AP) – Production of the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine at a factory in Thailand has fallen short of its target, likely delaying the country's plan to acquire a total of 61 million doses until next May, a government official said Thursday.

Many Thais unconvinced

Though fearful of catching COVID, many people are worried about the government's unprecedented shot-mixing policy.

Thai PBS World spoke to one Bangkok resident who said she would refuse the jab combination in spite of official assurances, because the sample size was too small.

"I have followed news closely, and based on what I've seen, for the sake of my own safety I think I should start reserving an alternative vaccine now," she said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Pakpoom Pongbhai, 58, said if the government pushes ahead with the Sinovac-AstraZeneca combination, he will wait and pay for an alternative vaccine. He said he would only change his mind if tens of thousands agree to take the mixed-shot combo and the results positive.

"But for now, I will wait and see," he said, adding that he has heard WHO was cautioning against the mix-and-match policy.

WHO's stance

WHO chief scientist Dr Soumya Swaminathan warned earlier this month that mixing and matching COVID-19 vaccine was "a dangerous trend". However, she clarified that her warning applied to individuals, not to public health authorities, who she said may make their own decisions on combining jabs.

Dr Renu Madanlal Gargy, acting WHO representative to Thailand, confirmed that the global health agency would not object to Thailand's policy, since each country needed to choose a vaccine policy based on its context as well as scientific data.

Vaccine combinations around globe

Thailand is not the only country taking the mixed-vaccine path.

Canada too has decided to combine different jabs, citing positive findings from the UK's CoM-Cov study on AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Moderna and Novavax vaccines, and Spain's CombiVacS study on alternate doses of AstraZeneca and Pfizer.

Meanwhile, South Korea has announced that citizens who have received their first dose of AstraZeneca will get Pfizer for their second jab, following delayed shipment from the global vaccine-sharing scheme, COVAX.

Italy's medicines agency AIFA said on June 14 that people under 60 who have had a first dose of AstraZeneca can receive a different second dose.

Germany is offering a similar combination – AstraZeneca followed by Pfizer or Moderna vaccine for higher efficacy. German Chancellor Angela Merkel received an AstraZeneca shot in April followed by a Moderna shot in June. Vietnam now plans to follow in Germany's footsteps.

Bahrain, meanwhile, said vaccinees will get a booster shot of Pfizer or Sinopharm vaccine, regardless of which vaccine they were given in their first shot. Protection offered by inactivated vaccines such as Sinovac and Sinopharm is thought to be relatively short-lived. Therefore, booster shots are now in the picture.

In Thailand, hundreds of frontline medical workers have contracted COVID after receiving two shots of Sinovac vaccine. At least one has died. Hence, the medical workers will soon get a booster shot of either AstraZeneca or an mRNA vaccine to top up their immunity.

By Thai PBS World's General Desk

Pattaya presses ahead with plan to reopen to foreign tourists from September. Right now the plan is being called "Sealed Route Bubble&Seal 3-3-8". Here's what that means. ASEAN NOW

Picture: Thai Rath

 

Thai Rath reported that the authorities in Pattaya were pressing ahead with the "Pattaya Move On" reopening to foreign tourism come September despite Covid-19 infections being severe in the country at the moment. 

 

Chonburi tourism business association president and local councillor Thanet Supharothatrangsi said that there was still two months to go and they needed to press ahead.

 

He said that plans would be presented to the Chonburi governor on July 19th and thereafter to the CCSA where Thai PM Prayuth-Chan-ocha and ministers would discuss matters. 

 

Right now the plan is being called "Sealed Route Bubble&Seal 3-3-8".

 

Here's what that means.

 

First off visitors from abroad must have been double vaxxed, have a CoE from a foreign embassy and have had a negative Covid-19 test within 72 hours of departure.

 

On arrival they will be tested again. 

 

Then they must spend the first six days in an approved ALQ hotel.

 

On the fourth day they will be tested again. Days one to three they must stay in quarantine in the hotel.

 

Days four to six they can leave the hotel so long as they are in the sealed route area.

 

Day six they have yet another test.

 

If all is OK they can then spend days 8-14 at a SHA+ approved hotel though they must stick to the sealed area. 

 

After that they would be good to go elsewhere.

 

Thanet said there are 19 approved ALQ hotels in Bang Lamung and Sattahip offering 2,000 rooms.

 

SHA+ has 40 approved hotels offering 4,000 rooms. 

 

He didn't expect many tourists in September. 

 

But he did by November. 

 

He said that the target was to get 20% of the visitors and revenue based on the whole of the pre-pandemic year of 2019. 

 

Then 18.6 million domestic Thai tourists and foreigners visited spending 276,328 billion baht.

 

ASEAN Now did the math. To hit the target (assuming that tourism so far this year has been minimal) there would need to be 3.7 million tourists before the end of the year.

