Vaccines - Covid 19

[hhinner]

Apparently HHH has more vaccine doses than originally reported (2,514 vs 930) and is now doing vaccinations on 7th and 8th June. Anyone with a 13 digit id originally booked for Monday or Tuesday next week can check here.

[PET]

I must say that after AZ said they were delivering XX vaccines the other week I was a little surprised that hospitals or whoever were saying they did not have them. So I hope it is the case that, yes AZ are pretty much on schedule and it was just the Govt administration delivering the vaccines at fault. Let us look with a positive attitude - there are too many always looking on the downside IMO

[Big Boy]

Anyone with a 13 digit id originally booked for Monday or Tuesday next week can check here.

Maybe I'm underestimating the IT prowess of the >60 Thai population, but I believe this could be a disaster. Firstly we have the link that hhinner mentions, which is relatively easy to use, but how many will know about it and if they know about it, have the tools to check it?

Then there's the link to make sure you are actually on the list for that day. Not difficult to use, but you have to click around the page to get it started (A 'Click Here to Start' button may have helped) http://www.pcko.moph.go.th/check.html?f ... SL1mbTZ5zw# . I've already read of people surprised to find their names on the list. I will have to get a clever person to check later to see if Mrs BB features. I guess I then have to repeat that process daily until her name appears. More Thai developing IT using 'tail wagging the dog' methodology. How many on this list won't know they are supposed to turn up tomorrow?

I also wonder if putting names on a public listings like this is breaching any patient confidentiality protocols.

When we did the Farang registration, I thought it was great that they were doing what Thais do best - throwing bodies at the problem, and issuing bits of paper, albeit with a QR Code printed (assuming a quick scan of the QR code will check you in on vaccine day, proper use of the IT. However, many will have booked online, and won't have a QR Code). However, they just can resist their tail wagging the dog technology

[Osandpo]

Has anyone used this yet?

http://www.thailandintervac.com/

[Big Boy]

Why would we when we can register locally?

[Osandpo]

Good point, but some of us aren’t in (or even that close to) Hua Hin and are waiting for registration to reach our less valued districts

[Big Boy]

Private hospitals have agreed to charge 3,800 baht for two doses of the Covid-19 vaccine made by US-based Moderna. The price, likely to be the same at all member hospitals, already includes a service fee and vaccine insurance

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2128287

[HHTel]

The vaccine will come in three lots — 4 million doses in October, 1 million early next year and 5 million more later.

It's now 7th June so even if it goes to plan, we're still 4 months away.
The first 4 million doses will be 1st shots probably well into November. That means 2nd shots for those 4 million should be scheduled for around February. Looks like they may have enough for 1 million 2nd doses then 5 million 'later'!

Maybe the first 4 million will jab 2 million this year and the other 2 million held for the 2nd dose.

Without a guaranteed supply in continuity, how is it possible to schedule 2nd doses. "early next year" and "later'.

I'm only a simpleton but my maths takes those shots well into the second quarter of 2022 and beyond.

I can see the situation "What about my 2nd shot?" "Sorry, we're still waiting for vaccine."

You think this has been thought through?

[handdrummer]

The vaccine will come in three lots — 4 million doses in October, 1 million early next year and 5 million more later.

It's now 7th June so even if it goes to plan, we're still 4 months away.
The first 4 million doses will be 1st shots probably well into November. That means 2nd shots for those 4 million should be scheduled for around February. Looks like they may have enough for 1 million 2nd doses then 5 million 'later'!

Maybe the first 4 million will jab 2 million this year and the other 2 million held for the 2nd dose.

Without a guaranteed supply in continuity, how is it possible to schedule 2nd doses. "early next year" and "later'.

I'm only a simpleton but my maths takes those shots well into the second quarter of 2022 and beyond.

I can see the situation "What about my 2nd shot?" "Sorry, we're still waiting for vaccine."

You think this has been thought through?

You forgot the laughing emoji.

Friends in Bangkok had their first shot yesterday. No reported ill affects,yet.

[Ratsima]

Several weeks ago I signed up for a Covid vaccination via the Maharath Hospital, Korat website. I selected an appointment for June 8th at Maharath. After about a week I was notified that the vaccination site was moved from the hospital to Central mall, Korat. Not long after that the Maharath Covid website morphed into the Korat Prompt (by Hack Vax+) website where my appointment was still shown for June 8th. This morning the Korat Prompt website still shows: จองวัคซีน 8 มิ.ย. 2564 เวลา 09:00น.

However, this morning my wife informs me that you just "need to know" that to find out your real vaccination appointment status you have to check the Maharath Facebook page where you will learn that no one with an appointment on the 7th, 8th or 9th (I think) will be vaccinated on those days as there is no vaccine. You need to keep checking the Maharath FB page to find out when the next batch of vaccines arrives, probably on the 13th, or thereabouts.

I'm thinking of going to Guam:

Guam allows non-Guam residents who are U.S. expatriates to come to Guam to get the vaccine for free. With the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, only one dose is needed. With the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, visitors could stay as long as a month, pumping money into Guam’s economy.

Guam Vaccine Tourism...

