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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40000689

AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccines made by Siam Bioscience pass quality testing in Europe and U.S., first batch delivery is near

AstraZeneca announced today that the samples from test batches of the COVID-19 vaccine made by Siam Bioscience had passed the quality testing at AstraZeneca’s designated laboratories in Europe and in the U.S.

Mr. James Teague, Country President, AstraZeneca (Thailand) Ltd., said: “We have seen a series of significant and promising progress in AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine development in Thailand during the past weeks. First, the Thai Food and Drug Administration approved Siam Bioscience as a manufacturing facility for COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca. Last week, the samples of COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca made by Siam Bioscience passed the full tests the standard set by the Department of Medical Sciences (DMS) for requirements such as chemical composition and safety.. And today, I am happy to be able to inform you that the samples from test batches of the COVID-19 vaccine made by Siam Bioscience had passed the quality testing at AstraZeneca’s designated laboratories in Europe and in the U.S. These significant progresses mean that we are getting closer to deliver the first batch of the vaccine to the government of Thailand.”

James Teague

Maintaining quality standards

Numerous safety tests and quality control measures are carried out at each step of manufacturing and distribution. This includes completing all steps in the quality assurance process, with each batch of vaccine undergoing more than 60 different quality control tests during its journey from manufacture to vaccination. To ensure consistent quality across supply chains, AstraZeneca has built an extensive analytical network globally.

In addition, AstraZeneca works closely with the local health authorities such as the Thai FDA, the Department of Medical Sciences (DMS) to ensure local standards are met.

“Our focus is on delivering vaccines as quickly as possible whilst ensuring adherence to the highest safety and quality standards and processes. We will continue to work closely with the government to achieve that. We are well aware that increasing concerns and question have been raised around vaccine safety and the availability of supply to help Thais and the people in Southeast Asia to fight this terrible COVID-19 pandemic. I want to once again reiterate AstraZeneca’s commitment that we are putting science and the interest of society at the heart of our work. And we will remain true to our values by continuing to work with governments and other organizations towards broad and equitable access to the vaccine in a timely manner and at no profit during the pandemic.” said Mr. Teague.

Vaccine access & efficacy

AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine has been granted a conditional marketing authorization for emergency use in more than 70 countries, with the World Health Organisation (WHO) Emergency Use Listing now accelerating the pathway to access in up to 142 countries through the COVAX Facility.

Our vaccine is well-tolerated, and highly effective against all disease severities and across all adult age groups, according to data from clinical trials in up to 60,000 participants and emerging real-world evidence from tens of millions of people.

Regulatory authorities in the U.K., European Union, the WHO have concluded that the benefits of using COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca to protect people from this virus significantly outweigh the risks. 

Published : May 09, 2021

By : The Nation

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40000676

Senior citizens registered on Mohpromt platform will get AstraZeneca vaccine

The Public Health Ministry has clarified that elderly people who had registered for vaccination through the “MohPromt” application would be receiving the AstraZeneca vaccine.

The clarification came following confusion over a communicable diseases committee decision to administer Sinovac vaccine to healthy elderly people so as to expand opportunities for inoculation for the elderly in outbreak areas.

Dr Sophon Mekthon, assistant to the Minister of Public Health, calmed public concerns about the decision by the National Communicable Diseases Committee that Sinovac vaccine would be administered to healthy people aged 60 and above.

He said Chinese research data showed that the vaccine was safe and stimulated the immune system well.

He clarified that the aim of the committee was to expand opportunities for the elderly in the Covid-19 areas to get vaccinated as soon as possible to reduce infection rates, limit infection circles, decrease severe illness and death instead of waiting for the AstraZeneca vaccine. Retired medical personnel who still work with risk groups also can be inoculated with Sinovac.

Sophon, however, made it clear that senior citizens and seven groups of chronic patients who have registered for vaccination through the Mohpromt platform will get the AstraZeneca vaccine, which is the country’s main vaccine. There will be 16 million doses of this vaccine available in June and July. The use of Sinovac vaccine is at the discretion of the doctor, while other vaccines covering all population groups would come later, he said.

Published : May 09, 2021

By : The Nation

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40000675

Isolated thundershowers forecast for Bangkok and most of the country

A hot day has been forecast for most of upper Thailand with isolated thundershowers in most parts of the country.

The southwesterly and southeasterly winds still bring moisture from the Gulf of Thailand and the South China Sea to the North, the Northeast, the Central including Bangkok and its vicinity, and the East regions.

Thundershowers with gusty winds are forecast for the upper regions, the Thailand Meteorological Department said on Sunday.

People should beware of the severe conditions by avoiding outdoor places, big trees, unsecured buildings and billboards, the department said. Farmers were warned of damage to crops.

Easterly winds blow over the Gulf of Thailand, the South and the Andaman Sea. Thundershowers are likely in the South.