 

And they would need to spend 55.2 billion baht. 

 

😥😥😥😥😥😥 659 new cases today Saturday in Chonburi 😥😥😥😥😥

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand imposed a nation-wide ban on public gatherings and is considering more restrictions on movement as authorities reported record numbers of new cases and deaths on Saturday, despite partial lockdowns in Bangkok and nine other provinces this week.

Thailand bans public gatherings as coronavirus cases and deaths hit daily records

 

FILE PHOTO: A man undergoes a free coronavirus disease (COVID-19) test at a rapid antigen mass testing station as the spread of COVID-19 continues, in Bangkok, Thailand, July 15, 2021. REUTERS/Chalinee Thirasupa

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand imposed a nation-wide ban on public gatherings and is considering more restrictions on movement as authorities reported record numbers of new cases and deaths on Saturday, despite partial lockdowns in Bangkok and nine other provinces this week.

 

The country's COVID-19 task force reported 10,082 new coronavirus cases and 141 new deaths, bringing the total number of infections to 391,989 cases and 3,240 fatalities since the pandemic started.

 

A ban on public gatherings has been imposed, with a maximum penalty of a two-year jail term or a fine of up to 40,000 baht ($1,219.88) or both, an announcement on the official Royal Gazette published late on Friday showed.

 

Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha said that the government is considering more restrictions as the country battles its worst coronavirus outbreak yet, fueled by the highly transmissible Alpha and Delta COVID-19 variants since early April.

 

"There is a need to expand measures to limit people's movement as much as possible and closing more facilities leaving only the essentials," Prayuth said on his official Facebook page on Friday.

 

Areas considered high risk in Thailand have been under the toughest restrictions in more than a year since Monday, with curbs on movement and gatherings, the closure of malls and some businesses, and curfews between 9 pm to 4 am.

 

($1 = 32.7900 baht)

 

(Reporting by Panu Wongcha-um; Editing by Kim Coghill)

 



Mixed jabs strategy adds to confusion. The delay in Thailand's AstraZeneca vaccine delivery plan is indeed a bad omen for the embattled Prayut Chan-o-cha government. The unfortunate delay, which adds to the vaccine debacle, has shattered the public's expectation of having speedy relief from the Covid-19 pandemic that is killing so many and crippling the economy. Bangkok Post

Mixed jabs strategy adds to confusion

A frontline medical worker at a vaccination site in Nonthaburi province looks at the contents of a refrigerator used for the storage of Covid-19 vaccines. Chanat Katanyu

The delay in Thailand's AstraZeneca vaccine delivery plan is indeed a bad omen for the embattled Prayut Chan-o-cha government.

The unfortunate delay, which adds to the vaccine debacle, has shattered the public's expectation of having speedy relief from the Covid-19 pandemic that is killing so many and crippling the economy.

The pandemonium speaks volumes about the government's failure, not only of its vaccination plan, but also of its crisis management. It is sad to say that those in the Thai Khu Fah (Government House) Building have not learned anything since the first outbreak.

Take for example the plan to mix vaccines, proposed by renowned virus expert Dr Yong Poovorawan, who encourages the substitution of a second Sinovac jab with an AstraZeneca one. He was adamant that mixing Sinovac and AstraZeneca vaccines was safe and that doing so was Thailand's best option in the fight against the fast-spreading Delta variant as the kingdom waits for the alternative mRNA vaccines.

His proposal was quickly endorsed by the National Communicable Disease Committee, which is under the chairmanship of Deputy Prime Minister and Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul. Hospitals were instructed to suspend second Sinovac jabs, and switch to AstraZeneca. Shortly after the announcement, the prime minister cautioned about the side effects of mixing vaccines, citing a statement by Soumya Swaminathan, chief scientist at the World Health Organization.

Suddenly, confusion reigns supreme.

The public is questioning the safety of mixing vaccines, and if there are any studies to support Dr Yong's proposal. Those who have received both Sinovac jabs are now wondering what they have to do next -- does this mean the Sinovac jabs were a waste?

Evidently, the government faces a crisis of confidence. The debacle is blamed on a flaw in its vaccination policy, as commented by critics who say the government has put all their "eggs in one basket" without a Plan B for the procurement of mRNA jabs. With the government's sluggish vaccination campaign, the number of infections and deaths are rising. Despite lockdown measures that put millions of people in hardship, new infections continue to soar, with 9,692 cases reported yesterday. It is an open secret that the real number of new infections could be much higher as some health institutes have halted testing.

Gen Prayut has now lost credibility like never before -- it seems no one takes him seriously. People are upset, if not angry, with his excuses. The army-chief-turned-politician has had a difficult time running the country and has to hide behind his doctors.