Late night TV jokes aside, it really is a beautiful place.

[hhinner]

New variants vs Pfizer vaccine

The Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine produces lower levels of antibodies against the Delta variant, known as B.1.617.2 and discovered in India, according to a new study published Thursday in The Lancet.

The antibody levels also appear to be lower in older people and decline over time, which could mean that some vaccinated people will need a booster shot this fall.

The research team analyzed antibodies in the blood of 250 healthy people, ages 33-52, up to 3 months after receiving their first dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. The team looked for “neutralizing antibodies,” or the ability of antibodies to block the virus from entering cells.

The researchers tested five variants: the original strain discovered in China, the dominant strain in Europe during the first wave in April 2020, the B.1.1.7 variant discovered in the U.K., the B.1.351 variant first seen in South Africa, and the newest variant of concern, which is the B.1.617.2 variant discovered in India.

The team compared the concentrations of the neutralizing antibodies among the variants. They found that people who had been fully vaccinated with two Pfizer doses had antibodies that were 6 times lower against the B.1.617.2 variant, 5 times lower against the B.1.351 variant, and 2.6 times lower against the B.1.1.7 variant when compared to the original strain.

The antibody response was even lower in people who had received only one dose. After a single Pfizer dose, 79% of people had neutralizing antibodies against the original strain, which fell to 50% for the B.1.1.7 variant, 32% for the B.1.617.2 variant, and 25% for the B.1.351 variant.

https://www.webmd.com/vaccines/covid-19 ... ia-variant

[handdrummer]

I'm going for the Guinness Vaccine. It protects against all ills.

[barrys]

I'm going for the Guinness Vaccine. It protects against all ills.

I'll drink to that

[buksida]

FOREIGNERS VACCINE REGISTRATION KICKS OFF WITH CHAOS AND CONFUSION
An agency tasked with giving centralized information on the COVID-19 pandemic sowed more public confusion on Monday as it contradicted itself on how foreign nationals can sign up for inoculations.

The government’s pandemic response center had previously announced that foreigners would have to come to designated hospitals to get their queue for the free vaccinations, but the center’s spokesman said Monday they are now required to make the appointment online instead.

“No walk-ins will be available,” Natapanu Nopakun, spokesman of the government’s COVID-19 Situation Administration, said during Monday’s news briefing. “You have to register on this website first for all vaccination venues [listed] on this website. We advised you to register two weeks in advance of your intended vaccination date.”

...

Monday was also the first day of vaccine registration for the approximately three million foreign nationals living in Thailand. Several people showed up at Vimut Hospital, one of the designated hospitals for foreigners’ vaccination in Bangkok, only to find out that walk-in registrations were no longer accepted.

“It’s very confusing,” Australian expat Christine Horne said. “I read from the Bangkok Post and it said we can go to Vimut Hospital or Bangrak Health Center. Once I came here, the staff had to help me register online. Mine went through eventually, but the website was very slow because everybody was trying to get on it at the same time.”

American expat Brett Barrett said he managed to have his vaccination booked, but turned out it was cancelled when he checked in at the hospital.

“The staff told me my appointment was canceled,” Barrett said. “They don’t know why.”

A website for COVID-19 vaccination registration was opened for foreigners aged over 60 or those with certain underlying conditions on Monday. Some users reported they experienced issues when they were trying to make appointments, while others said they could not access the site at all.

Registrations for those aged 18 to 59 will open “at a later period,” Natapanu said.

https://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/cri ... confusion/

[Lost]

New variants vs Pfizer vaccine

The Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine produces lower levels of antibodies against the Delta variant, known as B.1.617.2 and discovered in India, according to a new study published Thursday in The Lancet.

The antibody levels also appear to be lower in older people and decline over time, which could mean that some vaccinated people will need a booster shot this fall.

The research team analyzed antibodies in the blood of 250 healthy people, ages 33-52, up to 3 months after receiving their first dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. The team looked for “neutralizing antibodies,” or the ability of antibodies to block the virus from entering cells.

The researchers tested five variants: the original strain discovered in China, the dominant strain in Europe during the first wave in April 2020, the B.1.1.7 variant discovered in the U.K., the B.1.351 variant first seen in South Africa, and the newest variant of concern, which is the B.1.617.2 variant discovered in India.

The team compared the concentrations of the neutralizing antibodies among the variants. They found that people who had been fully vaccinated with two Pfizer doses had antibodies that were 6 times lower against the B.1.617.2 variant, 5 times lower against the B.1.351 variant, and 2.6 times lower against the B.1.1.7 variant when compared to the original strain.

The antibody response was even lower in people who had received only one dose. After a single Pfizer dose, 79% of people had neutralizing antibodies against the original strain, which fell to 50% for the B.1.1.7 variant, 32% for the B.1.617.2 variant, and 25% for the B.1.351 variant.

https://www.webmd.com/vaccines/covid-19 ... ia-variant

Glad I got the Pfizer vaccine, then.

In all seriousness though, I just hope that the already extremely minimal chance of me becoming severely ill from the virus, based on my age and health, has now been reduced to pretty much zero chance.