 

The weather forecast for 24 hours:

North: Hot during the day; isolated thundershowers with isolated gusty winds mostly in Mae Hong Son, Chiang Mai, Nan, Lamphun, Lampang, Tak, Sukhothai, Phitsanulok, Kamphaeng Phet, Phichit and Phetchabun provinces; minimum temperature 22-25 degrees Celsius, maximum 34-38°C; southwesterly winds 10-20 km/hr.

Northeast: Hot during the day; isolated thundershowers with isolated gusty winds mostly in Loei, Nong Bua Lam Phu, Chaiyaphum, Khon Kaen, Nakhon Ratchasima, Buriram, Surin, Si Sa Ket and Ubon Ratchathani provinces; minimum 24-27°C, maximum 36-38°C; southeasterly winds 10-20 km/hr.

Central: Hot during the day; isolated thundershowers with isolated gusty winds mostly in Uthai Thani, Nakhon Sawan, Chai Nat, Lopburi, Saraburi, Kanchanaburi and Ratchaburi provinces; minimum temperature 23-26°C, maximum 34-38°C; southeasterly winds 10-20 km/hr.

East: Hot during the day; scattered thundershowers with isolated gusty winds mostly in Nakhon Nayok, Prachinburi, Chachoengsao, Chonburi, Rayong and Chanthaburi provinces; minimum temperature 24-26°C, maximum 34-37°C; southeasterly winds 15-30 km/hr; waves about a metre high and above two metres in thundershowers.

South (east coast): Scattered thundershowers mostly in Chumphon, Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Phatthalung, Songkhla, Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat provinces; minimum temperature 23-25°C; maximum 33-35°C; easterly winds 15-30 km/hr; waves about a metre high and 1-2 metres in thundershowers.

South (west coast): Scattered thundershowers mostly in Phang Nga, Phuket, Krabi, Trang and Satun; minimum temperature 23-26°C, maximum 33-35°C; easterly winds 15-30 km/hr; waves about a metre high and 1-2 metres in thundershowers.

Bangkok and its vicinity: Hot during the day; isolated thundershowers with isolated gusty winds; minimum temperature 25-26°C, maximum 34-37°C; southeasterly winds 10-20 km/hr.

Published : May 09, 2021

By : The Nation

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40000669

Protective cover coming to ensure privacy for patients at field hospitals

The Medical Council of Thailand has improved patients’ privacy in field hospitals by adding a roof over their paper beds.

The council secretary-general Dr Ittaporn Kanacharoen explained that they saw the need for such a cover after some patients posted unattractive photos and videos online of patients in nearby beds.

The new model is under production and will be distributed widely in Thailand. The initial beds would be placed in the female zone of field hospitals, he added.

Protective cover coming to ensure privacy for patients at field hospitals

Published : May 08, 2021

By : The Nation

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40000668

Air travel estimates slashed by 38 per cent due to 3rd Covid-19 wave

Aeronautical Radio of Thailand (Aerothai) has adjusted down its estimates of total domestic and international air travel in 2021 to 323,093 flights, a 38 per cent drop from its 518,790 flights estimate at the start of the year.

The steep downward revision follows the fallout from the third Covid-19 wave since late March.

“The rising number of infections in Thailand and overseas has caused domestic and international travel to decline, while the government’s measures urging people to refrain from inter-provincial travel would further decrease domestic flights,” said Aerothai vice-president Thinnakorn Chuwong.

“However, we estimate that the impact of this wave will last until May and recovery would start slowly from June onwards, coinciding with the period when the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand would ease restrictions on air travel,” he added.

“Also the government’s Phuket Sandbox campaign would start in July, which could help boost air travel during July to August to around 1,095 flights per day, which would be at the same level as December last year, right before the start of the second wave.”

Under the sandbox scheme, tourists who can verify they have been inoculated against Covid-19 and test negative can fly into Phuket and move around freely without having to quarantine. Similar schemes will be applied to other destinations like Pattaya, Chiang Mai, Krabi, Phang Nga and Surat Thani later when more people have been vaccinated and more preventive measures have been put in place.

“However, if the sandbox campaign is not launched as scheduled, or should there be another wave, Aerothai might have to further lower estimates on total flights throughout the year,” added Thinnakorn.

Published : May 08, 2021

By : THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40000667

USTR puts Thailand on Watch List for IP protection, but praises govt efforts

The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) recently published its annual report on the adequacy and effectiveness of US trading partners’ protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights.

“USTR put Thailand among 23 countries on its Watch List, or countries that merit bilateral attention to address underlying IP problems,” said Wuttikrai Leeveeraphan, director-general of the Department of Intellectual Property.

“Other countries on the Watch List include Vietnam, Brazil and Mexico.”

Nine countries — Argentina, Chile, China, India, Indonesia, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Ukraine, and Venezuela — are on the Priority Watch List, or countries that present most significant concerns regarding insufficient IP protection or enforcement, or actions that otherwise limited market access for persons relying on intellectual property protection.