A lack of unity among those in medical circles over the mixing of vaccines also adds to the confusion. Dr Yong assures that doing so is safe, citing studies of 1,200 cases, while Prof Prasit Watanapa, dean of Siriraj Hospital's Medical Faculty, seems to throw half-hearted support behind the proposal, saying other studies are underway.

This is a disaster. Why didn't those involved in this "cross-vaccination" policy coordinate with one another before making such a crucial announcement? Why didn't the government assign the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration to speak to the public? Worse yet, a vaccine policy swap created much confusion among medical personnel. Some hospitals went back and forth in their vaccination plan, cancelling second Sinovac jabs and opting for AstraZeneca followups, only to suspend the entire vaccination plan. Meanwhile, other hospitals, like Udon Thani Hospital, said they would go ahead with the mixing of vaccines.

Finally, the Public Health Ministry said it would soon distribute a handbook for cross-vaccination. This move is tantamount to admitting that it has made a communication error. Such a mistake is not the first of its kind. Looking back, people are dumbfounded over abrupt changes in rollout plans, mostly without prior notice, such as the shift between walk-in and registration vaccinations; registration cancellations, the collapse of the "Mor Prom" app; and the way agencies blamed one another for vaccine shortages.

The situation is going from bad to worse as agencies try to steal the show, attempting to take political advantage amid uncertainty.

By working like amateurs, the government and state agencies have failed to synchronise their plans, and have issued confusing instructions and orders, as the public watches with frustration.

Despite a week of lockdown in 10 dark-red provinces, there is still no sign that the pandemic will be contained. The government will likely have to extend lockdown restrictions for at least another two weeks.

As if that is not bad enough, the public was informed of a delay in the delivery of 61 million AstraZeneca vaccine doses, which was scheduled for the end of the year but now has been pushed to May. In short, the promise of 10 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine per month, as pledged by the government, was just an illusion.

Such a delay is unacceptable. People can't help but ask what happened to the "special cooperation" between the government and the vaccine producer.

The Prayut government had bragged about a deal with British-Swedish AstraZeneca Plc as it provided a 600-million-baht subsidy to Siam BioScience, a local vaccine manufacturer.

With the threat of the Delta variant, several groups, including medical personnel and civic networks, are pressing for prompt procurement of mRNA vaccines, such as the ones produced by Pfizer and Moderna, and the revocation of all regulations that hinder the procurement process.

However, without a prior deal, we are told we have to wait until October for the first delivery of these mRNA vaccines. This is all because of a lack of vision in diversifying vaccine sources from the beginning.

Amid this vaccine chaos, coalition parties find it hard to look each other in the eye. There are quite a few rows going on between members of the ruling Palang Pracharath Party and their partners, like Bhumjaithai and the Democrats, as cracks widen.

At the same time, the opposition bloc has rolled up its sleeves for a no-confidence censure bid, while also filing complaints with the National Anti-Corruption Commission, accusing the government of mishandling the pandemic that has caused enormous damage to the country. Civic networks are seeking to grill the government over the purchase of the "useless" Sinovac vaccine, a move seen as a waste of state budget.

More importantly, with new infections and deaths still soaring despite lockdown measures, the government may be forced to extend restrictions for one or two months, deepening the economic misery as public hardship intensifies. If that time comes, many will question the PM's competence, and the government may find political upheavals -- such as a House dissolution -- inevitable.

Chairith Yonpiam is assistant news editor, Bangkok Post.

FÖR ATT ANVÄNDA EN GAMMAL SLITEN FRAS: ”Det här går åt fel håll”. - ‼️NEW HIGH - #COVID19 Update on Saturday: 10,082 cases & 141 deaths. 11 July: 9,539 - 86 dead 12 July: 8,656 - 80 dead 13 July: 8,685 - 56 dead 14 July: 9,317 - 87 dead 15 July: 9,186 - 98 dead 16 July: 9,692 - 67 dead. Richard Barrow

 









Bangkok Post highlights 17/7

 

Thai Prime Minister states further Covid-19 restrictions and controls coming, says it is necessary The spokesperson for the CCSA, Apisamai Srirangsan, said at a press conference this afternoon that people were not taking overnight “stay at home” restrictions in Bangkok and other areas seriously enough and many people continued to gather, socialize, gamble, drink alcohol, and other behaviors that could continue to spread the Covid-19 virus. Pattara News

Thai Prime Minister states further Covid-19 restrictions and controls coming, says it is necessary

Friday, 16 July 2021, 20:03

Thailand-

The Thai Prime Minister, Prayut Chan O'Cha, posted on his social media accounts in the past hour, directly addressing speculation over the past several hours about further restrictions, closure measures, regulations, and other moves to control the Covid-19 coronavirus, especially in Bangkok and maximum control (Dark red, by a Thai color-coding system) provinces.

