Vaccines - Covid 19

[Big Boy]

An interesting read that actually tells us very little.

https://www.thaipbsworld.com/a-shot-in- ... for-a-jab/

[Hahuahin]

On the basis of a serious epidemic, I agree in principle with everyone who believes that regardless of citizenship and visa status, everyone should have an equal right to vaccination when they are in the country. But I think we are overestimating the economy of Thailand, after all, its still a developing country, and as the saying goes "all that glitters is not gold". Plus I think we forget to look back on Thailand's history, politics, culture and not least what their values are. So to compare what rights Thai citizens abroad in relatively wealthy Western developed countries have to Foreigners living in Thailand is IMO to compare apples to oranges
hahuahin

[hhinner]

Thailand is a wealthy country. It's just that the wealth is spread around a little thinner than in western democracies. I think it's reasonable that the government should make efforts to protect those at risk whether citizens or not, even if there may be a charge involved. The country is not protected until everyone is protected.

The fact is that many Thais are frustrated by the military government's preference for ordering weapons rather than vaccines until very late in the day.

The economy is going down the drain and there won't be any large numbers of tourists this year or even early next year because most of the general population probably won't be vaccinated in large enough numbers in time. And now the government is having to dish out more Thai this and Thai that basically because it has acted too slowly to acquire vaccines out of false pride, probably greed, misplaced arrogance and most of all stupidity and complete unsuitability to govern a country.

By the time the last cohort of Thais, and maybe foreigners, are inoculated the first cohort will probably be needing booster shots. What happens if they open the country and the health system collapses? No tourists then for sure.

This isn't one of those things where you can take it slowly but surely. Slowly but surely means falling behind the exponential curve of infection and leaving the economy in ruins as well. How's that working out for India?

This is all opinion of course and hopefully totally wrong. I hope so!

[HHTel]

On the basis of a serious epidemic, I agree in principle with everyone who believes that regardless of citizenship and visa status, everyone should have an equal right to vaccination when they are in the country. But I think we are overestimating the economy of Thailand, after all, its still a developing country, and as the saying goes "all that glitters is not gold". Plus I think we forget to look back on Thailand's history, politics, culture and not least what their values are. So to compare what rights Thai citizens abroad in relatively wealthy Western developed countries have to Foreigners living in Thailand is IMO to compare apples to oranges
hahuahin

That was true back in 2003. However, the World Bank today classify it differently.

Thailand is one of the great development success stories. Due to smart economic policies it has become an upper middle income economy and is making progress towards meeting the Sustainable Development Goals.

https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/thailand/overview

With the second-largest economy in Southeast Asia, Thailand is a relatively wealthy country.

[pharvey]

On the basis of a serious epidemic, I agree in principle with everyone who believes that regardless of citizenship and visa status, everyone should have an equal right to vaccination when they are in the country.

Well no, many will and would not agree - "serve our own first and bugger the foreigners" many would say in the majority of countries I'm sure.... Whilst I cannot wholly agree with that feeling and certainly would not agree with your own "visa status" comment, the "bugger the foreigner" sentiment is something I have experienced and can relate to.

Thankfully, the UK agrees to a certain extent with your feelings. Whilst the LHG is a Chinese citizen (with "Idefinite Leave to Remain" status), she is a carer in the UK and pays UK taxes - as such, she was one of the first to have both jabs.

The UK as all countries do, will prioritize, but UK citizen or not, as long as you have a legal right to be in the UK and are registered with the NHS, you will be in line to have the jab as everyone else is.

You could argue UK/other Expats in Thailand are not paying taxes......

[HHTel]

All foreign expats living in Thailand do pay taxes, whether directly or indirectly.

Everything you buy will carry tax. It doesn't matter whether you're a resident or tourist. You contribute to the economy.

[nanyang]

I'm sure that most of you 'savvy' foreigners, who have been in the kingdom for a while, will be able to find an 'accommodating' vaccine supplier! As you know, the sight of a few 'brown notes' is, often, irresistable.

They're now suggesting a third jab in the UK before next winter for the over 5O's .