USTR puts Thailand on Watch List for IP protection, but praises govt efforts

“USTR admired the Thai government and the Ministry of Commerce for continued effort in protection of intellectual property and transparent communication between the government and the private sector overseas,” he added.

“However, it raised concerns that Thailand still lacked proper protection of intellectual property in certain channels, such as via the internet.”

Wuttikrai added that Thailand was planning to enter the Hague Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Industrial Designs and the World Intellectual Property Organisation Copyright Treaty to improve the country’s intellectual property system to an international level.

“We will work together with related authorities in the US to draw up an efficient work plan regarding intellectual property in order to remove us from the USTR Watch List in the future,” he added.

Published : May 08, 2021

By : THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40000665

Nation Group extends a helping hand to Covid-hit Khlong Toei residents

Nation Multimedia Group executives, as well as NationTV reporters, delivered freshly cooked food on Saturday to locals living in Khlong Toei slums, which have been hit hard by a Covid-19 outbreak.

The activity, called “Krua Nation Pan Namchai” (Nation’s Kitchen Charity), will continue for 10 days.

Each day, a total of 3,000 lunch boxes will be given to the locals through their representatives.

Published : May 08, 2021

By : The Nation

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40000664

Bangkok provides free Covid-19 testing to workers in risky groups until May 31

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) will provide free Covid-19 testing to people in professions at high risk of infection, and who are not covered by the social security system, from May 5-31 at the Bangkok Youth Centre (Thai -Japan) in Din Daeng district, Governor Aswin Kwanmuang said on Saturday.

On April 16, the BMA had started free testing of social security members – under Article 33, 39 and 40 of the Social Security Act – in a bid to curb the spread of the virus.

The youth centre is capable of testing 2,000 people per day.

From April 16 to 30, a total of 32,453 have come to the centre to get tested, of whom 808 tested positive, or 2.5 per cent.

“From May 5, workers who are not under social security can receive free tests at the youth centre, with priority given to those that have contact with several people, such as food delivery staff, public vehicle drivers, taxi drivers — both cars and bikes,” he said.

Aswin added that the BMA was procuring additional vaccines for staff of agencies in the province whose work might expose them to the virus, such as teachers, Don Mueang airport staff, Metropolitan Electricity Authority staff and road sweepers in 50 districts.

“We estimate that there are about 500,000 people in these groups who need to be vaccinated for their safety,” he added.

Published : May 08, 2021

By : THE NATION

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40000663

Yaowarat shopkeepers fined for selling illegal jellies after two children hospitalised

Customer protection police, together with Food and Drug Administration officers, raided several candy shops in Bangkok’s Yaowarat area selling eye jellies, a candy suspected of making children sick.

On Tuesday, a mother posted on her Facebook page that her son and daughter had consumed the jellies, and had to be hospitalised due to vomiting, fever and stomachache.

In response to this case, the officials on Friday visited candy shops in Yaowarat and checked all the eye jellies being sold there.

Their inspection revealed that the jellies sold in five shops had no registration number or a label in Thai language.

The officials confiscated 33,000 candies, worth THB300,000.

Yaowarat shopkeepers fined for selling illegal jellies after two children hospitalised

The shop operators were fined THB30,000 for selling illegal products. The fine amount will be more if the candies are found to be contaminated with dangerous chemicals.

Published : May 08, 2021

By : The Nation

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https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40000662

PM unveils new vaccination plan with focus on inoculating all adults

The government aims to procure 150 million or more doses of vaccine to tackle Covid-19 in Thailand, Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha posted on his Facebook page on Saturday.

“The original goal was to get 100 million doses of vaccine for 50 million adults in Thailand, with some manufacturers scheduled to make deliveries next year,” he said in the post. “However, as the outbreak situation is highly volatile, we cannot set a vaccination plan based on the assumption that herd immunity will be achieved when the majority of the population is vaccinated.

“The government has, therefore, set a new target of 150 million doses, or enough for all adults in Thailand or roughly 60 million people, while having some left in reserve,” Prayut said.

“The reserve also aims to respond in cases where the immunity of vaccinated people weakens, requiring additional jabs.”

Prayut added that the government would employ a more aggressive approach in procuring the vaccine as well as seek alternatives from new vaccine manufacturers. “Currently we have negotiated with seven manufacturers and are planning to branch out more to ensure that we get vaccines on time. We have to race with all other countries who are also eyeing getting more vaccines for their people as well,” he added.

“Lastly, the government is discussing with doctors and experts in public health over adjusting the vaccination plan to prioritise giving the first jab to as many people as possible,” said Prayut.

“Doctors unanimously agree that the risk of contracting the virus and developing severe symptoms, or even death, fall considerably after receiving the first jab. Therefore, we should focus on vaccinating as many first-dose receivers as possible.

“If we follow this adjusted plan, it is estimated that by the end of July about half of the adult population of Thailand will have been vaccinated with the first jab and therefore are well-protected against Covid-19,” said Prayut.

Published : May 08, 2021

By : THE NATION