The PM confirmed in his post, which you can read in Thai here, that after a meeting with the Center for Covid-19 Situation Administration, or CCSA, and relevant agencies, doctors, and experts, that further measures were needed.

This comes after measures enacted on Monday of this week, which you can read about here, were seen by experts from the Public Health Ministry and Department of Disease Control as "not enough". The spokesperson for the CCSA, Apisamai Srirangsan, said at a press conference this afternoon that people were not taking overnight "stay at home" restrictions in Bangkok and other areas seriously enough and many people continued to gather, socialize, gamble, drink alcohol, and other behaviors that could continue to spread the Covid-19 virus.

Apisamai was the first to state that the CCSA was considering stricter measures, as well as changing color codes in some provinces.

According to Prime Minister Prayut's post, there is a need to urgently increase public travel restrictions as much as possible to stop the spread of Covid-19, based on advice from medical experts from the CCSA.  There is also a need to close more businesses and places where people gather, unfortunately. The CCSA is currently debating and deciding what measures to implement.

A timeframe on when they would formally announce these measures or what they would be was not stated.

The PM also stated that governor's in every province had been instructed to strengthen the rules to stop the spread of Covid-19, especially in maximum control areas like Bangkok and surrounding provinces, as well as the deep South.

The PM also stated the following-

-There will be more discussions around economic assistance and financial aid for those affected

-One of the items being discussed is education costs, which many parents will be happy to hear.

-As we have previously stated, Rapid Antigen tests are now available at applicable Bangkok clinics (Check in advance) and can be used for proactive screening.

-Processes for home or community isolation for asymptomatic or mild patients were being implemented, especially in Bangkok, to relieve pressure on hospitals. (Thailand previously has had the policy that anyone who tests positive for Covid-19 must undergo medical supervision at a hospital/field hospital/similar facility.

-Thailand will move ahead with combining Sinovac and AstraZeneca vaccines, despite some concerns.

-The PM understands that going into further restrictions and measures is very difficult but stressed that Thailand must fight the current round of Covid-19 as quickly as possible and that Thailand would "fight together." 

Friday Covid Update: 106,951 active cases; provincial totals. | Coastal provinces Chon Buri and Chachoengsao as well as 5 other provinces are now classified as “dark red” zones under maximum control due to the number of new infections exceeding 100. The Thaiger

Friday Covid Update: 106,951 active cases; provincial totals

By 

Caitlin Ashworth

Friday, July 16, 2021 15:41

The number of active Covid-19 cases has surged past 100,000. Today, the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration reported 9,692 new Covid-19 cases, raising the number of infections currently being treated or monitored to 106,951. Another 67 coronavirus-related deaths were reported today. Since the start of the pandemic last year, 382,907 confirmed infections and 3,099 deaths.

Bangkok remains the epicentre in the latest wave of infections with 2,195 new cases reported today. Since April 1, the latest and most severe wave of the virus, more than 100,000 Covid-19 cases have been reported in Bangkok. For Bangkok and surrounding provinces, where infection rates continue to be high, the government imposed tight disease control measures, which went into effect on Monday, including business closures, nightly curfews, and travel restrictions.

In provinces surrounding the capital, 653 new cases were reported in Samut Sakhon, 607 in Samut Prakan, 456 in Nonthaburi, 243 in Pathum Thani, and 202 in Nakhon Pathom.

Coastal provinces Chon Buri and Chachoengsao as well as 5 other provinces are now classified as "dark red" zones under maximum control due to the number of new infections exceeding 100. The ranked on today's list of the 10 provinces with the highest number of new Covid-19 cases with 530 in Chon Buri and 374 in Chachoengsao.

Infection rates are also still high in Thailand's Deep South region near the Malaysian border where the provinces are also classified as "dark red" zones with a nightly curfew and travel restrictions. 264 new cases were reported in Yala and 191 in Pattani.

Vaccine update

13.8 million doses of the Covid-19 vaccine have been administered since February 28. With a limited supply of vaccines this month, the Thai government is focusing on inoculating those at a high risk of infection, starting with vulnerable groups in Bangkok. Expats in the capital are eligible for a vaccine under the Thai government's immunisation campaign and can go to ThailandIntervac.com for more information about pre-registration. 

The AstraZeneca vaccine was recently approved by Thailand's National Communicable Disease Committee to be used as a third "booster" shot as well as a second dose to those who received a dose of the Sinovac vaccine. A chief scientist for the World Health Organisation warned against the mixing of vaccines, calling it a "dangerous trend," but a spokesperson for Thailand's CCSA says the use of AstraZeneca to those who have received a Sinovac vaccine is safe with "expert studies and evidence" supporting its efficiency.

Provincial totals by the government's news bureau…