[pharvey]

All foreign expats living in Thailand do pay taxes, whether directly or indirectly.

Everything you buy will carry tax. It doesn't matter whether you're a resident or tourist. You contribute to the economy.

Hardly the tax I mentioned. Any contributions directly or comparable to the NHS? I think not. I pay taxes on food, fuel, accomodation et al. in the UK and every other country I visit, but this doesn't contribute towards my pension or health. Why do you belive you should be different? Not a pi$$ take, a serious question....

[HHTel]

Unlike the NHS, healthcare is not free in Thailand and especially so for foreigners.

I have to have an untouchable £20,000 in a bank in Thailand just to be able to stay here!

And I still pay taxes in the UK and they rewarded me by freezing my pension years ago. But that's another story, another thread.

I even pay taxes in Gibraltar.

So far, apart from a frozen UK state pension, I get no benefits from either country.

[Dannie Boy]

But it shouldn’t come as a surprise - when we left the UK we knew what we were giving up and when we arrived in Thailand we knew what to expect - nothing. So what’s changed?

[buksida]

This one is straying a bit. The bottom line is that the virus doesn't care what colour skin you have or what visa you're on or whether you pay tax - only fascist politicians do.

This is a global humanitarian disaster and some nations such as Thailand are showing their true colours. We can only hope it gets shunned by the millions of evil foreigners that used to grease its economic wheels through tourism.

This move will turn 'expats' into pariahs, or the modern equivalent of lepers since everyone will know they haven't been vaccinated.

[hhfarang]

From the New York Times today...

Second wave vaccines

As terrifying outbreaks erupt around the world, governments are scrambling to tap into the global supply of vaccines. But with so few doses to go around, many countries, particularly those in the developing world, are looking toward an upcoming “second wave” of vaccines.

Several have potential: Novavax, based in Maryland, is expected to apply for U.S. authorization in the next few weeks. The Indian pharmaceutical company Biological E is testing a vaccine that was developed by researchers in Texas. And researchers in Brazil, Mexico, Thailand and Vietnam are starting trials for a Covid-19 shot that can be mass-produced in chicken eggs.

My colleague Carl Zimmer, who covers science for The Times, told me that experts are particularly curious about an RNA vaccine from a small German company called CureVac, which entered the RNA vaccine business before BioNTech and Moderna. CureVac could announce results from its late-stage vaccine trial as early as next week.

“Moderna and Pfizer-Biotech demonstrated that RNA vaccines can work incredibly well,” Carl said. “They are about as good as a vaccine can be, in terms of protection, as far as we can tell right now. So it’s possible that CureVac might also be really effective, too.”

To be sure, the trial results are not in yet. “And CureVac does have some differences in how it creates its RNA,” Carl said. “So we’ll have to see if those differences translate into how well the vaccine performs.”

But if it works, CureVac’s shot would have an important advantage over the other RNA vaccines: While Pfizer and Moderna must be kept in a deep freezer, CureVac’s vaccine remains stable in a refrigerator and can sit for 24 hours at room temperature before it is used, properties that may make it easier to deliver to hard-hit places around the world.

If successful, Carl said CureVac could be ready to deliver 1 billion doses by next year. But there’s still a huge demand for the raw materials needed to create RNA vaccines, so even if the results are good, Carl said, “it will definitely still be a scramble.”

[Hahuahin]

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/ge ... re-yet-fda

Well no surprize and for once I believe Mr. T., but off course dont let the population know or hear this then Bangkok demonstrations will take off....

Regitered with FDA ...really, everything registered here

hahuahin

[Big Boy]

According to Khun Natapanu from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, there was a discussion yesterday with Thailand’s CDC about foreigners and the vaccination roll-out. He will update the expat community about this during his media briefing at around noon today.

[PeteC]

A vaccine without needles? It's on the way (Video)

New vaccine platforms are being developed that could transform access and ease of use for future pandemics, as well as for fighting existing diseases.
Source: CNN

https://us.cnn.com/videos/health/2021/0 ... kthroughs/